asked on

Using VB to sort and eliminate rows based on a column value.

I have a spreadsheet that has many columns and rows, If the value in the process time column is zero, I want to delete that row using VBA as part of an existing macro. the spreadsheet has about 16,000 rows and the zero values are in about 1,100 rows interspersed randomly throughput the spreadsheet.

One solution is to just loop through all rows and delete the row where the zero values are. However that gets a little tricky as deleting the rows will change the number of rows which will affect the loop counter.

I am hoping there is a way to do this without a loop. Thanks in advance for your help.

Here is the VBA for a macro recorded doing this manually:

Sub EliminateZeroProcessTimes()
'
' EliminateZeroProcessTimes Macro
'
Cells.Select
Range("B1").Activate
ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("ProcessData").Sort.SortFields.Clear

'Sort the entire worksheet based on the Process Time column (Column G)
ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("ProcessData").Sort.SortFields.Add key:=Range( _
"G2:G14699"), SortOn:=xlSortOnValues, Order:=xlAscending, DataOption:= _
xlSortNormal
With ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("ProcessData").Sort
.SetRange Range("A1:M14699")
.header = xlYes
.MatchCase = False
.Orientation = xlTopToBottom
.SortMethod = xlPinYin
.Apply
End With

'Manually select the rows with zero values in column G and delete those rows
Rows("2:1027").Select
Range("B2").Activate
Selection.Delete Shift:=xlUp
Cells.Select

'Sort the entire worksheet to get back in original order (minus delted rows)
Range("B1").Activate
ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("ProcessData").Sort.SortFields.Clear
ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("ProcessData").Sort.SortFields.Add key:=Range( _
"A2:A14699"), SortOn:=xlSortOnValues, Order:=xlAscending, DataOption:= _
xlSortNormal
ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("ProcessData").Sort.SortFields.Add key:=Range( _
"D2:D14699"), SortOn:=xlSortOnValues, Order:=xlAscending, DataOption:= _
xlSortNormal
With ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("ProcessData").Sort
.SetRange Range("A1:M14699")
.header = xlYes
.MatchCase = False
.Orientation = xlTopToBottom
.SortMethod = xlPinYin
.Apply
End With
End Sub

Martin Liss

Use Autofilter to leave visible only the rows where the process time is zero and then simply delete those rows all at once.

FarWest

In general removing from array or deleteng rows should be in reverse order I.e. you counter should start from a variable that has activesheet.usedrange.rows.count to 1 step -1

Martin Liss

This should do it. No sorting or looping needed. It assumes that Process Time is in column D.

    Range("D1").Select
    Selection.AutoFilter
    With ActiveSheet
        .Range("D1:D" & .UsedRange.Rows.Count).AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="0"
    End With
    Selection.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible).EntireRow.Delete

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EdLB

ASKER

Martin, that looks great! Can't get to it right now to try but I have another twist. I have the column heading as a named range called, surprisingly, "ProcessTimes." How would I incorporate use of the named range into your code.
Thanks, Ed

Martin Liss

That shouldn't be difficult but first lets see if it does what you want the way it is.

Member_2_6404472

With the code posted by Martin you will delete the first row because there isn't any check.
The following code is not perfect and isn't the faster but is more secure

Sub delRows()
  Dim mRange As Range
  Application.Goto Reference:="ProcessTimes"
  Selection.AutoFilter
  ActiveSheet.Range("ProcessTimes").AutoFilter Field:=4, Criteria1:="0"
  Set mRange = Selection.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible)
  If mRange.Areas.Item(1).Cells(1, 4).Value <> "0" Then mRange.Areas.Item(1).Rows(1).Hidden = True
    Selection.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible).EntireRow.Delete
    Selection.AutoFilter
End Sub

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Bregs
Rossano Praderi

Martin Liss

Dshortway is right. Using my original code the header would be deleted if there were no process times of zero. However that's easily fixed. Again this assumes that the process times are in column D.

    Range("D1").Select
    Selection.AutoFilter
    With ActiveSheet
        .Range("D1:D" & .UsedRange.Rows.Count).AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="0"
    End With
    If WorksheetFunction.CountIf(ActiveSheet.Columns(4), "0") > 0 Then
        ActiveSheet.Rows(1).Hidden = True
        Selection.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible).EntireRow.Delete
        ActiveSheet.Rows(1).Hidden = False
    End If
    Selection.AutoFilter

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EdLB

ASKER

Neither solution worked. I have put together a sample file with the macro in it for illustration of the layout. "Process Times" is in column G but I put zeros in column D and it made no difference.
EliminateZeros.xlsm

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Martin Liss

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FarWest

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EdLB

ASKER

Thanks Martin and FarWest. Both work now. I appreciate the help. Not sure how to split up the points so I split them 50/50.

Martin Liss

You're welcome and I'm glad I was able to help.

In my profile you'll find links to some articles I've written that may interest you.
Marty - MVP 2009 to 2014