Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Finding the Path to the Desktop.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 11, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Donald is writing a macro in which he needs to reference a user's desktop. However, the path to the desktop necessarily varies from system to system and user to user. He wonders what coding he can use to determine the path to the desktop regardless of system.
There are several ways to find the path to the desktop in VBA. One way is to call the Windows scripting host, in this manner:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here:
Function GetDesktop() As String
Dim oWSHShell As Object
Set oWSHShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
GetDesktop = oWSHShell.SpecialFolders("Desktop")
Set oWSHShell = Nothing
End Function
Note that this is a user-defined macro that you can use either from the worksheet or from another macro. The use from the worksheet would be as follows:
=GetDesktop()
Another way to determine the path to the desktop is to use the following line in your code:
sPath = Environ("USERPROFILE") & "\Desktop"
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (8233) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Finding the Path to the Desktop.
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2020-07-21 07:37:24
Mike D
I think I am missing something. The code makes sense and works only, sometimes.
When I copy the line =GetDesktop() from above and paste it into a sheet it works perfectly.
When I type it or paste matching 'Destination Formatting' it only pastes the text and does not execute the function.
What am I missing?
Thank you,
Mike D.
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