#name? error when I attempt to use a newly defined UDF

I have a UDF which I know works while in debug mode in the VBA environment. the function did not access the worksheet but used test data that emulated the cases I expected to see.

Now I wish to use my function in my worksheet.

I get the "#name?" error when i attempt to run the UDF

Here are some hints at what is happening.
the workbook is macro enabled (file->options -> trust center -> settings -> enabled all macros

if i get out of the vba environment and into excel, and select macros, and select the workbook in which the macro exists, no macros are seen. blank box.

If i go to a worksheet cell and type an "=" sign and then begin typing my UDF, a drop down list box
appears with my UDF listed. I dbl click on it excel finishes the udf name afterwhich I put the parameters into my UDF.

upon hitting return, I get the #name? error

I do not know where to turn to trouble shoot. I did try inserting a new module and looked for where the environment
placed the module. the new module was placed in the vba project on the same level as my UDF and on the same level as sheet1 etc. i am assuming it is in the correct place.

Soooo while the UDF DOES appear as i begin typing it as one of many functions available, when I input data it throws the error #name?

a long shot....desparate...some time ago...i tried putting the macro in personal.xlsb and attached the name to the udf name. the macro worked.

but i don't want to put it in personal.xlsb until I get it working in the workbook in which the UDF was written.

please help

Attach your workbook for review.

I would love to post my workbook for review....but for some reason i do not see how to do it. Sorry....I must be blind.
if you know how, please help me. I desparetely want to get over this hurdle and charge onwards in a productive manner.
bil

It appears to be suddenly working, though i can not see the udf in the macro menu

the important parts of the workbook"

FieldData worksheet.....R4c6:r11c9 (columns titled "DMS", "d", "m", "s"

and Module_DMS

Scottiex,

Thank you for responding. I do appreciate your wonderfully clear code.

Please check back. I need a small amount of time to go through your code to make sure i understand it.
and test it out.

Please understand that I do very much appreciate the valuable time and effort you invested in my problem.
bil

love the clarity and simplicity of your code. I tried it out and it
works beautifully.


I have a few questions that will help me understand a few things

(1) The function, Deci returns a string. I am assuming it is because you can
return an error message as well as a character number.

i believe I need to return the unpacked decimal number as type double
I am saying that because I will want to use the decimal data in later
calculations.

Knowing that should Deci return data of type double?
How do i reveal error messages? through a msgbox?


I may be misunderstanding something. In fact, all numbers seen in the
worksheet are actually strings (ascii characters) but their storage is
dependent upon the data type defined in excel format? What I am getting
at is that i have no idea whether to return strings or numbers to a cell
in a worksheet. is the answer dependent on use?

ie: if i am later going to use an excel function, "sum" then I had better
return a "number" but if i am not going to mathematically do anything with the
returned data do i return it ias a string?

(2) Why did you chose to input DMS as a variant and not as a double?
I guess I don't understand when to use a variant and when to be
specific.

(3) "Mid" and "left" functions are string operators. Yet is not DMS a string?
(4) "Mid" and "left" functions return a string and yet you defined
Deg is an integer (why an integer?)
Min as a Double (why double? because of binary conversion?)
Sec as a Double (why double? because of binary conversion?)

I'm not sure my usage is entirely optimal but

Deg, min and sec had to be added together so they have to be treated as numbers at some point.
Deg can only be an integer number so no need for double.
min and sec however were numbers with lots of decimals so I used double.

yes Deci is a string so I can hand the error message - It seems pretty non-standard to have a function call message box, i suppose more standard is for it to would work like most functions and just error if the data is invalid. But i noticed the code had gone to the effort of being clear in this space.

But you can change the data type if needed. eg

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/s2dy91zy.aspx

Thank you Scottiex for your help and your time. Most generous.

Have a wonderful day....