The StrConv function in VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is used to convert a given string into a specified case. It is a built-in function that is used to manipulate strings in Excel. The term StrConv stands for String Conversion. This function is especially useful when working with large data sets and making changes to strings based on certain criteria. It is a powerful function that can help automate tasks and save time when working with text data in Excel.
VBA StrConv Function – Purpose, Syntax and Arguments
Purpose:
The purpose of the StrConv function is to convert the case of a given string. This function can convert a string to uppercase, lowercase, proper case, or sentence case. It can also be used to convert wide and narrow characters, and can handle double-byte and single-byte characters as well. The StrConv function is commonly used in data analysis and data manipulation tasks in Excel, and it can help improve the accuracy and speed of data processing.
Syntax:
StrConv(Text, Conversion, [LCID])
Where,
- Text: This is the string that will be converted.
- Conversion: This is a mandatory argument that specifies the type of conversion to be performed. It can take the following values:
- vbUpperCase: This value converts the string to uppercase.
- vbLowerCase: This value converts the string to lowercase.
- vbProperCase: This value converts the first character of each word to uppercase and the remaining characters to lowercase.
- vbWide: This value converts narrow characters in the string to wide (double-byte) characters.
- vbNarrow: This value converts wide (double-byte) characters in the string to narrow characters.
- vbKatakana: This value converts hiragana characters in the string to katakana characters.
- vbHiragana: This value converts katakana characters in the string to hiragana characters.
- vbUnicode: This value converts the string to Unicode.
- vbFromUnicode: This value converts the string from Unicode.
- vbTraditionalChinese: This value converts simplified Chinese characters in the string to traditional Chinese characters.
- vbSimplifiedChinese: This value converts traditional Chinese characters in the string to simplified Chinese characters.
- vbTitleCase: This value converts the string to title case.
- vbSentenceCase: This value converts the first letter of the first word in the string to uppercase and all other letters to lowercase.
- [LCID]: This is an optional argument that specifies the locale ID (LCID) for the conversion. If not specified, the default LCID will be used.
Example:
Let’s say we have a column of names in excel and we want to change the format of the names to “LastName, FirstName”. We can use the StrConv function to convert the names to proper case and then use the Format function to rearrange the names. The code for this would be:
Option Explicit
Sub ConvertNames()
Dim Name As Range
For Each Name In Range("A2:A10")
Name.Value = StrConv(Name.Value, vbProperCase)
Name.Value = Format(Name.Value, "Last, First")
Next Name
End Sub
In this example, the StrConv function is used to convert the names to proper case. Then, the Format function is used to rearrange the names. The result would be a column of names in the format “LastName, FirstName”.
Remarks:
- The StrConv function is not case-sensitive, so it will convert a string to the specified case regardless of the string’s current case.
- If the value of the ‘Conversion’ argument is not recognized, the function will return an error.
- If the Conversion argument is set to vbUnicode or vbFromUnicode, the [LCID] argument should not be specified.
- If the Conversion argument is set to vbTraditionalChinese or vbSimplifiedChinese, the [LCID] argument should be set to the locale ID for the appropriate country or region.
Important Notes:
- The StrConv function only works with strings. If a non-string value is passed as an argument, the function will return an error.
- The StrConv function does not change the original string, but returns a new string with the specified case conversion.
- If the original string contains special characters or symbols, they will be retained in the converted string.
- The StrConv function can handle both single-byte and double-byte characters, making it a useful tool for international data processing.
In conclusion, the StrConv function in VBA is a powerful string manipulation tool that can convert a string to a specified case. It is a versatile function that can handle various types of character sets and is commonly used in data analysis and data processing tasks in Excel. By understanding the syntax, arguments, and examples of this function, one can improve their efficiency and accuracy when working with text data in excel.
Understanding VBA StrConv Function with Examples
Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is a programming language developed by Microsoft for use in their Office suite of programs. It allows users to create custom code to automate tasks and extend the functionality of their Office applications. One powerful function in VBA is the StrConv function, which is used to convert strings to different cases and formats. In this blog post, we will explore what the StrConv function is, how it works, and provide some examples to better understand its usage.
Example 1: Converting a String to Uppercase
The most basic use of the StrConv function is to convert a string to uppercase. This can be done by using the constant value “vbUpperCase” as the second argument of the StrConv function. Let’s take a look at an example:
Dim myString as String myString = "hello world" myString = StrConv(myString, vbUpperCase) MsgBox myString
- We first declare a variable named “myString” as a string data type.
- Next, we assign the value “hello world” to the variable.
- Then, we use the StrConv function to convert the string to uppercase and reassign the new value to the same variable.
- Lastly, we use the MsgBox function to display the new value of the variable in a message box.
This code will display “HELLO WORLD” in the message box. The StrConv function has converted the string to all uppercase letters.
Example 2: Converting a String to Lowercase
Similar to converting a string to uppercase, we can use the constant value “vbLowerCase” to convert a string to lowercase. Let’s modify our previous example to demonstrate this:
Dim myString as String myString = "HELLO WORLD" myString = StrConv(myString, vbLowerCase) MsgBox myString
This code will now display “hello world” in the message box. The StrConv function has converted the string to all lowercase letters.
Example 3: Converting the First Letter of a String to Uppercase
Using the StrConv function, we can also convert only the first letter of a string to uppercase. This is done by using the constant value “vbProperCase” as the second argument of the function. Let’s take a look at an example:
Dim myString as String myString = "hello world" myString = StrConv(myString, vbProperCase) MsgBox myString
The output of this code will be “Hello world”. The StrConv function has converted the first letter of the string to uppercase and left the rest of the letters as lowercase.
Example 4: Converting a String to Sentence Case
Sentence case means that the first letter of each sentence is capitalized. We can achieve this using the constant value “vbSentenceCase” as the second argument of the StrConv function. Let’s take a look at an example:
Dim myString as String myString = "this is a sentence. this is another sentence." myString = StrConv(myString, vbSentenceCase) MsgBox myString
The output of this code will be “This is a sentence. This is another sentence.” The StrConv function has converted the first letter of each sentence to uppercase.
Example 5: Converting a String to Title Case
Title case means that the first letter of each word is capitalized. To achieve this, we can use the “vbTitleCase” constant value in the StrConv function. Let’s take a look at an example:
Dim myString as String myString = "this is a title" myString = StrConv(myString, vbTitleCase) MsgBox myString
The output of this code will be “This Is A Title”. The StrConv function has converted the first letter of each word to uppercase.
Example 6: Reversing the Case of a String
Using the “vbProperCase” constant value in the StrConv function, we can also reverse the case of a string. This means that uppercase letters will become lowercase and vice versa. Let’s take a look at an example:
Dim myString as String myString = "HeLlO wOrLd" myString = StrConv(myString, vbProperCase) MsgBox myString
The output of this code will be “hElLo WoRlD”. The StrConv function has reversed the case of each letter in the string.
Example 7: Converting a String to Full-width
Full-width formatting means that each character occupies the same amount of space, regardless of its width. This is commonly used in East Asian languages. To convert a string to full-width format, we can use the “vbWide” constant value in the StrConv function. Let’s take a look at an example:
Dim myString as String myString = "hello world" myString = StrConv(myString, vbWide) MsgBox myString
The output of this code will be “ｈｅｌｌｏ ｗｏｒｌｄ” with each character taking up the same amount of space.
Example 8: Converting a String to Half-width
Conversely, we can also use the “vbNarrow” constant value in the StrConv function to convert a string to half-width format. This means each character takes up half the space it normally would. Let’s take a look at an example:
Dim myString as String myString = "１０００" myString = StrConv(myString, vbNarrow) MsgBox myString
The output of this code will be “1000” with each character taking up half the space it normally would.
Example 9: Converting a String to Proper Format According to Locale
Lastly, we can use the “vbProperCase” constant value in combination with the “vbFromUnicode” constant value to automatically convert a string to the proper format according to the current locale. This means that the string will be converted to the appropriate case and format for the language being used. Let’s take a look at an example:
Dim myString as String myString = "спасибо" myString = StrConv(myString, vbProperCase, vbFromUnicode) MsgBox myString
If the current locale is set to Russian, the output of this code will be “Спасибо”. However, if the current locale is set to English, the output will be “Спасибо”.
Conclusion
The StrConv function in VBA is a powerful tool for converting strings to different cases and formats. With its various constant values, it provides a flexible solution for manipulating strings based on specific needs. By understanding how the StrConv function works and utilizing its various options, programmers can create efficient and effective VBA code to automate their tasks.
