查找连续具有特定值的第一个和最后一个条目

Question

I have a excel sheet containing multiple cells with a string foo in the first row. I want to find the first and last column in which the string is written. I have tried the following

Dim first_col As Integer
Dim last_col As Integer
Dim col As Integer
Dim found As Range
Dim ws_MLB as Worksheet
Dim foo as String

set ws_MLB = ThisWorkbook.Sheet(1)

Set found = ws_MLB.Rows(1).Find(foo)
If Not found Is Nothing Then
    col = found.Column
    first_col = col
    last_col = col
    Do
        found = ws_MLB.Rows(1).FindNext(found)
        col = found.Column

        If col < first_col Then
            first_col = col
            MsgBox ("This should not happen")
        ElseIf col > last_col Then
            last_col = col
        End If
    Loop While Not found Is Nothing And col <> first_col
Else
    MsgBox ("not found")
End If

But this way I only get the the first value for both first_col and last_col. When I search for the string with the integrated excel search I find multiple instances. So the string is there. Have I done a mistake or is there a better way to do this?

edit forgot to mention that I also tried to change the search direction, but I still got the first entry.

Answer 1

You can make this a lot easier by using the SearchDirection Parameter in .Find by using xlNext you search Left to Right then xlPrevious searches Right to Left.

Sub FindFL()

    Dim wbk As Workbook
    Dim ws As Worksheet
    Dim fColumn As Long, lColumn As Long

    Set wbk = ThisWorkbook 'Change this to your workbook
    Set ws = wbk.Worksheets("Sheet1") 'Change this to your worksheet

    With ws
        'Find first column that foo shows up
        fColumn = .Cells.Find(What:="foo", _
            After:=.Cells(1, 1), _
            LookIn:=xlValues, _
            LookAt:=xlWhole, _
            SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, _
            SearchDirection:=xlNext, _
            MatchCase:=False).Column
        'Find last column that foo shows up
        lColumn = .Cells.Find(What:="foo", _
            After:=.Cells(1, 1), _
            LookIn:=xlValues, _
            LookAt:=xlWhole, _
            SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, _
            SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, _
            MatchCase:=False).Column

        Debug.Print "First Column is " & fColumn; vbNewLine _
        ; "Last Column is " & lColumn
    End With
End Sub

Answer 2

I would do that like this:

Public Sub foo()
  Dim nCol As Integer
  Dim nFirst As Integer
  Dim nLast As Integer

  With ActiveSheet
    nCol = 1
    Do Until .Cells(1, nCol) = ""
      If .Cells(1, nCol) = "foo" Then
        If nFirst = 0 Then
          nFirst = nCol
        Else
          nLast = nCol
        End If
      End If
      nCol = nCol + 1
    Loop
  End With

  MsgBox "First: " & nFirst & vbCr & "Last: " & nLast
End Sub