Macro to Import a Text File into Existing Worksheet (133198)

SUMMARY

Microsoft Excel does not provide a direct means for importing a text file into an existing worksheet. Generally, this is done by opening the text file into its own workbook and then copying the data from the new workbook to the existing worksheet. This article provides a sample Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro (Sub procedure) that can automate this process for you.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements. The following sample macro prompts you for a file by displaying the Open dialog box, opens the file into its own workbook, and then copies the data to the cell that was active when the macro was run.

    Sub ImportTextFile()

       Dim DestBook As Workbook, SourceBook As Workbook
       Dim DestCell As Range
       Dim RetVal As Boolean

       ' Turn off screen updating.
       Application.ScreenUpdating = False

       ' Set object variables for the active book and active cell.
       Set DestBook = ActiveWorkbook
       Set DestCell = ActiveCell

       ' Show the Open dialog box.
       RetVal = Application.Dialogs(xlDialogOpen).Show ("*.txt")

       ' If Retval is false (Open dialog canceled), exit the procedure.
       If RetVal = False Then Exit Sub

       ' Set an object variable for the workbook containing the text file.
       Set SourceBook = ActiveWorkbook

       ' Copy the contents of the entire sheet containing the text file.
       Range(Range("A1"), Range("A1").SpecialCells(xlLastCell)).Copy

       ' Activate the destination workbook and paste special the values
       ' from the text file.
       DestBook.Activate
       DestCell.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlValues

       ' Close the book containing the text file.
       SourceBook.Close False

   End Sub