VBA Chr

VBA CHR is a built-in function that falls under the String/Text Functions category used to get the character equivalent to the ASCII code. For example, the equivalent Excel Workspace function of CHR is Application.WorksheetFunction.CHAR.

Given below is the Chr syntax.

This function has one argument. Where,

Charco de = This is a required parameter. It is the ASCII code for which an equivalent character is to be retrieved.

The function returns a string value denoting the character equivalent to the given ASCII code. ASCII is a subset of the Unicode character coding standard formed by 128 symbols in the character set, including uppercase, lowercase letters, numbers, special characters, control characters, and punctuation marks. In addition, every symbol in the character set has an equivalent Decimal value (0 to 127), a Hexadecimal value, and an Octal value.

Step 1: In the Excel sheet, add two header texts in cells A1 and C1, as shown in the figure below. Column A to enter the ASCII code and column C to print the corresponding character calculated using the CHR function.

Step 2: Follow the steps in the next section to create a Button in the Excel workbook (please scroll the article) and change its caption to "Click here."

Step 3: Write the following code snippet in VBA. The code reads the value from cell A2, which is given as an input to function CHR. The result is retrieved in String char1 and then assigned to cell C2.

Code:

Sub Button1_Click() 'This function returns the character for the value entered in cell A2 Dim char1 As String 'Declare char1 variable as String char1 = Chr(Range("A2").Value) 'Read value from cell A2 Range("C2").Value = char1 'Print output in cell C2 End Sub

Step 4: Save the VBA Excel code and go back to the Excel workbook to enter the input value in cell A2, as shown below.

Enter 65 as an ASCII input for the corresponding character to be found in cell C2.

Step 5: Click the "Click here" button to print the result in cell C2.

Observe the result printed in cell C2. The code snippet we wrote in step 3 is responsible for reading the input from cell A2, running the Chr function on it, and printing the value in cell C2, as shown below.

Here, the input given is 65, and the output received is A. So, Chr (65) = A.

Step 6: Try changing the input in cell A2 and observe that you get the respective output in cell C2, as shown below.

E.g. CHR (37) = % and so on.

As a VBA function, we can use it in excel macro code, entered through the Microsoft Visual Basic Editor integrated into MS Excel. Refer to the steps given below to know more.

Step 1: Turn on Developer Mode in Excel

For any VBA function to use in Excel, one must turn on the Developer Mode from File->Options Menu, as shown in the figure below.

Click on File – > Excel Options – >Customize Ribbon ->Developer -> OK

As a result, a new toolbar option named "Developer" will be added to the workbook, as shown in the picture below.

Step 2: Saving the workbook

Save the Excel Workbook as an “Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook.”

Step 3: Insert a form control in a workbook

• Click on the "Developer" tab. And in the "Controls" sub-section, click on the "Insert" option in VBA.

• Choose the first control, "Button (Form Control)."

• Observe that the workbook cursor changes to a drawable icon.
• As you try to draw a button, a new dialog window named ‘Assign Macro’ will launch. As we learn more, you can specify the macro name you will use in the VB code. E.g., Button1_Click. Click "OK."

• A button will then automatically get inserted into the workbook. The button caption text is editable, and we can edit it by double-clicking on the button.

Step 4: Write VB code

• Select the button and click on the first option from the left under the "Code" sub-section of the "Developer" tab, i.e., "Visual Basic."

• It will launch a new window of the VBA project, as shown in the picture below.

• As shown in the above figure, an empty skeleton for the earlier created macro, i.e., Button1_Click, is populated in the VB code window.
• You can write the macro definition as per your intention. Here, we will see an example of the VBA CHAR function in the following section.

Step 5: Switching between Excel workbook and VB IDE

You can switch between the Excel workbook and the VB IDE by clicking on the extreme left icon below the "File" menu, i.e., "View Microsoft Excel," as shown below.

• The CHR function can return printable and non-printable characters present on the keyboard and understood by the computer. E.g., letters, numbers, and other special characters are printable characters. However, other keys such as "Enter," "Spacebar," and "Esc" are non-printable characters.
• The CHR is a VBA function and cannot be used in Excel as it is. Its corresponding function in Excel is Application.WorksheetFunction.CHAR.