How to use DIALOG BOXES

A dialog box is an excellent alternative to a userform, they are built-in to VBA and can save you time because you don't need to code and build a userform. Some of these dialog boxes also have built-in validation. This article shows you what you can and can't do with dialog boxes.

1. How to create a Message box (VBA)

The most basic dialog box you probably have seen many times is the message box. In its most simple form, it gives the user a message you specify and an OK button.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Hi, there!"

End Sub

It is a great tool for quickly troubleshooting a subroutine or a custom function. The message box has more options than displaying text or variables, these are the arguments:

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1.1 Message box arguments

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbOKOnly, "This is a title"

End Sub

Prompt - Text shown in message box
Buttons - You can select of a variety of different buttons and icons. If you can't find the buttons you need, a user form is required.

vbOKOnly - 0
vbOKCancel - 1
vbAbortRetryIgnore - 2
vbYesNoCancel - 3
vbYesNo - 4
vbRetryCancel - 5
vbCritical - 16
vbQuestion - 32
vbExclamation - 48
vbInformation - 64
vbDefaultButton1 - 0
vbDefaultButton2 - 256
vbDefaultButton3 - 512
vbDefaultButton4 - 768

Title - Text at the very top of the message box. (Optional)

Helpfile - Path to your helpfile. (Optional)

Context - A numerical expression. (Optional, required if you specify a helpfile)

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1.2 How to configure buttons on a message box

There are six different button setups. The most basic message box shows a text string or a variable and an OK button.

1.2.1 vbOKOnly

The dialog box demonstrated in the image above shows a single "OK" button, the VBA code below shows how to create the dialog box.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbOKOnly

End Sub

You don't even need to specify the vbOKOnly argument to show the above dialog box.

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1.2.2  vbOKCancel

The dialog box demonstrated in the image above shows an "OK" and "Cancel" button, the VBA code below shows how to create the dialog box.

vbOKCancel argument displays OK and Cancel buttons.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbOKCancel

End Sub

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1.2.3 vbAbortRetryIgnore

The dialog box demonstrated in the image above shows an "Abort", "Retry", and "Ignore" button, the VBA code below shows how to create the dialog box.

vbAbortRetryIgnore argument shows three buttons, abort, retry and ignore on the dialog box.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbAbortRetryIgnore

End Sub

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1.2.4 vbYesNoCancel

The dialog box demonstrated in the image above shows a "Yes", "No", and "Cancel" button, the VBA code below shows how to create the dialog box.

vbYesNoCancel argument also shows three buttons, however, they are named, Yes, No, and Cancel.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbYesNoCancel

End Sub

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1.2.5 vbYesNo

The dialog box demonstrated in the image above shows a "Yes" and "No" button, the VBA code below shows how to create the dialog box.

vbYesNo argument diplays Yes and No buttons.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbYesNo

End Sub

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1.2.6 vbRetryCancel

vbRetryCancel argument shows Retry and Cancel buttons.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbRetryCancel

End Sub

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1.3 Icons

1.3.1 vbCritical

vbCritical shows this icon on the message box, see the image above.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbCritical

End Sub

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1.3.2 vbQuestion

vbQuestion shows this query icon, see the image above.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbQuestion
End Sub

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1.3.3 vbExclamation

vbExclamation shows a warning icon, see the image above.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbExclamation
End Sub

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1.3.4 vbinformation

vbinformation shows an information icon, see the image above.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbInformation
End Sub

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1.3 Combine buttons and icons

If you look at the message box arguments at the beginning of this post, you will see a number next to each constant. Combining for example an OK and Cancel button with a query icon you simply add the numbers for those constants. OK and Cancel has value 1 and the query icon has value 32.

1 + 32 = 33

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", 33
End Sub

You can combine constants intead of values, if you prefer that. See macro below, it produces the same result as the macro above.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbOKCancel + vbQuestion
End Sub

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1.4 Default buttons

You can change the default button for a message box, see the arguments in the beginning of this post. The following message box has the OK button as the default button, it has a dotted line around the text "OK".

You can change it to the second button by adding 256 to the second argument. 33 + 256 = 289

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", 289
End Sub

If you prefer you can add the constants to the second argument, as well. This macro shows the same message box as above.

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbOKCancel + vbQuestion + vbDefaultButton2
End Sub

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1.5 Messagebox return value

The message box returns one of these values depending on which button was press with left mouse button oned on by the user.

vbOK - 1
vbCancel - 2
vbAbort - 3
vbRetry - 4
vbIgnore - 5
vbYes - 6
vbNo - 7

This message box allows you to press with left mouse button on the OK button or the Close button. Both buttons result in the value 1 or vbOK.

Sub Macro1()
Dim btt

btt = MsgBox("You can press with left mouse button on the OK button or the Close button", vbOKOnly)

MsgBox btt

End Sub

The following macro allows you to continue or stop a loop using a message box. If you press with left mouse button on No the macro ends.

Sub Macro1()
Dim a As Integer
For a = 1 To 10
If MsgBox("a=" & a & " Continue?", vbYesNo) = vbNo Then Exit For
Next a
End Sub

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1.6 Help file

Here is an example of how to use a msgbox with a helpfile.

<href="https://www.get-digital-help.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/dialog-boxes-help-file-1.png">

Sub Macro1()

MsgBox "Prompt", vbMsgBoxHelpButton, "This is a title", "c:\temp\helpfile.chm", 7

End Sub

How to build a chm file

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1.7 Working with text in a message box

The following macro shows you how to concatenate text and a variable.

Sub Macro1()
Dim nm As String
nm = "Jennifer"
MsgBox "My name is " & nm
End Sub

This macro shows you how to put text on two rows.

Sub Macro1()
MsgBox "First row" & vbNewLine & "Second row"
End Sub

You can also show data with a delimiting tab.

Sub Macro1()
Dim a As Integer, result As String
For a = 1 To 8
result = result & a & vbTab
Next a
MsgBox result
End Sub

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2. Input box (VBA)

An input box asks the user for a value, you can specify the text and the title in the inputbox. You also have the option where to show the input box on screen and a default input value.

 

prompt - text in input box

title - Text at the very top of the input box

default - default value shown in the input box

xpo,ypos - specify where you want the input box on the screen from the upper-left corner.

helpfile - path to help file

context - A numerical value

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2.1 How to set the default value for an input box?

This macro asks where you are from. The default value is "United Kingdom".

Sub Macro1()
Dim Country

Country = InputBox("Where are you from?", "Country", "United Kingdom")

MsgBox Country

End Sub

Note, the Input box returns nothing if you press with left mouse button on the Cancel button.

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3. Input box (Excel)

Excel input box is more versatile, it will do basic validation for you and the user can select a cell range on a worksheet. You have also the option to select one or multiple data types returned by the input box.

prompt - text in input box

title - Text at the very top of the input box

default - default value shown in the input box

left, top - specify where you want the input box from the upper-left corner of the screen.

helpfile - path to help file

HelpContextID - A numerical value

Type - A number representing the data type returned

0 - Formula
1 - Number
2 - Text
4 - Logical value, True or False
8 - A cell reference
16 - Error value
64 - An array of values

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3.1 Number

Sub Macro1()
Dim cd

cd = Application.InputBox("Enter birth year", , , , , , , 1)

MsgBox "Your birth year is " & cd

End Sub

Excel provides basic data validation, if you type a text string excel gives you this warning message.

If you press with left mouse button on "Cancel" button excel returns "False".

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3.2 Range

Data type 8 (Cell reference) lets the user select a cell range.

Sub Macro1()
Dim rngAs Range

Set rng = Application.InputBox("Select a range: ", , , , , , , 8)

MsgBox "You selected " & rng.Address

End Sub

If the user enters something else than a cell reference excel gives this message until a valid cell reference is entered:

Press with left mouse button oning on "Cancel" button makes excel error out:

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3.3 Combine data types

If you combine data types by adding their corresponding value, like this 1+2 = 3 the user is allowed to enter both numbers and text.

Sub Macro1()
Dim cd

cd = Application.InputBox("You can enter both text an numbers: ", , , , , , , 3)

MsgBox "You entered " & cd

End Sub

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4. Data Form

Data in this table is made up and random.

The data form is a smart dialog box, it analyzes your table and customizes the dialog box using table headers.

Make sure you have a cell selected in the table you want to work with before running this macro:

Sub Macro1()
ActiveSheet.ShowDataForm

End Sub

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5. FileDialog

FileDialog property lets you prompt the user for a directory or open/save/select a file

fileDialogType - Choose between 4 constants, see below.

msoFileDialogFilePicker - Select a file
msoFileDialogFolderPicker - Select a folder
msoFileDialogOpen - Open a file
msoFileDialogSaveAs - Save a file

5.1 msoFileDialogFilePicker

Allows the user to select a file. The following macro prompts the user for a file o multiple files and then a message box returns the path and file name for each file.

Sub Macro1()
Dim i As Integer
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
.Show
For i = 1 To .SelectedItems.Count
MsgBox .SelectedItems(i)
Next i
End With
End Sub

5.2 msoFileDialogFolderPicker

The following macro lets the user pick a folder. A message box displays the path and folder name.

Sub Macro1()
Dim i As Integer
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
.Show
MsgBox .SelectedItems(1)
End With
End Sub

5.3 msoFileDialogOpen

The macro below asks the user for a file to open. A message box displays the path and file name. Note, it doesn't open the file.

Sub Macro1()
Dim i As Integer
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogOpen)
.Show
MsgBox .SelectedItems(1)
End With
End Sub

5.4 msoFileDialogSaveAs

This macro lets the user pick a folder and a save name. A message box displays the path and file name. It doesn't save the file

Sub Macro1()
Dim i As Integer
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogOpen)
.Show
MsgBox .SelectedItems(1)
End With
End Sub

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6. GetOpenFilename

Filefilter - Filter criteria (Optional)
FilterIndex - Index number of default filter (Optional)
Title - title of dialog box (Optional)
Multiselect - Enables the user to select multiple filenames (Optional)

The following macro asks for a file to open, filters used are *.xlsx and *.xlsm. The second filter is the default value. Keep in mind, the macro doesn't open the file it just returns a file name and path.

Sub Macro1()
Dim txt
txt = Application.GetOpenFilename("Excel Files (*.xlsx), *.xlsx, Excel macro files (*.xlsm),*.xlsm", 2)

MsgBox txt

End Sub

If the user press with left mouse button ons "Cancel" a False is returned.

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7. GetSaveFilename

Filefilter - Filter criteria (Optional)
FilterIndex - Index number of default filter (Optional)
Title - title of dialog box (Optional)

Sub Macro1()
Dim txt
txt = Application.GetSaveAsFilename("Excel Files (*.xlsx), *.xlsx, Excel macro files (*.xlsm),*.xlsm", 2)
MsgBox txt
End Sub

This macro does not save the file, it only returns the selected path and name.

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