Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 8, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365
There are numerous times when you are writing macros when you will need to determine if the user has made a selection. There are numerous ways you can do this in a macro. The following code illustrates one possible method for accomplishing this in VBA. It sets the value of a flag, bInSelection, to True if there is currently not a selection. Otherwise bInSelection is set to False.
Dim bInSelection As Boolean bInSelection = False If Selection.Type=wdSelectionIP Then bInselection=True End If
You might wonder if you could use an approach of checking if the length of the selection is greater than zero, as in this method:
Dim bInSelection As Boolean bInSelection = False If Len(Selection) > 0 Then bInselection=True End If
This approach won't work. The reason is because when there is no selection made (the insertion point is collapsed and just blinking), Word still returns a selection length of 1. This is a bit aggravating as it makes no logical sense. Thus, you need to check the Type property of the Selection object, as in the first example above. If you want to shorten it even further, you could use the following:
Dim bInSelection As Boolean bInselection=(Selection.Type=wdSelectionIP)
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (12175) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Checking for a Text Selection Length.
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2024-08-08 11:00:46
Timothy J. McGowan
I believe @Barry is correct. This macro gives wrong answers:
Sub IsAnythingSelected()
Dim bInSelection As Boolean
Dim sInSelection As String
bInSelection = (Selection.Type = wdSelectionIP)
sInSelection = "False"
If bInSelection Then sInSelection = "True"
MsgBox ("InSelection = " + sInSelection)
End Sub
I suppose that means I don't understand wdSelectionIP.
Regardless, knowing that, you can get the correct answers by knowing Selection.Type returns the opposite of what you expect:
Sub IsAnythingSelected()
Dim bInSelection As Boolean
Dim sInSelection As String
bInSelection = (Selection.Type = wdSelectionIP)
sInSelection = "True"
If bInSelection Then sInSelection = "False"
MsgBox ("Text is selected = " + sInSelection)
End Sub
2024-07-30 06:59:35
Barry
I am just starting out with VBA for Word and I am confused!!
In the above you state:
It sets the value of a flag, bInSelection, to True if there is currently a selection. Otherwise bInSelection is set to False.
Doesn't the statement:
If Selection.Type=wdSelectionIP Then
bInselection=True
Set the flag TRUE if the selection is just the insertion point and False if text is selected?
Barry
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