Show the Format Text Box or Format Autoshape dialog boxes with VBA

Here is how you format a textbox:

Sub FormatTextBox()
Dim MyShape As Shape
Set MyShape = Sheet1.Shapes("Client")
    With MyShape.TextFrame.Characters(Start:=1, Length:=5).Font
        .Name = "Arial"
        .FontStyle = "Bold"
        .Underline = True
    End With
End Sub

Hope this helps.

Cheers
P.K.

Brian - your on the right track, but the test2 code  <SendKeys "^1", False>
is not working.

test1 code is for the wrong dialog box. I want to open the Shapes Format Text Box - not the Cells Format Dialog Box. Shapes Format Text Box opens when you right click a shape and choose "Format Text Box..."

=====================================================

pkhari - I know how to do what you've suggested. I want to be able to open "built-in' dialog boxes via VBA  by clicking a cmd button.

To get that dialog we must select a shape first. The menu contents then change accordingly.
Try it manually to see what I mean.
I cannot see why you would want to use that dialog with no shape selected (?)

Yes - I did select the shape first as follows:


 

Private Sub cmdFormatBox_Click()

Call ProtectMe(False)
ActiveSheet.Shapes(Me.txtGroupNameh.value).Select

SendKeys "^1", False

End Sub

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I want the user to be able to access this dialog box via a button, because the worksheet is protected. I unprotect it prior to executing your code.

I am using Excel 2003 so it may be different.
What is the keyboard method ?  i.e. select as shape and look in the "Format" menu.
What shortcut key(s) does it show at the right?
In 2003 it's the same Ctrl+1 for cell or shape depending what is selected at the time. The menu changes description.
Otherwise, what letter  key is underlined ?

You should be able to use:

application.commandbars.findcontrol(id:=791).execute


with either selected.

rorya - this is the kind of solution I am looking for. However I'm getting a Run Time Error 91:  Object Variable or With Block Variable not set. using this code: (first code block example)

 

Private Sub cmdFormatBox_Click()

Call ProtectMe(False)
ActiveSheet.Shapes(Me.txtGroupNameh.value).Select
Application.CommandBars.FindControl(ID:=791).Execute

End Sub

Private Sub cmdFormatText_Click()

Call ProtectMe(False)
ActiveSheet.Shapes(Me.txtGroupNameh.value).Select
Application.Dialogs(xlDialogFormatFont).Show

End Sub

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Note that I am able to show the Format Text dialog box using a similar method - Application.Dialogs,  (second code block example) and that is working just fine.

How did you find the ID:=791 for the Format Text dialog box?

Can you post a sample workbook? The code works fine for me in 2003.
I got the 791 by checking the ID for the first control in the Format dropdown of the main menu bar using:
?application.commandbars(1).controls("Format").Controls(1).Id

OK - Here's a sample workbook for you to examine.  You can show a userform by pressing the keyboard shortcut "CTRL + SHIFT + m" ShowTextFormatDialog.xls

Works fine for me.

Confusing! I'm getting the Run Time Error noted above. Using Excel 2003. There must be an Options setting that I'm missing.

What do you get if you run:

MsgBox Application.CommandBars.FindControl(ID:=791).Caption

in the Immediate Window?

So this is the code then

'=============================================================================
'- OPEN FORMAT AUTOSHAPE DIALOG
'=============================================================================
Sub test2()
    ActiveSheet.Shapes("AutoShape 2").Select
        '- Ctrl = Shift + M
    SendKeys "^+M", False
End Sub
'=============================================================================

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rorya,

I get the same Run Time Error 91:  Object Variable or With Block Variable Not Set
when I run MsgBox Application.CommandBars.FindControl(ID:=791).Caption
in the Immediate Window.

BrainB:
I'm not trying to select the AutoShape - I'm trying to open a dialog box.

OK, so what do you get for:
?application.commandbars(1).controls("Format").Controls(1).Id

Do you not have an shortcut key equivalent at all ? It seems very odd.
When I select a your textbox and open the Format menu the top item says
TextBox   Ctrl +1
as the shortcut keys to open the dialog you want.

With a cell selected it shows 'Cells Ctl+1'
This is in Excel 2003 though.

rorya:

?application.commandbars(1).controls("Format").Controls(1).Id
 855

I tried replacing ID Code 791 with 855 and got
 

================================================

BrainB:

Yes - If I select the textbox and manually go to the Format Menu, it does show the caption TextBox   Ctrl + 1.  If I run  <SendKeys "^1", False> via the ClickEvent for the command button, or try to run it from the Immediate Window, it produces nothing - no messages, no dialog box. I also tried hiding the userform - and unloading it before executing SendKeys, but no difference

You need to check the Id with the textbox selected.

rorya,

I'm unable to execute a command to get the ID in the Immediate window with the Format Textbox dialog box open.

The following code works perfectly in Excel 2007:

Private Sub cmdFormatBox_Click()

Call ProtectMe(False)
ActiveSheet.Shapes(Me.txtGroupNameh.value).Select
Application.CommandBars.ExecuteMso ("ObjectFormatDialog")

End Sub

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Unfortunately, I need a solution for Excel 2003, since my internal "customers" all use that version.

Not with the dialog open, just with the textbox selected. :)

Sorry - I misunderstood.

?application.commandbars(1).controls("Format").Controls(1).Id
 855

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Brian - I got your solution to work. Apparently, the reason it was not working for me originally, is that there cannot be another userform open (modal or non-modal) - so the anticipated menu would not open unless the userform is hidden or unloaded.  Also - the menu will not show if there is a  break in the VBA code - i.e. you cannot use this method to open a commandbar object while you are stepping through the code for some reason.

Thanks for your assist on this!

Glad it worked out in the end !!!