XL98: Returning Multiple Values from a Custom Function (191180)

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Method to Return a Variable-Size Result Array

This method returns an array of values based on an argument range. The size of the resulting array fluctuates depending on the number of elements in the argument array. For example, assume that you want to create a function that multiplies each value in a range by 100. The following custom function accepts an array (a range of values) as its argument:

   Function Multiply_Range(myrange As Object) As Variant
      Dim temp As Variant
      Dim i As Integer, j As Integer
      temp = myrange.Value 'creates a copy of the values in myrange
      ' if more than one element then loop through both dimensions of
      ' the array and multiply each element by 100.
      ' if not more than one element then temp is multiplied by 100.
      If IsArray(temp) Then
         For i = 1 To UBound(temp, 1)
            For j = 1 To UBound(temp, 2)
               temp(i, j) = temp(i, j) * 100
            Next j
         Next i
      Else
         temp = temp * 100
      End If
      Multiply_Range = temp
   End Function
				

To use the custom function, enter the following data in cells A1:A4:

   A1:     5
   A2:     3
   A3:     1
   A4:     2
				

Select the range B1:B4 and enter the following formula as an array: NOTE: The above formula must be entered as an array formula. To enter a formula as an array formula, press COMMAND+ENTER.

The result will be:

   A1:     5       B1:     500
   A2:     3       B2:     300
   A3:     1       B3:     100
   A4:     2       B4:     200
				

Method to Return Array Result of a Fixed Size

This method for returning multiple values from a custom function assumes that you have a fixed number of elements in the resulting array.

The following custom function accepts a starting time and an ending time and returns the number of hours, minutes, and seconds between them in a 3- row by 1-column array.

   Function Elapsed_Time(start, finish As Date) As Variant
      Dim hours, minutes, seconds As Integer
      hours = Hour(finish - start)
      minutes = Minute(finish - start)
      seconds = Second(finish - start)
      Elapsed_Time = Application.Transpose(Array(hours, minutes, seconds))
   End Function
				

To use this custom function, enter a starting time and a finish time in two cells (for example, A1 and A2 below).

   A1:     1:00:00
   A2:     6:49:34
				

Then, highlight three cells in a column (for example, A3 through A5) and enter the following as an array formula: NOTE: The above formula must be entered as an array formula. To enter a formula as an array formula, press COMMAND+ENTER.

The result will appear as follows:

   A1:     1:00:00
   A2:     6:49:34
   A3:     5
   A4:     49
   A5:     34
				

If you prefer to enter the function horizontally into a range of cells instead of vertically, change the Elapsed_Time line to read: