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How to autocomplete a textbox when typing in Excel?

By default, Excel can remember what you have entered in cells of current worksheet and autocomplete this content next time when typing a related initial letter into a new cell. However, if you want to make all contents you have entered in worksheet to be autocomplete in a textbox (ActiveX Control), how could you do? This article will provide a VBA method to help you autocomplete a textbox when typing an initial letter inside.

Autocomplete a textbox when typing with VBA code


Autocomplete a textbox when typing with VBA code

Please do as follows to make a textbox autocomplete when typing an initial letter inside the textbox.

1. Please insert a textbox by clicking Developer > Insert > Text Box (ActiveX Control). See screenshot:

2. And then click Developer > Insert > List Box (ActiveX Control) to insert a list box into current worksheet. See screenshot:

3. Right-click the sheet tab, then click View Code from the context menu as below screenshot shown.

4. In the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window, please copy and paste below VBA code into the Code window. And then click Tools > References, and then check the Microsoft Scripting Runtime box in the References – VBAProject dialog box. See screenshot:

VBA code: Autocomplete a textbox when typing

Dim xRg As Range
Dim xDic As New Dictionary
Private Sub ListBox1_DblClick(ByVal Cancel As MSForms.ReturnBoolean)
    Me.TextBox1.Value = Me.ListBox1.Value
End Sub
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
    Dim xVal As String
    On Error Resume Next
    If IsNumeric(Target.Value) Then
        xVal = Str(Target.Value)
    Else
        xVal = Target.Value
    End If
    If xVal <> "" Then
        If Not xDic.Exists(xVal) Then
            xDic.Add xVal, xVal
        End If
    End If
End Sub
Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
    Me.ListBox1.Visible = False
End Sub
Private Sub Worksheet_Activate()
    Dim I As Long
    Dim xStr As String
    On Error Resume Next
    If xRg Is Nothing Then
        Set xRg = ActiveSheet.UsedRange
    End If
    Me.ListBox1.Visible = False
    xDic.RemoveAll
    With Me.ListBox1
        For I = 1 To xRg.Count
            xStr = xRg(I).Value
            If xStr <> "" Then
                .AddItem xStr
                If Not xDic.Exists(xStr) Then
                    xDic.Add xStr, xStr
                End If
            End If
        Next
    End With
End Sub
Private Sub TextBox1_KeyUp(ByVal KeyCode As MSForms.ReturnInteger, ByVal Shift As Integer)
    With Me.ListBox1
        .Top = Me.TextBox1.Top
        .Left = Me.TextBox1.Left + Me.TextBox1.Width
        .Width = Me.TextBox1.Width
    End With
    TextBoxVal Me.TextBox1.Object
End Sub
Sub TextBoxVal(xTextBox As Variant)
    Dim I As Long
    Dim xStr As String
    On Error Resume Next
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    If xRg Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
    Me.ListBox1.Clear
    xStr = xTextBox.Value
    If xStr = "" Then
        Me.ListBox1.Visible = False
        Application.EnableEvents = True
        Exit Sub
    End If
    For I = 0 To UBound(xDic.Items)
        If Left(xDic.Items(I), Len(xStr)) = xStr Then
            Me.ListBox1.AddItem xDic.Items(I)
        End If
    Next
    Me.ListBox1.Visible = True
    If Me.ListBox1.ListCount > 0 Then
        With xTextBox
            .Value = Me.ListBox1.List(0)
            .SelStart = Len(xStr)
            .SelLength = Len(Me.ListBox1.List(0))
        End With
    End If
    Me.ListBox1.Activate
    Me.ListBox1.Selected(0) = True
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
Private Sub ListBox1_KeyDown(ByVal KeyCode As MSForms.ReturnInteger, ByVal Shift As Integer)
    If KeyCode = 13 Then
        Me.TextBox1.Value = Me.ListBox1.Value
    End If
End Sub

Note: In the code, ListBox1 and Textbox1 are the name of the list box and textbox you have inserted into your worksheet.

5. Press the Alt + Q keys to exit the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

6. Turn off the Design Mode by clicking Developer > Design Mode in the worksheet.

7. Now shift to another worksheet and then go back to the previous worksheet to enable the VBA code.

From now on. When entering an initial letter into the textbox, all texts which begin with that letter you have entered into the worksheet will be listed inside the list box which located on the right side of the textbox. Please double click your needed one to enter it into the textbox. See screenshot:

Note: You can use the Up or Down arrow key to move among all autocomplete texts in the list box, and then press the Enter key to enter needed one into the textbox.


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This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Why would anyone go for writing a script when there are simpler ways to get a dropdown list???
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