User Defined Functions - Help Text - Make it Easy for the User

Hi All,

Does anyone have any pointers or ideas on how you can add help text to a
user defined function.

I.e. When you select IF from the functions menu it says "Returns one value
if a condition you specify evaluates to TRUE and another value if it
evaluates to FALSE"

There is also help text on the individual formula components of the
Microsoft functions.

I have created a number of user functions and they would be a lot better if
they were clearer and more user friendly.

Any pointers or ideas of where to look would be gladly received.

Ta

Andi

Hi Andi,

You can give you user-defined functions a description in the following way.

In Excel press ALT-F8, this will give you the Macro-Dialog

If you write the name of your function in the box where it says "Macro Name", you will see the options button enabled (If you've typed in the full name of the function).

Then click the options button... There you can write a description of you function.
Press OK, and you will see you description in de functions-dialogbox.

Good luck....

AMSVbA

On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 14:25:56 -0000, "Andibevan"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Hi All,
>
>Does anyone have any pointers or ideas on how you can add help text to a
>user defined function.
>
>I.e. When you select IF from the functions menu it says "Returns one value
>if a condition you specify evaluates to TRUE and another value if it
>evaluates to FALSE"
>
>There is also help text on the individual formula components of the
>Microsoft functions.
>
>I have created a number of user functions and they would be a lot better if
>they were clearer and more user friendly.
>
>Any pointers or ideas of where to look would be gladly received.
>
>Ta
>
>Andi
>

1. Try to make the argument names explanatory. In other words, instead of

Function foo(a,b,c,d,optional e)

Do something like:

Function foo(StartDate, EndDate, WeekendDay1, WeekendDay2, optional Holidays)

2. You could look at Longre's FUNCUSTOMIZE.DLL (at http://xcell05.free.fr/)
which puports to add more involved descriptions. I've not tried it out,
however.
--ron

In addition to Ron's good suggestions..........

You can add a brief description(not arguments) if you open the VBEditor and
View>Object Browser.

Find your UDF and right-click and you can add a comment there.

This comment will be shown in the Function Wizard when you click on your UDF.

i.e. Click on ShowFormula in UDF category and see this.......

ShowFormula(Cell)

Returns the formula of a cell as Text.
Usage is: =ShowFormula(cellref)

For Arguments you can use Laurent Longre's Funcustomize that Ron pointed you
to.


Gord Dibben Excel MVP

On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 15:15:45 -0500, Ron Rosenfeld <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 14:25:56 -0000, "Andibevan"
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Hi All,
>>
>>Does anyone have any pointers or ideas on how you can add help text to a
>>user defined function.
>>
>>I.e. When you select IF from the functions menu it says "Returns one value
>>if a condition you specify evaluates to TRUE and another value if it
>>evaluates to FALSE"
>>
>>There is also help text on the individual formula components of the
>>Microsoft functions.
>>
>>I have created a number of user functions and they would be a lot better if
>>they were clearer and more user friendly.
>>
>>Any pointers or ideas of where to look would be gladly received.
>>
>>Ta
>>
>>Andi
>>
>
>1. Try to make the argument names explanatory. In other words, instead of
>
>Function foo(a,b,c,d,optional e)
>
>Do something like:
>
>Function foo(StartDate, EndDate, WeekendDay1, WeekendDay2, optional Holidays)
>
>2. You could look at Longre's FUNCUSTOMIZE.DLL (at http://xcell05.free.fr/)
>which puports to add more involved descriptions. I've not tried it out,
>however.
>--ron

Add the following to the Workbook_Open() sub of the work
book containing the UDF

Application.MacroOptions Macro:="FName", _
Description:="Returns whatever..."

Where FName is the name of the function (incl quotes).

Comment: This is best done with an AddIn file (.xla).

Hope this helps,

Tony

>-----Original Message-----
>Hi All,
>
>Does anyone have any pointers or ideas on how you can add
help text to a
>user defined function.
>
>I.e. When you select IF from the functions menu it
says "Returns one value
>if a condition you specify evaluates to TRUE and another
value if it
>evaluates to FALSE"
>
>There is also help text on the individual formula
components of the
>Microsoft functions.
>
>I have created a number of user functions and they would
be a lot better if
>they were clearer and more user friendly.
>
>Any pointers or ideas of where to look would be gladly
received.
>
>Ta
>
>Andi
>
>
>.
>

Big thankyou to Ron, Tony and Gord for your help with this one - I have
tried to get answers to this for ages but with no avail - it also has proved
hard to find any info through Google.

Ta

"Gord Dibben" <gorddibbATshawDOTca> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In addition to Ron's good suggestions..........
>
> You can add a brief description(not arguments) if you open the VBEditor
and
> View>Object Browser.
>
> Find your UDF and right-click and you can add a comment there.
>
> This comment will be shown in the Function Wizard when you click on your
UDF.
>
> i.e. Click on ShowFormula in UDF category and see this.......
>
> ShowFormula(Cell)
>
> Returns the formula of a cell as Text.
> Usage is: =ShowFormula(cellref)
>
> For Arguments you can use Laurent Longre's Funcustomize that Ron pointed
you
> to.
>
>
> Gord Dibben Excel MVP
>
> On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 15:15:45 -0500, Ron Rosenfeld
<[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 14:25:56 -0000, "Andibevan"
> ><[email protected]> wrote:
> >
> >>Hi All,
> >>
> >>Does anyone have any pointers or ideas on how you can add help text to a
> >>user defined function.
> >>
> >>I.e. When you select IF from the functions menu it says "Returns one
value
> >>if a condition you specify evaluates to TRUE and another value if it
> >>evaluates to FALSE"
> >>
> >>There is also help text on the individual formula components of the
> >>Microsoft functions.
> >>
> >>I have created a number of user functions and they would be a lot better
if
> >>they were clearer and more user friendly.
> >>
> >>Any pointers or ideas of where to look would be gladly received.
> >>
> >>Ta
> >>
> >>Andi
> >>
> >
> >1. Try to make the argument names explanatory. In other words, instead
of
> >
> >Function foo(a,b,c,d,optional e)
> >
> >Do something like:
> >
> >Function foo(StartDate, EndDate, WeekendDay1, WeekendDay2, optional
Holidays)
> >
> >2. You could look at Longre's FUNCUSTOMIZE.DLL (at
http://xcell05.free.fr/)
> >which puports to add more involved descriptions. I've not tried it out,
> >however.
> >--ron
>