See UDF Argument Descriptions in Other Workbooks

0
votes
  1. Create a UDF.
  2. Use this site to create function and argument descriptions.
  3. Use UDF, open function wizard, all descriptions are displayed. Great!
  4. Go to another workbook while this is still open.
  5. Use UDF from initial workbook (with the necessary prefix), open function wizard, only the function description is displayed (no argument descriptions). Boo!

Is there a way to have the argument descriptions display in #5?

Adding function and argument descriptions for a UDF appears to be brand new to Excel 2010, so I suspect this may simply be not currently possible, but I cannot actually find the idea of using it in other workbooks discussed, and haven't been able to get it to work myself. Descriptive variable names can only get you so far, and function descriptions are limited to 255 characters (at least that's the largest using the link's method).

It would be ideal to have this work using the built-in function wizard so it can be accessed outside a macro, but these functions are often created using macros, so if you have a particularly good alternate suggestion, that would be appreciated as well.

Excel 2010, Windows 7 Professional

1
vbaexcel
From Workbook2, you want to use a UDF stored in Workbook1 and have all the descriptions carry over? - Vegard
@vsoraas Yup. In the second, the UDFs from the first work fine, and the function description displays, just the argument descriptions don't. Slightly edited to hopefully make that clearer for future people. - ceegers
Did you try running the DescribeFunction() in the new workbook? - paul bica
@paul bica This is not reasonable due to these functions being constantly used in new workbooks throughout my company. My current workaround of doing my best to describe everything in the 255 character function description is preferable to that. - ceegers

1 Answers

2
votes

It works Ok if you put the UDF and DESCRIBEFUNCTION in an XLAM and open that before opening another workbook.
But note that you cannot run DESCRIBEFUNCTION in the workbook open event of the XLAM if it is opened before any other workbooks.