ShowAllData method of Worksheet class failed

🔎 Troubleshooting the ShowAllData Method Failure in VBA

📝 Hey there tech enthusiasts! 👋 Have you ever experienced a strange issue with the "ShowAllData" method of the Worksheet class while working with VBA scripts? 🤔 It seems that you're not alone! We've received a question from a reader who noticed that their VBA script stopped working when an autofilter was already applied. Let's dig into this problem, explore some common causes, and provide easy solutions to get your VBA scripts back on track! 💪

🖥️ The Issue at Hand: ShowAllData Method Failure

The issue arises with the "ShowAllData" method, a handy feature provided by Excel's VBA to remove autofilters from a worksheet. However, as our reader pointed out, it crashes when an autofilter is already applied. This can be quite frustrating, but fear not – we're here to help! 😊

🔎 Understanding the Root Cause

To understand why the "ShowAllData" method fails when an autofilter is present, let's examine the code snippet provided by our reader:

wbk.Activate
Set Criteria = Sheets("Sheet1").Cells(i, 1)

Set rng = Sheets("Sheet1").Range(Cells(i, 2), Cells(i, 4))

wb.Activate
If ActiveSheet.AutoFilterMode Then ActiveSheet.ShowAllData 'remove autofilter, but it crashes on this line

Selection.AutoFilter

Range("$A$1:$BM$204").AutoFilter Field:=2, Criteria1:=Criteria.Value

rng.Copy

Range("$BC$2:$BE$204").SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible).PasteSpecial

🔍 The line causing the issue: ActiveSheet.ShowAllData.

📜 The Probable Cause

The problem emerges due to the fact that the .ShowAllData method only works when there is an active filter on the worksheet. If no filter is applied, executing this method leads to a crash. Therefore, when an autofilter is already present, the method fails and disrupts the script flow. 🚫

💡 Easy Solutions to Fix ShowAllData Method Failure

Now that we understand the root cause, let's dive into some practical solutions to ensure your VBA script works flawlessly, regardless of an existing autofilter. 💡

1. Check for Active Filter: Before executing the .ShowAllData method, use the .AutoFilterMode property to check if there's an active filter present. Modify the code accordingly:

If ActiveSheet.AutoFilterMode Then
    ActiveSheet.ShowAllData
End If

2. Handle Errors: Encapsulate the .ShowAllData method within an error-handling block to gracefully handle any potential errors and prevent script crashes:

On Error Resume Next
ActiveSheet.ShowAllData
On Error GoTo 0

3. Utilize Protected Error Handling: Wrap .ShowAllData in an error-handling block, specifically targeting the error code that occurs when trying to remove a non-existing autofilter:

On Error Resume Next
ActiveSheet.ShowAllData
If Err.Number = 1004 Then ' Runtime Error: AutoFilter method of Range class failed
    ' Handle error gracefully or ignore it
End If
On Error GoTo 0

📣 Final Thoughts and Call-to-Action

Voilà! You now have a range of solutions to tackle the ShowAllData method failure in VBA when there's an autofilter already in place. Remember to choose the solution that best fits your requirements and coding style. By implementing these strategies, you can overcome this obstacle and keep your VBA scripts running smoothly! 🚀

If you found this blog post helpful, we'd love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments section below. 👇 And don't forget to hit the share button to help other tech enthusiasts who might be facing this issue. Together, we can make coding a blissful journey! ✨😊

Happy coding! 💻✌️