The VBA IMEStatus function is a built-in function in Microsoft Excel’s VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) programming language. This function is used for detecting the status of the current Input Method Editor (IME) and returns a value indicating whether the IME is on or off. This function can be useful in situations where it is necessary to determine if the input method is set properly for certain languages, such as when designing a VBA program for international users.
VBA IMEStatus Function – Purpose, Syntax and Arguments
Purpose:
The primary purpose of the IMEStatus function is to return a value indicating whether the Input Method Editor (IME) for the specific language is on or off. This can be helpful in troubleshooting issues related to incorrect language settings in VBA programs.
Syntax:
IMEStatus (IMEName)
Arguments:
- IMEName: This is the optional argument that specifies the name of the input method whose status the function is checking. If no name is specified, the status of the current input method is returned. This argument can be a string or a variant data type.
Example:
Assuming that the current input method is set to Japanese and the IME for Japanese is turned on, the following VBA code will return a value of 1:
Sub IME_Status()
MsgBox IMEStatus("Japanese")
End Sub
In this example, since the IME for Japanese is on, the function returns a value of 1, indicating that the IME is on. If the IME for Japanese is turned off, the function will return a value of 0.
Remarks and Important Notes:
- If the specified IMEName argument is invalid or the IME is not installed, the function will throw a run-time error.
- The IMEStatus function is only available in the Visual Basic Editor (VBE) environment and cannot be used in standard Excel cells like other built-in functions.
- The IMEStatus function can only detect the status of the IME for languages that support IME, such as Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.
- The IMEStatus function is not available in earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, and it was introduced in Excel 2007.
- This function can be useful in situations where it is necessary to programmatically check the status of the IME for certain languages, such as when building VBA programs for data entry in different languages.
The IMEStatus function is a simple, yet powerful tool for checking the status of the Input Method Editor for specified languages in VBA programs. It can save time and effort in troubleshooting issues related to incorrect language settings and ensure a smooth user experience for international users.
Understanding VBA IMEStatus Function with Examples
The IMEStatus function is a built-in VBA function, also known as an Information function, that allows users to check the state of the Input Method Editor (IME). The IME is an essential feature in many languages, including Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, that allows users to enter characters using roman letters.
In this blog post, we will deep dive into the IMEStatus function in VBA, its syntax, and how it can be used in various scenarios with examples.
Example 1: Basic Syntax of IMEStatus Function
The basic syntax of the IMEStatus function is as follows:
IMEStatus()
The IMEStatus function has no arguments and can be used directly in the code without providing any parameters. It returns a Variant data type, which can be either ‘True’ or ‘False,’ indicating the status of the IME.
Example 2: Using IMEStatus Function in an If statement
IMEStatus function can be used in an ‘If’ statement to check the status of the IME and perform tasks accordingly.
Let’s say we have a worksheet with the names of students in Chinese, and we want to check if the IME is turned on or off. If the IME is turned off, we want to display an error message.
Dim IMEState As String If IMEStatus() = False Then IMEState = "IME is turned off" MsgBox IMEState End if
In this example, we use the IMEStatus function to check if the IME is turned off. If the function returns ‘False,’ which means the IME is turned off, we set a variable ‘IMEState’ with the error message and display it through a ‘MsgBox.’
Example 3: Using IMEStatus Function with Application.OnKey
The ‘Application.OnKey’ method is used to assign a specific macro or function to a key or key combination. The IMEStatus function can be used along with this method to execute different macros or functions based on the status of the IME.
Let’s say we have a VBA code that we want to run when the user presses the ‘Alt+I’ key combination. However, if the IME is turned on, we want to run another code instead. This can be achieved using the ‘Application.OnKey’ and IMEStatus functions.
Sub IMETest() Application.OnKey "%I", "IMECheck" End Sub Sub IMECheck() If IMEStatus() = True Then MsgBox "IME is on" Else MsgBox "Your code will run" 'Put your code here End If End Sub
In this example, we define a sub procedure ‘IMETest’ which assigns the ‘Application.OnKey’ method to the key combination ‘Alt+I’ and calls the ‘IMECheck’ procedure. In the ‘IMECheck’ procedure, we check the status of the IME using the IMEStatus function. If the function returns ‘True,’ we display a message. Otherwise, the code defined in the ‘Else’ statement will run.
Example 4: Using IMEStatus Function to Activate IME
In some cases, the IME may be turned off in the middle of running a VBA macro, which can result in incorrect characters being entered. In such cases, the IMEStatus function can be used to activate the IME programmatically.
Private Declare Sub keybd_event Lib "user32" (ByVal bVk As Byte, ByVal bScan As Byte, ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dwExtraInfo As Long) Sub ActivateIME() If IMEStatus() = False Then keybd_event 28, 0, 0, 0 'Press Alt key keybd_event 73, 0, 0, 0 'Press I key keybd_event 28, 0, 2, 0 'Release Alk key keybd_event 73, 0, 2, 0 'Release I key End If End Sub
In this example, we define a sub procedure ‘ActivateIME’ that checks if the IME is turned off using the IMEStatus function. If it is, we use the ‘keybd_event’ function to simulate the key combination ‘Alt+I,’ which activates the IME.
Example 5: Using IMEStatus Function in Userform
The IMEStatus function can also be used in user forms to check the IME status and perform certain tasks. Let’s look at an example where we have a user form with a text box and a command button. We want to check the IME status when the user clicks on the command button and display a message.
First, we need to add a reference to the ‘Microsoft Forms 2.0 Object Library’ in the VBA editor. To do this, go to Tools > References and check the box next to ‘Microsoft Forms 2.0 Object Library.’
Next, add a user form with the following controls:
– Text box: name it “txtInput”
– Command button: name it “cmdCheckIME”
Then, add the following code to the user form:
Dim IMEState As String Private Sub cmdCheckIME_Click() If IMEStatus() = True Then IMEState = "IME is on" Else IMEState = "IME is off" End If MsgBox IMEState End Sub Private Sub UserForm_Activate() txtInput.SetFocus End Sub
In this example, we declare a variable called ‘IMEState’ and set its value based on the status of the IME using the IMEStatus function. We display the message through a ‘MsgBox’ when the user clicks on the command button. Additionally, we use the ‘UserForm_Activate’ event to set the focus on the text box when the user form is activated.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we learned about the IMEStatus function in VBA, its syntax, and how it can be used in various scenarios. The IMEStatus function is a useful and versatile function that allows users to check the status of the IME and perform tasks accordingly. With the examples provided, readers can easily incorporate this function into their VBA code to enhance the functionality of their projects.
