can't go cDbl("200%") ?

[Oppressed1]

This should be simple, a "level 1 user question." I wanted to seed an input box with 200% like
sVal = InputBox(...,200%)
so that the input line says
200%
but the only way I came up with to get the % to display was to use a string, like
sVal = InputBox(...,"200%")

Note, InputBox returns a string (sVal) regardless. As that string goes, I don't care if the % is there or not in sVal; I can react appropriately. (And by the way, I don't think Format() improves anything here.)

But if sVal is "200%" then dVal=cDbl(sVal) fails. Is there another way to
1. Show the percent sign in the white area of the InputBox
2. Get the value 2 or 200 to the Double variable dVal
...short of having to parse out the % sign from sVal? Maybe using InputBox(...,"200%") is not the best approach.

( And by the way, speaking of parsing, is there a VBA counterpart of Substitute? Say, for Application.Worksheetfunction.substitute(sVal,"%","") ?)

[Zer0Cool]

As you are finding I believe an input box returns a string data type. Having the % character in there forces this even when you try and convert it. Your best bet is to either force the user to enter a numeric value only (validate the input) or put into place a method to strip out the % sign and then adjust whats left to a numeric representation of the percentage.

You could instead of an input box create a form and use a label with "%" in it next to a text field. If you enter a numeric value like "200" into CDbl() it should convert as expected (to 200 as a number), its the "%" preventing that from working.

I think the VBA function equivalent to SUBSTITUTE() is REPLACE().

EDIT: I was wrong, input box returns the entry and what variable you store it in determines the data type. You could use a dbl data type and create an error handler to ensure they enter a valid number. Alternatively you could use string/variant and convertit to double, but in that case you are more likely to parse the entry removing characters like % before converting to dbl instead of validating their input.

[mjr veverka]

percent character:

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maybe this way?

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[shg]

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That doesn't work because % is the VBA type declaration character for Integer. It is not an operator as in Excel.

[xlnitwit]

EDIT: I was wrong, input box returns the entry and what variable you store it in determines the data type.

Inputbox does return a String as you initially stated. Assigning that to a typed variable will result in implicit coercion as is typically the case with VBA.

[Oppressed1]

Sorry, porucha, that CDbl gives an error, no different than what I had.

By the way, I did consider using format, so instead of valVal & Chr(37), using format(valval, "0%"). My quest is to achieve that end without having to parse away the "%" from the return value of InputBox, in order to assign it numerically.

I think the answer is to use Evaluate(sval), unless someone has something better. (Though parsing in this case is not tragic, it just SEEMS like an admission of defeat )

(Yep, shg, good point. I was hoping to avoid a "string seeding" of the inputbox - sort of like how in a cell the value can be internally numeric, but formatted to appear as 200%. I was hoping that there was some way to get inputbox to display it the way I wanted, but without returning the %, since that is unfriendly to cDbl. BTW I'm really surprised that cDbl choked on that. It's usually very strong in interpreting strings as numbers.)

Again, I think the answer is to use Evaluate(sval), unless someone has something better

[shg]

I was hoping to avoid a "string seeding" of the inputbox

The Default argument is a string. If you use a number, VBA has to coerce it to a string.

Textbox values are strings; there is no other underlying value.

[mjr veverka]

...that CDbl gives an error, ...

You have a strange excel who doesn't like 'CDbl':

[Oppressed1]

Yeah shg, I was hoping you or someone had some clever way or "backdoor" to beat that, since cDbl is being such a brat about the % character.

I'm going with Evaluate and marking solved. Short of parsing off the "%" from the return value, I see no other direct way of displaying a percent in an InputBox and getting the response into a numeric variable.

The Form was a cool alternative, though, ZerCool. And you're right, Replace() was the function I couldn't remember.

[xlnitwit]

Wouldn't using Application.InputBox be easier?

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[Oppressed1]

THAT'S what I was looking for! The nitwit hits yet another home run! Thank you once again.

If only I could remember that "application form." I even bookmarked this less than a year ago but like some things you discover and bookmark, just never can remember it again!
https://www.wiseowl.co.uk/blog/s2458/inputbox.htm
(a really easy explanation of application.inputbox)