
Tips.Net > ExcelTips Home > Formatting > Column Formatting > Unhiding a Single Column
Summary: In a worksheet with lots of hidden columns it is a real pain to try to unhide just one or two columns. The best solution is to use a macro to do the unhiding, as described in this tip. (This tip works with Microsoft Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, Excel 2003, and Excel 2007.)
I regularly hide and unhide columns in my worksheets. If I have an entire range of columns hidden, I find it a bother to unhide a single column out of all those hidden. For instance, if I hide columns C:M, and I want to unhide column F, then I need to unhide the entire range and then rehide C:E and G:M. (There are other ways I could accomplish the same task, but none of them are particularly endearing.)
However, I find that a single column can be unhidden very easily using a macro. Consider the following:
Sub UnhideSingleColumn()
Dim Col As String
Dim rng As Range
StartHere:
Col = InputBox("Enter column to unhide.", "Unhide Column")
If Col = "" Then Exit Sub
On Error Resume Next
' if not a valid range, an error occurs
Set rng = ActiveSheet.Columns(Col)
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
On Error GoTo 0
Err.Clear
MsgBox "Invalid input! Please input a valid column."
GoTo StartHere
End If
rng.EntireColumn.Hidden = False
MsgBox "Column " & UCase(Col) & " is now visible.", _
vbOKOnly, "Unhide Specified Column"
Set rng = Nothing
On Error GoTo 0
End Sub
The macro prompts the user for which column should be made visible, and then tries to select that column. If the column cannot be selected, then an error is generated and the user is again asked for input. If the column can be selected, then its .Hidden property is turned off, thereby making the column visible.
Tip #2405 applies to Microsoft Excel versions: 97 2000 2002 2003 2007
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