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If there's likely to be a common response to the question you're asking, you can save your users time by providing a default value for the input box:
A default value is displayed in the input box as soon as it appears. You can accept the default value, or simply type in a new one.
Files Needed
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Completed Code
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Create a new workbook and insert a new module.
Specifying a Default Value
You can use the optional Default parameter to provide an initial value for an input box. Create a subroutine called DefaultCake and add code to it as shown below:
This code assigns the string Chocolate to the default value of the input box.
Running the code shown above produces an input box with a value already entered:
You could type over the default value but there seems little point in this particular case.
Calculating a Default Value
You don't have to pass a literal value to the default parameter; you can also use the result of an expression. Create a new subroutine called DefaultDate and add code to it as shown below:
This code uses the Date and Format functions to pre-fill the input box with a formatted version of the current date.
Running this procedure displays an input box with today's date entered as the default:
The default value you see will depend on the date when you run the procedure.
To practise setting a default value for an input box:
- Using any workbook, create a new subroutine called DefaultDogs.
- Add code to ask the user if they prefer dogs or cats and capture the result in a variable:
Sub DefaultDogs()
Dim PetChoice As String
PetChoice = InputBox( _
Prompt:="Dogs or cats?", _
Title:="Best Pets")
End Sub
- Alter the code so that the input box shows the best type of pet (that's Dogs in case you weren't sure) as its default value:
Sub DefaultDogs()
Dim PetChoice As String
PetChoice = InputBox( _
Prompt:="Dogs or cats?", _
Title:="Best Pets", _
Default:="Dogs")
End Sub
- Add an If statement to check that the user has entered the correct answer and display a message in either case:
Sub DefaultDogs()
Dim PetChoice As String
PetChoice = InputBox( _
Prompt:="Dogs or cats?", _
Title:="Best Pets", _
Default:="Dogs")
If LCase(PetChoice) = "dogs" Then
MsgBox "Correct! Doggos are the best."
ElseIf LCase(PetChoice) = "cats" Then
MsgBox "Wrong! Cats are the worst."
Else
MsgBox "Wrong, " & PetChoice & _
" are rubbish, dogs are the best." & _
vbNewLine & "Or maybe sloths."
End If
End Sub
- Run the subroutine and check that you see the correct response:
Remember: dogs are best, but anything is better than a cat. Even spiders.
- Save and close the file.
- Now go and buy a dog (optional).