XL2002: How to Delete Cells with a For Each...Next Loop (291300)

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Sample Data

To use the macro in this article, type the following sample data in a worksheet:

   A1:  a  B1:  1
   A2:  b  B2:  2
   A3:  x  B3:  3
   A4:  x  B4:  4
   A5:  c  B5:  5
   A6:  x  B6:  6
   A7:  d  B7:  7
   A8:  x  B8:  8
   A9:  x  B9:  9
   A10: e  B10: 10
				

Sample Macro

In a new macro module, type the following macro:

Sub DeleteCells()

    'Loop through cells A1:A10 and delete cells that contain an "x."
    For Each c in Range("A1:A10")
        If c = "x" Then c.EntireRow.Delete
    Next

End Sub
				

Behavior of the Sample Macro in Microsoft Excel 2002

When you run the DeleteCells macro in Microsoft Excel 2002, only rows 3, 6 and 8 are deleted. Although rows 4 and 9 contain an "x" in column A, the macro does not delete the rows. The results of the macro in Microsoft Excel 2002 are as follows:

   A1: a   B1: 1
   A2: b   B2: 2
   A3: x   B3: 4
   A4: c   B4: 5
   A5: d   B5: 7
   A6: x   B6: 9
   A7: e   B7: 10
				

When Microsoft Excel deletes row 3, all cells move up one row. For example, cell A3 assumes the contents of cell A4, cell A4 assumes the contents of cell A5, and so forth. After the For Each...Next loop evaluates a cell, it evaluates the next cell; therefore, when cells are shifted, they may be skipped by the loop.

Behavior of the Sample Macro in Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0

When you run the DeleteCells macro in Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0, the macro deletes all rows that contain an "x." The results of the macro in Microsoft Excel 5.0 or 7.0 are as follows:

   A1: a   B1: 1
   A2: b   B2: 2
   A3: c   B3: 5
   A4: d   B4: 7
   A5: e   B5: 10
				

When row 3 is deleted, all cells move up one row; and cell A3 assumes the contents of cell A4, cell A4 assumes the contents of cell A5, and so forth.

However, unlike the behavior of the loop in Microsoft Excel 2002, when the For Each...Next loop evaluates a cell in Microsoft Excel 5.0 and 7.0, it reevaluates the cell if it is deleted in the loop; therefore, the cells are not skipped.

Recommended Method for Using a Loop to Delete Cells

Use the following macro when you want to use a loop to delete cells:

Sub DeleteCells2()

    Dim rng As Range
    Dim i As Integer, counter As Integer

    'Set the range to evaluate to rng.
    Set rng = Range("A1:A10")

    'initialize i to 1
    i = 1

    'Loop for a count of 1 to the number of rows
    'in the range that you want to evaluate.
    For counter = 1 To rng.Rows.Count

        'If cell i in the range contains an "x",
        'delete the row.
        'Else increment i
        If rng.Cells(i) = "x" Then
            rng.Cells(i).EntireRow.Delete
        Else
            i = i + 1
        End If

    Next

End Sub
				

The results of this macro in Microsoft Excel 2002 and earlier versions are as follows:

   A1: a   B1: 1
   A2: b   B2: 2
   A3: c   B3: 5
   A4: d   B4: 7
   A5: e   B5: 10
				

Additional Method for Using a Loop to Delete Cells

This is an alternate method to the method shown above. It produces the same results.

Sub DeleteCells3()

    Dim rng As Range, i As Integer

    'Set the range to evaluate to rng.
    Set rng = Range("A1:A10")

    'Loop backwards through the rows
    'in the range that you want to evaluate.
    For i = rng.Rows.Count To 1 Step -1

        'If cell i in the range contains an "x", delete the entire row.
        If rng.Cells(i).Value = "x" Then rng.Cells(i).EntireRow.Delete
    Next

End Sub