Try this:
-- In Excel 2007, create a new workbook, and save it as a macro-
enabled workbook.
-- Create a standard module, and enter this:
Sub test()
Debug.Print "Before save:"
Debug.Print Sheet1.Cells.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants).Address
Debug.Print Sheet1.Cells.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants).Count
Debug.Print
ThisWorkbook.Save
Debug.Print "After save:"
Debug.Print Sheet1.Cells.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants).Address
Debug.Print Sheet1.Cells.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants).Count
Debug.Print
End Sub
-- In the Workbook_BeforeSave event, enter this:
Debug.Print "During Workbook_BeforeSave Event:"
Debug.Print Sheet1.Cells.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants).Address
Debug.Print Sheet1.Cells.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants).Count
Debug.Print
-- To avoid getting a runtime error while keeping the test simple,
enter any data in any one cell in Sheet1. I entered text in cell D7.
-- Run the test macro. Here's what I get, in compatibility mode:
Before save:
$D$7
1
During Workbook_BeforeSave Event:
$1:$65536
16777216
After save:
$D$7
1
What's up?
Again, that's in compatibility mode. If I close the workbook and
reopen it to get into normal Excel 2007 mode, I get this, and then an
overflow error:
Before save:
$D$7
1
During Workbook_BeforeSave Event:
$1:$1048576
I guess that's because Count is trying to return a Long, and the Count
would be 16,384 x 1,048,576 = 17,179,869,184; okay for a Double but
too big for a Long. I get the same overflow error even if I wrap it in
CDbl.
If I narrow down the range of cells (still in normal Excel 2007 mode)
to a single column to avoid the overflow error, like this:
Debug.Print
Sheet1.Columns(4).SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants).Address
Debug.Print Sheet1.Columns(4).SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants).Count
Then I get this:
Before save:
$D$7
1
During Workbook_BeforeSave Event:
$D:$D
1048576
After save:
$D$7
1
So -- why are all cells considered to be occupied by constants during
the Before_Save event?
BTW, the problem does not occur with SpecialCells(xlCellTypeFormulas);
only with SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants).
Thanks,
Greg
Of course, that requires setting up application-level events:
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/AppEvent.aspx
I'm using his "Application Events In An New Class Module" way. I
haven't tested whether this workaround also works with his
"Application Events In An Existing Object Module" way.
I'd still like to know why the problem occurs in the
Workbook_BeforeSave event. Any ideas?
Greg
BTW, I found that the problem does not occur in the BeforeClose event.
But I'd rather do it on save than on close.
I found that it works fine to do it in a function called by a timer in
the BeforeSave event:
Application.OnTime Now + 0.000000001,
"MyFunctionThatUsesSpecialCells_xlCellTypeConstants"
That runs as soon as the save is done, and the problem does not occur.
But it isn't ideal, because it would put me always one save behind,
unless I saved in the target function, which would annoy the user with
double saves.
So now I'm doing this in the BeforeSave:
If bDoSave Then
bDoSave = False
Else
bDoSave = True
Cancel = True
Application.OnTime Now + 0.000000001,
"MyFunctionThatUsesSpecialCells_xlCellTypeConstants"
End If
bDoSave is a public function declared in a standard module. And in
MyFunctionThatUsesSpecialCells_xlCellTypeConstants, the last line is
ThisWorkbook.Save.
That seems to work fine as a workaround, and the workbook is only
saved once each time the user or the code does a save.
So -- any idea why the problem occurs?
Greg