Naming a new sheet using the NOW formula

JJbug

Board Regular
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
68
Hello,

Your local Novice here. I am trying to create a log for changes made to a master data workbook. So far I am having some issue with naming the new sheet created by the macro, see code below.

Sub ChangeLog()
ActiveCell.Select
ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "Change Submission"
ActiveCell.Offset(0, 1).Range("A1").Select
ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "=NOW()"
ActiveCell.Offset(1, -1).Range("A1").Select
Range(Selection, Selection.End(xlDown)).Select
Range(Selection, Selection.End(xlUp)).Select
ActiveCell.Offset(1, 0).Range("A1").Select

sheet_name_to_create = Sheet1.Range("C4").Value
For rep = 1 To (Worksheets.Count)
If LCase(Sheets(rep).Name) = LCase(sheet_name_to_create) Then
MsgBox "This sheet already exists!"
Exit Sub
End If


Next



Sheets.Add After:=Sheets(Sheets.Count)
Sheets(ActiveSheet.Name).Name = sheet_name_to_create

End Sub


_______________________________________


This is the begining of the code, next it will open master file and move a copy of all the changed data to the new sheet which should be named as the date of the change submission.

Please let me know if you need clarification on any details.

Thank you again for all of your help you all are the best.
 

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Hi,
the Now() function in way you are using it will contain illegal tab name characters which is probably why you are getting the error. You get around this by formatting the result from Now() to you variable into an acceptable tab name.

so your code could look something like this:

Code:
Sub ChangeLog()
    Dim sheet_name_to_create As String
    With Sheet1
        .Range("B4").Value = "Change Submission"
        .Range("C4").Value = Now()
        sheet_name_to_create = Format(.Range("C4"), "dd-mm-yyyy hh-mm-ss")
    End With
    Worksheets.Add(after:=Worksheets(Worksheets.Count)).Name = _
    sheet_name_to_create
End Sub

You will note that I have removed the part of the code that tests for an existing sheet name - as using Now() & formatting to include HH-MM-SS. It is unlikely that each time you run the code you would have the same TAB name value in your variable.

Hope Helpful

Dave
 
Upvote 0
Hi,
the Now() function in way you are using it will contain illegal tab name characters which is probably why you are getting the error. You get around this by formatting the result from Now() to you variable into an acceptable tab name.

so your code could look something like this:

Code:
Sub ChangeLog()
    Dim sheet_name_to_create As String
    With Sheet1
        .Range("B4").Value = "Change Submission"
        .Range("C4").Value = Now()
        sheet_name_to_create = Format(.Range("C4"), "dd-mm-yyyy hh-mm-ss")
    End With
    Worksheets.Add(after:=Worksheets(Worksheets.Count)).Name = _
    sheet_name_to_create
End Sub

You will note that I have removed the part of the code that tests for an existing sheet name - as using Now() & formatting to include HH-MM-SS. It is unlikely that each time you run the code you would have the same TAB name value in your variable.

Hope Helpful

Dave

Very helpful indeed. Thank you.

I was using a relative reference so each change submission was listing on a master tab. After using your code the relative movement of text is no longer working, the active cell is moving down row by row, unfortunately the data is not being added to the cells.

Any ideas?
 
Upvote 0
try this:

Code:
Sub ChangeLog()
    Dim sheet_name_to_create As String
    With Sheet1
    lastrow = .Cells(.Rows.Count, "B").End(xlUp).Row + 1
        .Cells(lastrow, 2).Value = "Change Submission"
        .Cells(lastrow, 3).Value = Now()
        sheet_name_to_create = Format(.Cells(lastrow, 3), "dd-mm-yyyy hh-mm-ss")
    End With
    Worksheets.Add(after:=Worksheets(Worksheets.Count)).Name = _
    sheet_name_to_create
End Sub

Dave
 
Upvote 0
The reason for the original failure is exactly as Dave said.
The Now function is Date+Time
and the Date contains / which is an illegal character in a sheetname.

The only thing you need to change in your original code is

sheet_name_to_create = Sheet1.Range("C4").Value
to
sheet_name_to_create = Format(Sheet1.Range("C4").Value,"mm-dd-yyyy")
 
Upvote 0
The reason for the original failure is exactly as Dave said.
The Now function is Date+Time
and the Date contains / which is an illegal character in a sheetname.

The only thing you need to change in your original code is

sheet_name_to_create = Sheet1.Range("C4").Value
to
sheet_name_to_create = Format(Sheet1.Range("C4").Value,"mm-dd-yyyy")

Jonmo1

I am getting an error with the original code

Run-time error '1004'
Applicatio-defined or object-defined error


This is refering to the last line
Sheets(ActiveSheet.Name).Name = sheet_name_to_create

I am not sure what I the issue is, I believe it has to do with Format(Sheet1.Range("C4").Value,"mm-dd-yyyy") I just dont know well enough to pinpoint this issue.


JJBug
 
Upvote 0
What exactly is in Sheet1.Range("C4").Value ?

Try changing
sheet_name_to_create = Sheet1.Range("C4").Value
to
sheet_name_to_create = Format(Date,"mm-dd-yyyy")
 
Upvote 0
What exactly is in Sheet1.Range("C4").Value ?

Try changing
sheet_name_to_create = Sheet1.Range("C4").Value
to
sheet_name_to_create = Format(Date,"mm-dd-yyyy")

Jonmo,

That almost works, now it gives me the error for same name. I tried to format the hh-mm into the code and it works once a minute but results in the following name Jan-7-2014-00-00.

Any additional ideas
 
Upvote 0
Something else I just realized is (NOW) is not the best method to add a date into a log as this will continue to change and will not keep a good record of the date and time changed.

It appears I still have a lot to learn.
 
Upvote 0
I thought you only wanted the DATE in the sheet name, so I used the Date function.

Try changing that to NOW
sheet_name_to_create = Format(Now, "mmm-d-yyyy-hh-mm")
 
Upvote 0

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