xlf EandA series
Add WS from List
0. Preliminary
The EXERCISE - complete the following tasks
The task
1. Write a Public procedure to add a set of new worksheets to the Workbook. Name the procedure ListAddWS.
The worksheet names are in the Range name ListWS (with workbook scope) and the first one is added at position 2. Include error trapping for the case when the Worksheet name(s) already exist(s).
2. Include a separate Reset procedure.
1. The test WB :: xlf-add-ws-from-list.xlsm
The following code and discussion is based on the sample WB shown in figure 1.

About the WorkArea WS:
- ListWS is a dynamic name with RefersTo:
=OFFSET(Anchor,0,0,COUNTA(WorkArea!$B:$B)-1)
, and Anchor - RefersTo:=WorkArea!$B$4
, Value:Add1
- The existing worksheets have tab color blue. New worksheets have tab color white (no color) to distinguish the existing Sheet2 from the ListWS Sheet2
- The Interface Panel includes two Buttons from the Form Controls group
2.Tasks
2.1 ListAddWS
Here is some suggested code, based on initial settings and stated assumptions from the code window.
Code 1: the Public macro
ListAddWS
adds new worksheets from a list
Option Explicit Public Switch As Boolean Const List As String = "ListWS" ' Initial sheet settings ' Tab Position ' -------- --------- ' Chart1 1 ' WorkArea 2 << the location of ListWS ' Sheet2 3 ' Sheet3 4 ' All sheets are visible with tab color: blue Public Sub ListAddWS() ' assumptions ' List names are valid ' ListWS is a 1 column range Const First As Integer = 2 ' at tab 2 Dim ActS As String Dim NoRows As Integer Dim i As Integer, j As Integer, k As Integer ' loop counters Dim inName As String Dim Exists As Boolean Dim Response As Integer Dim Prompt As String ActS = ActiveWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Name ' place mark 'Application.ScreenUpdating = False Application.DisplayAlerts = False NoRows = Range(List).Rows.Count k = First - 2 For i = 1 To NoRows inName = Range(List)(i, 1).Value For j = 1 To Sheets.Count ' source: https://excelatfinance.com/qanda/q_doessheetexist.php ' does WS exist? If Sheets(j).Name = inName Then Exists = True Exit For Else Exists = False End If Next j If Not Exists Then With ThisWorkbook k = k + 1 .Worksheets.Add(After:=.Sheets(k)).Name = inName .Sheets(k + 1).Tab.ColorIndex = -4142 ' no color End With Else Prompt = "Worksheet: " & inName & " already exists" & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & _ "Click YES to replace existing WS (this will erase any data)" & vbNewLine & _ "Click NO to skip this name" & vbNewLine & _ "Click Cancel to end procedure" Response = MsgBox(Prompt, vbExclamation + vbYesNoCancel, "xlf Add New WS") If Response = vbCancel Then GoTo ExitPoint ' replace WS ElseIf Response = vbYes Then With ThisWorkbook .Worksheets(inName).Delete .Worksheets.Add(After:=.Sheets(k - 1)).Name = inName .Sheets(k).Tab.ColorIndex = -4142 ' no color End With ElseIf Response = vbNo Then ' do nothing - process next name in list End If End If Next i ExitPoint: Worksheets(ActS).Activate ' return to place mark Application.DisplayAlerts = True Application.ScreenUpdating = True Switch = True End Sub
The decision to Skip or Replace
Click No to skip this name - code 1 line 59. The new sheets are added from position 2, initially held by the WorkArea WS. Existing sheets are pushed to the right. The Reset procedure, from code 2, restores the initial WS settings shown in figure 1.

Click Yes to replace existing WS (this will erase any data) - code 1 line 58 produces the result in figure 3. New sheets are added from position 2, but Sheet2 and Sheet4 are in the incorrect order! A correction of this problem (the k index counters in code 1) is not part of this module, and will be a task assigned later.

2.2 ResetListWS
Code 2:
ResetListWS
macro
Sub ResetListWS() ' Assume ListWS in a WS column Dim NoRows As Integer Dim i As Integer, j As Integer ' loop counters Dim inName As String Dim Exists As Boolean Application.DisplayAlerts = False NoRows = Range(List).Rows.Count For i = 1 To NoRows inName = Range(List)(i, 1).Value For j = 1 To Sheets.Count ' source: https://excelatfinance.com/qanda/q_doessheetexist.php ' does WS exist? If Sheets(j).Name = inName And Sheets(j).Tab.ColorIndex <> 23 Then Worksheets(inName).Delete Exit For End If Next j Next i Application.DisplayAlerts = True End Sub
2.3 reClick Add without a previous Reset
The use of on-sheet Form Controls presents challenges with the Enabled property. Although the statement Worksheets("Workarea").Buttons("Button 2").Enabled
returns True or False, the statement Worksheets("Workarea").Buttons("Button 2").Enabled = False
, does not grey-out the control or disable the macro. A work-around is provided in code 3, but not implemented in this module. Clicking the disabled button, with OnAction set to "" activates edit mode. You could use a dead macro such as Disabled (see code 3) to prevent edit activation. A better solution is available by using ActiveX controls.
Code 3:
Disable and enable Form Control button
macro
' =========================== Sub DisableButton2() With Worksheets("Workarea").Buttons("Button 2") .Font.Color = 8421504 ' greyed out .OnAction = "" End With End Sub ' =========================== Sub EnableButton2() With Worksheets("Workarea").Buttons("Button 2") .Font.Color = 0 ' black .OnAction = "'xlf-add-ws-from-list.xlsm'!ListAddWS" End With End Sub ' =========================== Sub Disabled() ' do nothing End Sub
- Download the Excel file for this module: xlf-add-ws-from-list.xlsm [40 KB]
- Development platform: Excel 2016 (64 bit) Office 365 ProPlus and VBA 7.1
- Revised: Saturday 25th of February 2023 - 09:38 AM, [Australian Eastern Time (AET)]