Excel.Tips.Net Welcome toExcel.Tips.Net

Helpful Links

Tips.Net Home
ExcelTips Home
Ask an Excel Question
Make a Comment

Tips.Net Store

ExcelTips FAQ
ExcelTips Premium

Learn Access Now
Free Printable Forms

Beauty Tips
Car Tips
Cleaning Tips
College Tips
Cooking Tips
Excel2007 Tips
ExcelTips
Family Tips
Gardening Tips
Health Tips
Home Tips
Legal Tips
Money Tips
Organizing Tips
Pest Tips
Pet Tips
Wedding Tips
Word2007 Tips
WordTips

Advertise on the
ExcelTips Site

Newest Tips

Removing Borders

Converting to Octal

Filtering Columns for Unique Values

Printing Multiple Worksheets on a Single Page

Changing the Default Font

Creating a Drawing Object

Determining a Value of a Cell

 

Determining a Random Value

Summary: One of the better-known VBA functions is Rnd, which allows you to generate a random value between 0 and 1. You can use this for all sorts of purposes, as described here. (This tip works with Microsoft Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, and Excel 2003.)

VBA provides a function to return a random value. You wouldn't necessarily use this function by itself, but as part of a larger macro that may require the use of random values. The syntax for the function is as follows:

x = Rnd()

where x is the result. The value returned will always be between 0 and 1. To translate this to some other random value, all you need to do is multiply the result by the highest number you want to consider. For instance, if you wanted a random number between 1 and 25, you could use the following code line:

x = Int(25 * Rnd()) + 1

Since Rnd always returns a value between 0 and 1 (but never 1 itself), multiplying what it returns by 25 and then using the Int function on that result will return a number between 0 and 24. Finally, 1 is added to this result, so that x will be equal to a number between 1 and 25, inclusive.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2340) applies to Microsoft Excel versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Don't Go in Debt for Christmas! Tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses for Christmas? Want to enjoy the season rather than dread the aftermath? Learn how you can avoid the financial traps that spring up every Christmas.
 
Check out Top Fifteen Tips for Financing Christmas today!