How to check for empty array in vba macro

How to Check for Empty Arrays in VBA Macro

So, you want to check for empty arrays in VBA Macro, but you've tried various solutions from Google and none of them worked. Don't worry, you're not alone! Many people struggle with this issue because it can be a bit tricky. But fear not, we're here to help!

The Problem

Let's take a look at the code snippet you provided:

Dim FileNamesList As Variant, i As Integer

' activate the desired startfolder for the filesearch
FileNamesList = CreateFileList("*.*", False) ' Returns File names

' performs the filesearch, includes any subfolders
' present the result
' If there are Signatures then populate SigString
Range("A:A").ClearContents

For i = 1 To UBound(FileNamesList)
    Cells(i + 1, 1).Formula = FileNamesList(i)
Next i

SigString = FileNamesList(3)

If Dir(SigString) <> "" Then
    Signature = GetBoiler(SigString)
Else
    Signature = ""
End If

The problem arises when the FileNamesList array is empty. In this case, the SigString variable also becomes empty, leading to an error when calling the GetBoiler() function with an empty string.

The Solution

To avoid this error, we need to first check if the array is empty before proceeding with the GetBoiler() function. Here's how you can modify your code to handle this situation:

Dim FileNamesList As Variant, i As Integer

' activate the desired startfolder for the filesearch
FileNamesList = CreateFileList("*.*", False) ' Returns File names

' performs the filesearch, includes any subfolders
' present the result
' If there are Signatures then populate SigString
Range("A:A").ClearContents

If Not IsArrayEmpty(FileNamesList) Then

    For i = 1 To UBound(FileNamesList)
        Cells(i + 1, 1).Formula = FileNamesList(i)
    Next i

    SigString = FileNamesList(3)

    If Dir(SigString) <> "" Then
        Signature = GetBoiler(SigString)
    Else
        Signature = ""
    End If

End If

Checking if an Array is Empty

Now you might be wondering, what's this IsArrayEmpty() function we used? Well, VBA doesn't have a built-in function to check for empty arrays, so we need to create our own.

Here's the IsArrayEmpty() function that you can use in your code:

Function IsArrayEmpty(arr As Variant) As Boolean
    On Error Resume Next
    IsArrayEmpty = (UBound(arr) < LBound(arr))
End Function

This function checks if the upper bound of the array is less than the lower bound, which indicates that the array is empty.

Tying it All Together

To summarize, here's what you need to do to check for empty arrays in your VBA Macro:

1. Add the IsArrayEmpty() function to your code.

2. Check if the array is empty using If Not IsArrayEmpty(FileNamesList).

3. If the array is not empty, proceed with your code as usual.

Conclusion

With the modifications we discussed, you can now check for empty arrays in your VBA Macro and avoid errors. Remember to always check if an array is empty before performing any operations on it, so you can handle such scenarios gracefully.

We hope this guide helps you solve your problem. If you have any further questions or need more assistance, feel free to reach out. Happy coding! 😊👍