Type Mismatch: Array or User Defined Type Expected (121114)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 5.0
This article was previously published under Q121114

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, when a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications procedure passes the value of one array to another array, if the data types of the two arrays are not compatible, you may receive one of the following error messages:
Type mismatch: Array or User Defined Type Expected.

-or-

Compile error:
Type mismatch: array or user-defined type expected
These error messages are not clear. A more accurate error message is the following:
Type mismatch: arrays not of compatible types

RESOLUTION

To make sure that the data types for both arrays are compatible, dimension both arrays with the same data type.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

  1. In Microsoft Excel, create a new workbook.
  2. From the Insert menu, choose Macro, and then choose Module.

    In Microsoft Excel 97, press ALT+F11 to activate the Visual Basic Editor. Then, click Module on the Insert menu.
  3. In the module, type the following procedures: 
          Sub First()
         Dim A(1 to 20) As Double
         Second A()
      End Sub

      Sub Second(B() As Single)
      End Sub
  4. From the Tools menu, choose Macro. Select the macro titled First, and choose Run.

    In Microsoft Excel 97, click Macros on the Tools menu. Click First, and then click Run.

    At this point you should receive one of the error messages shown above.
The correct syntax would be to have the data types of both arrays compatible. For example, type the following procedures on the same module sheet as the preceding example. 

    Sub Correct()
       Dim A(1 to 20) As Double
       Example A()
    End Sub

    Sub Example(B() As Double)
    End Sub
NOTE: The data type of both arrays is double..
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/11/2006
Keywords:kbdtacode kbinfo kbProgramming KB121114
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