Split text across columns

Sub Macro1()
Selection.TextToColumns Destination:=Range("A1"), DataType:=xlDelimited, _
TextQualifier:=xlDoubleQuote, ConsecutiveDelimiter:=False, Tab:=False, _
Semicolon:=False, Comma:=True, Space:=False, Other:=False, FieldInfo _
:=Array(Array(1, 1), Array(2, 1), Array(3, 1)), TrailingMinusNumbers:=True
End Sub

The TextToColumns method and its parameters is explained here: Range.TextToColumns Method (Excel)

You an use the TextToColumns method in a macro but what about a user defined function? Unfortunately, you can´t use this method in a function. Don´t give up, it is easy to build a basic udf that splits values across columns.

Function SplitValues(a As String, b As String)
Dim Text() As String
Text = Split(b, a)
SplitValues = Text
End Function

How to use it

Select cell range C1:E1
Type =SplitValues(",",A1) in the formula bar
Press and hold CTRL + SHIFT
Press Enter

If you did this right, the formula has now a leading { and an ending }, like this {=SplitValues(",",A1)}. They appear automatically, don´t type them.

Build a user defined function

To build a user defined function, follow these steps:

Press Alt + F11 to open the visual basic editor
Click "Insert" on the menu
Click "Module"
Copy the code above and paste it to the code module.

Explaining the user defined function

Function name and arguments

A user defined function procedure always start with "Function" and then a name. This udf has two arguments, a and b. Both a and b are strings.

Function SplitValues(a As String, b As String)

Declaring variables

Dim Text() As String

Text() is a dynamic string array. Read more about Defining data types.

Split function

Text = Split(b, a)

The Split function accepts a text string and returns a zero-based, one-dimensional array containing all sub strings. Split allows you also to specify a delimiting character, default is the space character. The substrings are stored as multiple strings in Text array.

The udf returns the substrings in Text

SplitValues = Text

End a udf

End function

A function procedure ends with the "End function" statement.

Download excel *.xlsm file

Split text across columns.xlsm

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Comments (6)

6 Responses to “Split text across columns”

Ingolf says:

December 3, 2014 at 3:30 pm

Hi Oscar,

To avoid array formula,and use Text to columns, can be used:

Sub Splitcell()
[A1].TextToColumns [A1].Offset(, 2), xlDelimited, , , 0, 0, 1, 0, 0
End sub

PS
Your site is excellent. One of the best of the best.

Ingolf

Reply
- Oscar says:
  
  December 4, 2014 at 6:37 pm
  
  Ingolf,
  
  thank you!
Rick Rothstein (MVP - Excel) says:

December 4, 2014 at 5:45 pm

Two points about your SplitValues UDF...

First, when the Split function will be called only once during a procedure, there is no need to assign the output from the Split function to an intermediary dynamic array in order to work with its output (doing so similar to selecting a range and then woring with the Selection object instead of the range itself); rather, you can work directly with the Spiit function itself...
```
Function SplitValues(a As String, b As String)
  SplitValues = Split(b, a)
End Function
```
Second, the way you have implemented your function, you need to know, in advance, how many substrings the 'b' argument will split into so that you can select exactly that amount of cells to array-enter your formula in, otherwise, any excess selected cells will display the #N/A error which, of course, looks kind of ugly but would be necessary if the text passed into the 'b' argument could vary in the number of delimiters over time. We can eliminate the #N/A errors for any excess selected cells fairly easily using the Application.Caller object like so...
```
Function SplitValues(a As String, b As String)
  SplitValues = Split(b & String(Application.Caller.Count, a), a)
End Function
```
Reply
- Oscar says:
  
  December 4, 2014 at 6:54 pm
  
  Rick Rothstein (MVP - Excel),
  
  Interesting comment, as always.
  Your second point was new to me.
Ingolf says:

December 4, 2014 at 6:10 pm

[quote]
Second, the way you have implemented your function, you need to know, in advance, how many substrings the 'b' argument will split into so that you can select exactly that amount of cells to array-enter your formula in, otherwise, any excess selected cells will display the #N/A error which, of course, looks kind of ugly but would be necessary if the text passed into the 'b' argument could vary in the number of delimiters over time.
[/quote]

Not too sure..

Sub SplitCell()
With Range("A1", Cells(Rows.Count, "A").End(xlUp))
.TextToColumns .Offset(, 2), xlDelimited, , , 0, 0, 1, 0, 0
End With
End Sub

Reply
- Rick Rothstein (MVP - Excel) says:
  
  December 4, 2014 at 6:54 pm
  
  I was referring to problems associated with implementing the UDF in my previous posting... macros (like what you posted) are completely different than UDFs and do not have the same (or virtually any such) restrictions. As for determining the vertical extent of the cells to apply the Text-To-Columns method to... that is not necessary as Text-To-Columns will only work on cells with data, so applying it to the entire column will work the same as restricting it to your calculated range...
  
  Columns("A").TextToColumns .Offset(, 2), xlDelimited, , , 0, 0, 1, 0, 0

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