Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Noting Table Rows Containing a Character.

Noting Table Rows Containing a Character

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 2, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

Heidi has fifteen documents, each comprised chiefly of one long table. She needs to create a macro to search row-by-row and somehow highlight (either by shading, bolding, changing font, etc.) any row that doesn't have a parenthesis character anywhere in the row. Alternatively, she can also highlight rows that do contain a parenthesis character—she just needs to be able to distinguish between rows that do and rows that don't. There are many ways that such a macro could be approached, but one that searches for an opening or closing parenthesis is relatively easy. The following example will do the search, row by row, and if either character is found, it will highlight the row by making the background yellow.

Sub HilightRows()
    Dim TargetText1 As String
    Dim TargetText As String
    Dim oRow As Row
    Dim iCol As Integer

    'initialize the target characters to find
    TargetText = "("
    TargetText1 = ")"

    'Make sure we're in a table
    If Selection.Information(wdWithInTable) Then
        'Clear all the old shading
        Selection.Tables(1).Shading.BackgroundPatternColor = wdColorWhite
        'do all the rows
        For Each oRow In Selection.Tables(1).Rows
            If InStr(oRow.Range.Text, TargetText) > 0 Then _
              oRow.Shading.BackgroundPatternColor = wdColorYellow
            If InStr(oRow.Range.Text, TargetText1) > 0 Then _
              oRow.Shading.BackgroundPatternColor = wdColorYellow
        Next oRow
    End If
End Sub

Note:

If you would like to know how to use the macros described on this page (or on any other page on the WordTips sites), I've prepared a special page that includes helpful information. Click here to open that special page in a new browser tab.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11435) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Noting Table Rows Containing a Character.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Changing the Position of the Dollar Sign

When you receive documents created by others, it is not unusual that you'll want to edit what they've written. For ...

Discover More

Every Second Tuesday

Need a way to enter dates from every second Tuesday (or some other regular interval)? Excel makes it easy, providing ...

Discover More

Counting All Characters

Need to know how many characters there are in a workbook? You can find out easily with the handy macro introduced in this ...

Discover More

Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Entering Tabs in a Table

When you press the Tab key while entering info into a table, Word dutifully moves to the next table cell. If you don't ...

Discover More

Copying All Tables to a New Document

Need to make a copy of every single table in a document? There's a quick and easy way to do it using the macro in this tip.

Discover More

Using Outline Numbering in a Table

Can you put a numbered outline in a table? Yes, you can. But Word is rather prickly when it comes to using the keyboard ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is 5 - 3?

2018-05-06 23:51:39

Stella

Why do you define 'iCol' as 'Integer' and then not use 'iCol' anywhere in the macro?

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.