Search Folder For Docs With Key Words

liamcarlisle

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Joined
Sep 18, 2019
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1
I want to create a search function inside excel where by the user can type in some key words, click a search button and excel will open a specific folder location and search those keys words in the folder.
For example if the user searched "help sheet", it would open a set folder path and search within that folder, the phrase "help sheet".

Alternatively if that's not possible, could I list and hyperlink the documents from that folder on a separate sheet in excel and have the search function display a list of hyperlinks that the user can then click on to open the document they need?

I hole that makes sense. Thanks.
 

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If you are searching for key words in the file content rather than the file path or name then you would be better served using explorer. The following code will return a list of files in a folder (and optionally subfolders) with a name.ext that meets a user-define pattern. Double click on a row of the returned list to open that file.

Update this section of the first codeblock
'Define search parameters
sSearchPattern = "*.xls?"
sSearchRootPath = Environ("userprofile") & "" 'Top Search Folder
bSearchSubFolders = True
for your search requirements.

This code in a standard module
Code:
Option Explicit

'This module calls
'  ShellAndWait (which halts VBA execution until the shell command completes)
'  By Chip Pearson, chip@cpearson.com, www.cpearson.com
'  Which can be found at: www.cpearson.com/Excel/ShellAndWait.aspx
'which is in the mod_Z_DOS_ShellAndWait module in this Excel file

'Create a worksheet named 'Files'

'Add this code to the 'Files' codepage and uncomment it
'-----------------------------------------------------------
'Private Sub Worksheet_BeforeDoubleClick(ByVal Target As Range, Cancel As Boolean)
'    CreateObject("Shell.Application").Open ("" & Target & "")
'    Cancel = True
'End Sub
'-----------------------------------------------------------

Sub GetFilePathNameExtList()

    Dim sThisWbkPath As String
    Dim sSearchRootPath As String
    Dim sSearchPattern As String
    Dim bSearchSubFolders As Boolean
    Dim iFreeFile As Integer
    Dim sWorksheet As String
    Dim lResult As Long
    
    Const lShellAndWaitDelay As Long = 10000    'Milliseconds to wait for Dir comand to complete
    Const lShellAndWaitWinStyle As Long = vbHide
    
    'Define search parameters
    sSearchPattern = "*.xls?"
    sSearchRootPath = Environ("userprofile") & "\"     'Top Search Folder
    bSearchSubFolders = True
    
    sThisWbkPath = ThisWorkbook.Path & "\"
    If sThisWbkPath = vbNullString Then MsgBox "Save this file before continuing.": End
    
    'Delete existing / create empty test file to receive Dir output
    iFreeFile = FreeFile
    Open sThisWbkPath & "Files.txt" For Output As [URL=https://www.mrexcel.com/forum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=iFreeFile]#iFreeFile[/URL] 
    Close [URL=https://www.mrexcel.com/forum/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=iFreeFile]#iFreeFile[/URL] 

    'Clear 'Files' worksheet
    Worksheets("Files").UsedRange.Cells.ClearContents
    
    'Create Text File in this workbook's folder
    lResult = ShellAndWait("cmd /c  ""Dir """ & sSearchRootPath & sSearchPattern & """ /a-d " & _
        IIf(bSearchSubFolders, "/s", "") & " /b >> """ & _
        sThisWbkPath & "Files.txt""", lShellAndWaitDelay, lShellAndWaitWinStyle, PromptUser)
        
    If lResult <> 0 Then MsgBox "Dir did not complete increase value of lShellAndWaitDelay": End
        
    'Import Text File
    Workbooks.OpenText Filename:= _
        sThisWbkPath & "Files.txt", Origin:=437, StartRow:=1, DataType:=xlDelimited, _
        TextQualifier:=xlDoubleQuote, ConsecutiveDelimiter:=False, Tab:=True, _
        Semicolon:=False, Comma:=False, Space:=False, Other:=False, _
        FieldInfo:=Array(1, 1), TrailingMinusNumbers:=True
    Range("A1").CurrentRegion.Copy Destination:=ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Files").Range("A2")
    Application.CutCopyMode = False
    Workbooks("Files.txt").Close SaveChanges:=False
    
End Sub
This code in the 'Files' worksheet code page
Code:
Private Sub Worksheet_BeforeDoubleClick(ByVal Target As Range, Cancel As Boolean)
    CreateObject("Shell.Application").Open ("" & Target & "")
    Cancel = True
End Sub
This code in a standard module
Code:
Option Explicit
Option Compare Text

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' modShellAndWait
' By Chip Pearson, chip@cpearson.com, www.cpearson.com
' This page on the web site: www.cpearson.com/Excel/ShellAndWait.aspx
' 9-September-2008
'
' This module contains code for the ShellAndWait function that will Shell to a process
' and wait for that process to end before returning to the caller.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Private Declare PtrSafe Function WaitForSingleObject Lib "kernel32" ( _
    ByVal hHandle As Long, _
    ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long) As Long

Private Declare PtrSafe Function OpenProcess Lib "kernel32.dll" ( _
    ByVal dwDesiredAccess As Long, _
    ByVal bInheritHandle As Long, _
    ByVal dwProcessId As Long) As Long

Private Declare PtrSafe Function CloseHandle Lib "kernel32" ( _
    ByVal hObject As Long) As Long

Private Const SYNCHRONIZE = &H100000

Public Enum ShellAndWaitResult
    Success = 0
    Failure = 1
    TimeOut = 2
    InvalidParameter = 3
    SysWaitAbandoned = 4
    UserWaitAbandoned = 5
    UserBreak = 6
End Enum

Public Enum ActionOnBreak
    IgnoreBreak = 0
    AbandonWait = 1
    PromptUser = 2
End Enum

Private Const STATUS_ABANDONED_WAIT_0 As Long = &H80
Private Const STATUS_WAIT_0 As Long = &H0
Private Const WAIT_ABANDONED As Long = (STATUS_ABANDONED_WAIT_0 + 0)
Private Const WAIT_OBJECT_0 As Long = (STATUS_WAIT_0 + 0)
Private Const WAIT_TIMEOUT As Long = 258&
Private Const WAIT_FAILED As Long = &HFFFFFFFF
Private Const WAIT_INFINITE = -1&

Public Function ShellAndWait(ShellCommand As String, _
                    TimeOutMs As Long, _
                    ShellWindowState As VbAppWinStyle, _
                    BreakKey As ActionOnBreak) As ShellAndWaitResult
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' ShellAndWait
'
' This function calls Shell and passes to it the command text in ShellCommand. The function
' then waits for TimeOutMs (in milliseconds) to expire.
'
'   Parameters:
'       ShellCommand
'           is the command text to pass to the Shell function.
'
'       TimeOutMs
'           is the number of milliseconds to wait for the shell'd program to wait. If the
'           shell'd program terminates before TimeOutMs has expired, the function returns
'           ShellAndWaitResult.Success = 0. If TimeOutMs expires before the shell'd program
'           terminates, the return value is ShellAndWaitResult.TimeOut = 2.
'
'       ShellWindowState
'           is an item in VbAppWinStyle specifying the window state for the shell'd program.
'
'       BreakKey
'           is an item in ActionOnBreak indicating how to handle the application's cancel key
'           (Ctrl Break). If BreakKey is ActionOnBreak.AbandonWait and the user cancels, the
'           wait is abandoned and the result is ShellAndWaitResult.UserWaitAbandoned = 5.
'           If BreakKey is ActionOnBreak.IgnoreBreak, the cancel key is ignored. If
'           BreakKey is ActionOnBreak.PromptUser, the user is given a ?Continue? message. If the
'           user selects "do not continue", the function returns ShellAndWaitResult.UserBreak = 6.
'           If the user selects "continue", the wait is continued.
'
'   Return values:
'            ShellAndWaitResult.Success = 0
'               indicates the the process completed successfully.
'            ShellAndWaitResult.Failure = 1
'               indicates that the Wait operation failed due to a Windows error.
'            ShellAndWaitResult.TimeOut = 2
'               indicates that the TimeOutMs interval timed out the Wait.
'            ShellAndWaitResult.InvalidParameter = 3
'               indicates that an invalid value was passed to the procedure.
'            ShellAndWaitResult.SysWaitAbandoned = 4
'               indicates that the system abandoned the wait.
'            ShellAndWaitResult.UserWaitAbandoned = 5
'               indicates that the user abandoned the wait via the cancel key (Ctrl+Break).
'               This happens only if BreakKey is set to ActionOnBreak.AbandonWait.
'            ShellAndWaitResult.UserBreak = 6
'               indicates that the user broke out of the wait after being prompted with
'               a ?Continue message. This happens only if BreakKey is set to
'               ActionOnBreak.PromptUser.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Dim TaskID As Long
Dim ProcHandle As Long
Dim WaitRes As Long
Dim Ms As Long
Dim MsgRes As VbMsgBoxResult
Dim SaveCancelKey As XlEnableCancelKey
Dim ElapsedTime As Long
Dim Quit As Boolean
Const ERR_BREAK_KEY = 18
Const DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL = 500

If Trim(ShellCommand) = vbNullString Then
    ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.InvalidParameter
    Exit Function
End If

If TimeOutMs < 0 Then
    ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.InvalidParameter
    Exit Function
ElseIf TimeOutMs = 0 Then
    Ms = WAIT_INFINITE
Else
    Ms = TimeOutMs
End If

Select Case BreakKey
    Case AbandonWait, IgnoreBreak, PromptUser
        ' valid
    Case Else
        ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.InvalidParameter
        Exit Function
End Select

Select Case ShellWindowState
    Case vbHide, vbMaximizedFocus, vbMinimizedFocus, vbMinimizedNoFocus, vbNormalFocus, vbNormalNoFocus
        ' valid
    Case Else
        ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.InvalidParameter
        Exit Function
End Select

On Error Resume Next
Err.Clear
TaskID = Shell(ShellCommand, ShellWindowState)
If (Err.Number <> 0) Or (TaskID = 0) Then
    ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.Failure
    Exit Function
End If

ProcHandle = OpenProcess(SYNCHRONIZE, False, TaskID)
If ProcHandle = 0 Then
    ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.Failure
    Exit Function
End If

On Error GoTo ErrH:
SaveCancelKey = Application.EnableCancelKey
Application.EnableCancelKey = xlErrorHandler
WaitRes = WaitForSingleObject(ProcHandle, DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL)
Do Until WaitRes = WAIT_OBJECT_0
    DoEvents
    Select Case WaitRes
        Case WAIT_ABANDONED
            ' Windows abandoned the wait
            ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.SysWaitAbandoned
            Exit Do
        Case WAIT_OBJECT_0
            ' Successful completion
            ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.Success
            Exit Do
        Case WAIT_FAILED
            ' attach failed
            ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.Failure
            Exit Do
        Case WAIT_TIMEOUT
            ' Wait timed out. Here, this time out is on DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL.
            ' See if ElapsedTime is greater than the user specified wait
            ' time out. If we have exceed that, get out with a TimeOut status.
            ' Otherwise, reissue as wait and continue.
            ElapsedTime = ElapsedTime + DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL
            If Ms > 0 Then
                ' user specified timeout
                If ElapsedTime > Ms Then
                    ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.TimeOut
                    Exit Do
                Else
                    ' user defined timeout has not expired.
                End If
            Else
                ' infinite wait -- do nothing
            End If
            ' reissue the Wait on ProcHandle
            WaitRes = WaitForSingleObject(ProcHandle, DEFAULT_POLL_INTERVAL)
            
        Case Else
            ' unknown result, assume failure
            ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.Failure
            Exit Do
            Quit = True
    End Select
Loop

CloseHandle ProcHandle
Application.EnableCancelKey = SaveCancelKey
Exit Function

ErrH:
'Debug.Print "ErrH: Cancel: " & Application.EnableCancelKey
If Err.Number = ERR_BREAK_KEY Then
    If BreakKey = ActionOnBreak.AbandonWait Then
        CloseHandle ProcHandle
        ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.UserWaitAbandoned
        Application.EnableCancelKey = SaveCancelKey
        Exit Function
    ElseIf BreakKey = ActionOnBreak.IgnoreBreak Then
        Err.Clear
        Resume
    ElseIf BreakKey = ActionOnBreak.PromptUser Then
        MsgRes = MsgBox("User Process Break." & vbCrLf & _
            "Continue to wait?", vbYesNo)
        If MsgRes = vbNo Then
            CloseHandle ProcHandle
            ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.UserBreak
            Application.EnableCancelKey = SaveCancelKey
        Else
            Err.Clear
            Resume Next
        End If
    Else
        CloseHandle ProcHandle
        Application.EnableCancelKey = SaveCancelKey
        ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.Failure
    End If
Else
    ' some other error. assume failure
    CloseHandle ProcHandle
    ShellAndWait = ShellAndWaitResult.Failure
End If

Application.EnableCancelKey = SaveCancelKey

End Function
 
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