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Why Doesn't My Code Execute Unless I have a BreakPoint and Step Through the Code

gdunn59
gdunn59 asked
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Last Modified: 2018-02-06
I have the following VBA Code in my Excel Spreadsheet, and when I click F5 to run it, it opens the Website but does not populate the spreadsheet unless I have a breakpoint in the Code and F8 through it.

Also, when it does populate the spreadsheet (because I F8 through it), it starts populating in Cell "B1".  How can I have it start populating in Cell "A1"?

Code:
Sub extractTablesData()
Dim IE As Object, obj As Object
Dim t As Integer, r As Integer, c As Integer
Dim elemCollection As Object
Dim xlApp As Excel.Application
Dim wb As Workbook
Dim ws As Worksheet

Set IE = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")

Set xlApp = CreateObject("excel.application")

Set wb = ActiveWorkbook

With IE
  .Visible = True
  .navigate ("https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiODM0MmVhOGEtZWM1My00NTlkLWI3OWUtYTdkNDVkMmM5YWRiIiwidCI6IjE0MTk0ZTdlLTgwYjctNGM4Zi1hMTgwLTNmZTc4YWE1OGExZiIsImMiOjZ9")
   
While IE.ReadyState <> 4
DoEvents
Wend

Do While IE.busy: DoEvents: Loop

With ws
    Sheets("Stuff").Range("A1:AK500").ClearContents
End With

Set elemCollection = IE.Document.getElementsByTagName("TABLE")

For t = 0 To (elemCollection.Length - 1)
  For r = 0 To (elemCollection(t).Rows.Length - 1)
     For c = 0 To (elemCollection(t).Rows(r).Cells.Length - 1)

  With ws
    Sheets("Stuff").Cells(r + 1, c + 1) = elemCollection(t).Rows(r).Cells(c).innertext
    DoEvents
  End With
  
   Next c
  Next r
Next t

End With

Set IE = Nothing

End Sub

Open in new window

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
gdunn59
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Martin LissProtect yourself and your loved ones. Stay home for the holidays.
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Commented:
First question: Put a DoEvents where you had the breakpoint.

Second question: Put a breakpoint on line 36. What is the value of "c" when it gets there the first time?
gdunn59

Author

Commented:
Martin Liss,

I put the "DoEvents" on Line 24.  Still only works if I F8 through the code.

I also put a BreakPoint on Line 36 of the Code, but it never gets there.  It opens the Webpage and that's it.

So I added a BreakPoint on Line 31 and F8 through the code and when it gets to Line 34 (blank line) I ?c in the Immediate Window, and it shows "0".

Thanks,
gdunn59
Martin LissProtect yourself and your loved ones. Stay home for the holidays.
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Most Valuable Expert 2017
Distinguished Expert 2018

Commented:
You didn't define elemCollection, but from it's name it looks like a Collection so it should have a Count property. Put a Debug.Print elemCollection.count statement following line 29. After it runs look in the Immediate window.Does elemCollection have any records?
NorieAnalyst Assistant
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Commented:
I think this might be some sort of timing issue, as far as I can see the page kind of loads in two stages.

Try adding some Application.Wait statements to pause the code will the page is loading

PS The first column of the table on the page appears to be blank, that's why data starts appearing in column B on the worksheet.
Subodh Tiwari (Neeraj)Excel & VBA Expert
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Commented:
The problem arises when the web page loads internally. So in that case IE.Busy and IE.Readystate don't help.

Rather Try this where you check in the Do loop whether the element within the web page is set properly and check it's one attribute. In this case you check the length of the element collection and if it is not 0, the code will exit the Do loop and proceed further.

Sub extractTablesData()
Dim IE As Object, obj As Object
Dim t As Integer, r As Integer, c As Integer
Dim elemCollection As Object
Dim xlApp As Excel.Application
Dim wb As Workbook
Dim ws As Worksheet

Set IE = CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application")

Set xlApp = CreateObject("excel.application")

Set wb = ActiveWorkbook

With IE
  .Visible = True
  .navigate ("https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiODM0MmVhOGEtZWM1My00NTlkLWI3OWUtYTdkNDVkMmM5YWRiIiwidCI6IjE0MTk0ZTdlLTgwYjctNGM4Zi1hMTgwLTNmZTc4YWE1OGExZiIsImMiOjZ9")


On Error Resume Next
Do While IE.Busy Or elemCollection.Length = 0
    DoEvents
    Set elemCollection = IE.Document.getElementsByTagName("TABLE")
Loop
With ws
    Sheets("Stuff").Range("A1:AK500").ClearContents
End With


For t = 0 To (elemCollection.Length - 1)
  For r = 0 To (elemCollection(t).Rows.Length - 1)
     For c = 0 To (elemCollection(t).Rows(r).Cells.Length - 1)

  With ws
    Sheets("Stuff").Cells(r + 1, c + 1) = elemCollection(t).Rows(r).Cells(c).innertext
    DoEvents
  End With
  
   Next c
  Next r
Next t

End With
IE.Quit
Set IE = Nothing
MsgBox "Done"
End Sub

Open in new window


Hope that helps.
gdunn59

Author

Commented:
Subodh Tiwari (Neeraj),

That seemed to work, but something strange going on.  While I'm stepping through the code, It is putting certain information in the spreadsheet that matches the right-side portion of the screen on the website, but when the process is complete, it puts something different.

I've attached screen shots for your reference.  The first one shows the Website and the information.  The second screen shot shows the information that is being copied from the right side of the website, and the 3rd screen shot shows the information that is being copied from the left side of the website.

Why would the final results show something different?

Thanks,
gdunn59
C--Users-msc551-Desktop-COGCCScreenS.jpg
C--Users-msc551-Desktop-InformationC.jpg
C--Users-msc551-Desktop-InformationC.jpg
Subodh Tiwari (Neeraj)Excel & VBA Expert
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Most Valuable Expert 2018
Awarded 2015

Commented:
I addressed your issue which you talked in your original question only and obviously I didn't debug the code to know the algorithm used in there.
So you will have to figure it out yourself. :)
gdunn59

Author

Commented:
I didn't address it originally, because I was focused on the fact that the code wasn't populating the spreadsheet at first.

I also addressed in my original question that it is not starting the populating of data in Cell "A1", but in "B1".  How can I get it to populate in Cell "A1"?

Thanks,
gdunn59
Excel & VBA Expert
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Commented:
This problem has been solved!
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gdunn59

Author

Commented:
Subodh Tiwari (Neeraj),

That worked.

Now I just need to try and figure out why it's changing at the end what it posts.

Thanks much!
NorieAnalyst Assistant
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Commented:
Just curious, why is an instance of Excel created here and then never used?
Set xlApp = CreateObject("excel.application")

Open in new window

Also, that instance is never closed down
Subodh Tiwari (Neeraj)Excel & VBA Expert
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Most Valuable Expert 2018
Awarded 2015

Commented:
You are right. Didn't notice that. Actually didn't pay much attention to that section. That is not needed at all in this case. Good catch.
But the thing is I cannot edit that post.

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