Select Method of Range Class Failed Error in VBA

In the Excel VBA development, encountering errors can be a common yet frustrating experience. A frequent issue that specially new developers encounter is the "Select Method of Range Class Failed" error. This article aims to unveil this error, offering insights into its cause and presenting a solution to resolve it.

Table of contents
Understanding the "Select Method of Range Class Failed" Error
Cause of the Error
How to Fix the Error

Understanding the "Select Method of Range Class Failed" Error

The "Select Method of Range Class Failed" error typically arises when VBA code attempts to select a range that is inaccessible at the time of the code execution.

Cause of the "Select Method of Range Class Failed" Error

Understanding the underlying cause is critical to resolving the error. Below is the reason for this error.

Inactive Worksheet
Trying to select a range on a worksheet that is not currently active can lead to this error. Let’s consider this example Excel workbook.

This Excel file contains two worksheets. “Input” and “Output” sheets. Currently we are in the “Input” sheet. So the “Input” sheet is the worksheet active at the moment. Assume we tried to select the A1 cell of the “Output” now using the below subroutine.

Sub InactiveWorksheetExample()

Dim WS_Input As Worksheet
Dim WS_Output As Worksheet

Set WS_Input = Worksheets("Input")
Set WS_Output = Worksheets("Output")

WS_Output.Range("A1").Select

End Sub

Here what we are doing is we are asking the macro to select a cell from a worksheet which is not active. So this will throw the following error - Run-time error '1004' - Select method of Range class failed.

How to Fix the Error

To tackle this error, we can simply activate the required sheet. So before selecting a range, make sure the relevant sheet is activated using Worksheet.Activate method. Here is how you can modify the above subroutine to do that.

Sub InactiveWorksheetExample()

Dim WS_Input As Worksheet
Dim WS_Output As Worksheet

Set WS_Input = Worksheets("Input")
Set WS_Output = Worksheets("Output")

WS_Output.Activate
WS_Output.Range("A1").Select

End Sub

Method 'Range' of object '_Worksheet' Failed Error in VBA

When working with VBA in Excel, encountering errors is not uncommon, especially when dealing with range objects. One such error is the "Method 'Range' of object '_Worksheet' failed". In this post we will explore the causes of this VBA error and how to effectively troubleshoot and resolve it.

Table of contents
Introduction to Method 'Range' of object '_Worksheet' Failed Error
Common Causes of the VBA Error
Troubleshooting the Error

Introduction to Method 'Range' of object '_Worksheet' Failed Error

The "Method 'Range' of object '_Worksheet' failed" error in VBA typically occurs when the code tries to reference a range that does not exist or is incorrectly specified. This error can be frustrating, especially for those new to VBA. Understanding the nature of this error is the first step in resolving it.

Common Causes of the Range Method Error

Incorrect Range Reference
When the specified range in the code does not exist in the worksheet. Here is a simple example.

Sub SelectRange()

   Dim WS As Worksheet

   Set WS = ActiveSheet

   WS.Range("B1400000").Select

End Sub

In this example, macro is trying to select a cell called B1400000. But such a cell is not available in Excel because the row limit of the Excel application is 1,048,576.

Check this post to see more details about Excel row limit.
Number of rows in Excel

So when we run the macro it will show this error message.

Troubleshooting the Range Method Error

To troubleshoot this error, follow these steps.

Check Range References
Ensure that the range referenced in the code exists in the worksheet.

Debugging
Use VBA's debugging tools, like the Immediate Window and Local Window, to track the values and state of variables at runtime. If your code is referencing dynamic ranges then you can detect whether it is referencing nonexistent ranges.

Error Handling
Implement error-handling routines to catch and handle errors.

The error "Method 'Range' of object '_Worksheet' failed" can be a hurdle in VBA programming, but with careful examination of the code, validation of references, and implementation of best practices, it can be effectively managed and resolved. Understanding the root causes and having a structured approach to troubleshooting are key to overcoming this challenge in Excel VBA.