XL2000: How to Programmatically Delete Defined Names with Links

This article shows you how to create a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Sub procedure (macro) that displays all the defined names in the active workbook that have an external reference to a defined name in a different workbook. With the macro, you can also delete the defined name if you want to.

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For more information about the support options that are available and about how to contact Microsoft, visit the following Microsoft Web site:http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS The following sample macro lists all of the defined names in the active workbook that have an external reference to a defined name in a different workbook. The macro asks whether you want to delete each defined name as it is found.

When you use the macro to delete a defined name, the error value "#NAME" is displayed in the cell or cells that use the defined name.

NOTE: External links not referenced by a defined name are not affected.

To create a macro that lists defined names that have an external reference to a defined name in a different workbook, use the steps in the following example:

1. In Excel, press ALT+F11 to start the Visual Basic editor.
2. On the Insert menu, click Module.
3. On the module sheet, type the following code:

   Option Explicit
   
   Sub delete_external_names()
   'variable declarations
   Dim response As Integer
   Dim msg As String
   Dim flag As Boolean
   Dim defined_name As Object
     flag = True
     ' Check if external links were found.
     ' Loop through each defined name in workbook.
     For Each defined_name In ActiveWorkbook.Names
        ' If a [ was found, then the name has a link.
        If InStr(defined_name.RefersTo, "[") > 0 Then
           flag = False ' set flag to False indicating a link was found
           ' Message displayed to ask if you want to delete name.
            msg = "Do you want to delete the defined name " & "'" & _
              defined_name.Name & "'" & Chr(13) & " that refers to '" & _
               defined_name & "' ?"
            ' Delete the defined name.
            If MsgBox(msg, 292) = vbYes Then defined_name.Delete
         End If
     Next defined_name  ' get the next defined name
     If flag = True Then  ' if flag was not set, display message below
        MsgBox "No defined names with external were links found."
     End If
   End Sub
   					

In Microsoft Excel, workbooks can have two kinds of links: internal or external. Internal links are references to objects within (or internal to) the document (for example, another cell on a given sheet or another cell on another sheet in the same workbook). The following examples demonstrate how an internal link may appear on your worksheet: -or-
External links are references to objects outside the document (for example a cell on a sheet in another file). The following example demonstrates how an external link may appear on your sheet: