filter out multiple criteria using excel vba

Question

I have 8 variables in column A, 1,2,3,4,5 and A, B, C.
My aim is to filter out A, B, C and display only 1-5.

I can do this using the following code:

My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:=Array("1", "2", "3","4","5"), _
    Operator:=xlFilterValues

But what the code does is it filters variables 1 to 5 and displays them.

I want to do the opposite, but yielding the same result, by filtering out A, B, C and showing variables 1 to 5

I tried this code:

My_Range.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:=Array("<>A", "<>B", "<>C"), _
    Operator:=xlFilterValues

But it did not work.

Why cant I use this code ?

It gives this error:

Run time error 1004 autofilter method of range class failed

How can I perform this?

Answer 1

I think (from experimenting - MSDN is unhelpful here) that there is no direct way of doing this. Setting Criteria1 to an Array is equivalent to using the tick boxes in the dropdown - as you say it will only filter a list based on items that match one of those in the array.

Interestingly, if you have the literal values "<>A" and "<>B" in the list and filter on these the macro recorder comes up with

Range.AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="=<>A", Operator:=xlOr, Criteria2:="=<>B"

which works. But if you then have the literal value "<>C" as well and you filter for all three (using tick boxes) while recording a macro, the macro recorder replicates precisely your code which then fails with an error. I guess I'd call that a bug - there are filters you can do using the UI which you can't do with VBA.

Anyway, back to your problem. It is possible to filter values not equal to some criteria, but only up to two values which doesn't work for you:

Range("$A$1:$A$9").AutoFilter Field:=1, Criteria1:="<>A", Criteria2:="<>B", Operator:=xlAnd

There are a couple of workarounds possible depending on the exact problem:

1. Use a "helper column" with a formula in column B and then filter on that - e.g. =ISNUMBER(A2) or =NOT(A2="A", A2="B", A2="C") then filter on TRUE
2. If you can't add a column, use autofilter with Criteria1:=">-65535" (or a suitable number lower than any you expect) which will filter out non-numeric values - assuming this is what you want
3. Write a VBA sub to hide rows (not exactly the same as an autofilter but it may suffice depending on your needs).

For example:

Public Sub hideABCRows(rangeToFilter As Range)
  Dim oCurrentCell As Range
  On Error GoTo errHandler

  Application.ScreenUpdating = False
  For Each oCurrentCell In rangeToFilter.Cells
    If oCurrentCell.Value = "A" Or oCurrentCell.Value = "B" Or oCurrentCell.Value = "C" Then
      oCurrentCell.EntireRow.Hidden = True
    End If
  Next oCurrentCell

  Application.ScreenUpdating = True
  Exit Sub

errHandler:
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub