VBA is the SaveSetting statement, which allows developers to save custom application settings to the Windows registry. In this blog post, we will explore the purpose of the SaveSetting statement, its syntax, examples, important notes and remarks, and conclude by asking for feedback and views on its usefulness.
VBA SaveSetting Statement
Purpose
The primary purpose of the SaveSetting statement is to save application settings in the Windows registry, allowing users to save their preferences and customizations. This is particularly useful for applications with different settings or configurations that need to be saved and accessed by users frequently. For example, a VBA developer might use the SaveSetting statement in an Excel workbook to store user preferences such as the default font, color scheme, or startup location. This allows users to continue working with the application using their preferred settings, even if they close and reopen the workbook.
Syntax
The general syntax of the SaveSetting statement is as follows:
SaveSetting Appname, Section, Key, Setting
Where:
- Appname refers to the name of the application or project.
- Section is the section name in the Windows registry where the setting will be stored.
- Key is the name of the setting to be saved.
- Setting is the value to be assigned to the setting.
Examples of VBA SaveSetting Statement
Saving User Preferences in an Excel Workbook
Imagine you have an Excel workbook with a Login form, and you want to save the user’s login credentials. You can do this using the SaveSetting statement as follows:
SaveSetting "MyApp", "UserSettings", "Username", txtUsername.Value SaveSetting "MyApp", "UserSettings", "Password", txtPassword.Value
This will save the username and password entered by the user in the Login form to the Windows registry under the “MyApp” application and “UserSettings” section.
Storing Application Settings in the Registry
Some VBA projects may have application settings that need to be saved and accessed by multiple users. In such cases, the SaveSetting statement can be used to store these settings in the registry as follows:
SaveSetting "MyApp", "AppSettings", "DefaultFont", "Calibri" SaveSetting "MyApp", "AppSettings", "DefaultColor", RGB(255, 0, 0)
This will save the default font and color settings for the application under the “MyApp” application and “AppSettings” section.
Exchanging Data Between Different Excel Workbooks
A VBA programmer may have multiple Excel workbooks that need to communicate with each other. In such cases, the SaveSetting statement can be used to transfer data between the workbooks through the Windows registry. For example, Workbook A can save a setting using the SaveSetting statement, and Workbook B can retrieve that setting using the ‘GetSetting’ statement, achieving data exchange between the two workbooks.
Remembering the Last Saved Location of a Workbook
Users may find it convenient if an Excel workbook remembers the last saved location, especially if they frequently save the file in the same location. This can be easily achieved using the SaveSetting statement as follows:
SaveSetting "MyApp", "FileSettings", "LastSavedPath", Application.ActiveWorkbook.Path
This will save the path of the active workbook in the “MyApp” application and “FileSettings” section, allowing the workbook to retrieve and use this path the next time it is opened.
Saving Settings at the Application Level
The SaveSetting statement can also be used to save application-level settings, such as the current date or time, custom formulas, or add-in configurations. These settings can be saved in the Windows registry using the SaveSetting statement and retrieved by the application using the ‘GetSetting’ statement.
Important Notes & Remarks
- The SaveSetting statement only works on Windows systems, as it stores the settings in the Windows registry.
- The settings saved using the SaveSetting statement are permanent, and they will remain in the registry until they are explicitly deleted.
- It is good practice to include error handling when using the SaveSetting statement to ensure the code does not break if there are any issues writing to the registry.
- The SaveSetting statement can only save string or numeric values, so any other type of data needs to be converted before being saved.
- The SaveSetting statement can be used in conjunction with the ‘GetSetting’ statement to retrieve the saved settings at a later time.
In conclusion, the SaveSetting statement is an essential and powerful tool in VBA for saving custom application settings in the Windows registry. It allows developers to create user-friendly applications that can remember user preferences and customizations. In this blog post, we explored its purpose, syntax, top five examples, and important notes and remarks. Now, let me ask for your feedback and views.
Have you used the SaveSetting statement in your VBA projects? How has it helped you? Do you have any other tips or suggestions for using this statement efficiently? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!
