Excel vba convert to string

We have already covered an introduction to string functions in our VBA Strings and Substrings Functions tutorial. In this tutorial, we are going to look at how to convert an integer to a string (click here to learn about converting Strings to Numbers). The reason you would want to convert a number or date to a string is in order to use string manipulation functions on these values.

The VBA CStr Function

The VBA CStr Function allows you to convert a number, date or boolean data type to a string.

MsgBox CStr (88)

The syntax of the CStr Function is:

CStr(expression) where expression is the number or date that you want to convert.

The following code shows you how numbers are outputted compared to text, including by using the CStr Function.

Sub UsingTheConvertToStringFunction()


Debug.Print CStr(8)
Debug.Print "Text"
Debug.Print 8
Debug.Print 2


End Sub

This uses Debug.Print to output the results to the Immediate Window.

Both CStr(8) and the word Text are displayed as text and are left aligned whereas the two numbers are right aligned within the immediate window.

Excel VBA CSTR Function

CSTR in VBA is a data type conversion function that one may use to convert any value provided to this function to a string. For example, even if the given input is an integer or float value, this function will convert the value’s data type to a string data type, so the return type of this function is a string.

How do we go about this if we need to convert any value to string data type in VBAData type is the core character of any variable, it represents what is the type of value we can store in the variable and what is the limit or the range of values which can be stored in the variable, data types are built-in VBA and user or developer needs to be aware which type of value can be stored in which data type. Data types assign to variables tells the compiler storage size of the variable.read more? For this, in VBA, we have a function called “CSTR.” In this article, we will guide you through the methodology of the “CSTR” function in VBA.

The String is the data type that holds any String values. When we say string, it generally refers to text values, but that is not true with VBA codingVBA code refers to a set of instructions written by the user in the Visual Basic Applications programming language on a Visual Basic Editor (VBE) to perform a specific task.read more. A string can hold any order of characters as data. For example, “Hello” is treated as String, “123456” is treated as a string and “12-04-2019” as a string. This String data type can hold any order of characters.

What Does CSTR Function Do in VBA?

Have you ever thought of converting a different expression to Strings in VBAString functions in VBA do not replace the string; instead, this function creates a new string. There are numerous string functions in VBA, all of which are classified as string or text functions.read more? If you have a doubt, is that possible? Then the answer is an absolute YES!

CSTR is a function covering different format expressions to String format in VBA. With the CSTR function, we can convert the provided expression value to the String data type.

VBA CSTR Syntax

Below is the syntax of the Excel VBA CSTR function.

The syntax of the CSTR function includes only one argument.

Expression: It is the targeted value or cell value we are trying to change to the String data type.

The value could be any data type. So, CSTR goes ahead and converts to String data type. The common data types we usually convert are Integer, Boolean, and Date to String data types.

How to Use VBA CSTR Function in Excel?

Now, we will see some examples of the Excel VBA CSTR function.

You can download this VBA CStr Excel Template here – VBA CStr Excel Template

Example #1

Look at the below code.

Code:

Sub CSTR_Example1()

Dim NumericValue As Integer
Dim StringResult As String

NumericValue = 855

StringResult = CStr(NumericValue)

MsgBox StringResult

End Sub

Firstly, we assigned the Integer data type to the variable “NumericValue” as 855. Now, the variable “NumericValue” holds the Integer data type. Another variable, “StringResult,” assigned the formula CSTR to convert Integer data type to String data type.

CSTR converted the integer number to String data type. So, even though we can see the number 855, it is no longer an Integer Date Type in VBAIn VBA, an integer is a data type that may be assigned to any variable and used to hold integer values. In VBA, the bracket for the maximum number of integer variables that can be kept is similar to that in other languages. Using the DIM statement, any variable can be defined as an integer variable.read more. Instead, it is now in the String data type.

Example #2

Look at an example of VBA Boolean Data TypeBoolean is an inbuilt data type in VBA used for logical references or logical variables. The value this data type holds is either TRUE or FALSE and is used for logical comparison. The declaration of this data type is similar to all the other data types.read more Conversion.

Code:

Sub CSTR_Example2()

Dim Val1 As Boolean
Dim Val2 As Boolean

Val1 = True
Val2 = False

MsgBox CStr(Val1) & vbNewLine & CStr(Val2)

End Sub

In the above code, I have declared two variables as Boolean.

Dim Val1 As Boolean

Dim Val2 As Boolean

In the next line, we have assigned Boolean values as TRUE and FALSE.

Val1 = True

Val2 = False

At this point, both variables are Boolean data types. Therefore, we have applied the VBA CSTR function in this example to convert this Boolean data type to a String data type.

Example #3

Look at the example of Date data type conversion to String data type.

Code:

Sub CSTR_Example3()

Dim Date1 As Date
Dim Date2 As Date

Date1 = #10/12/2019#
Date2 = #5/14/2019#

MsgBox CStr(Date1) & vbNewLine & CStr(Date2)

End Sub

We have declared two variables as Date.

Dim Date1 As Date

Dim Date2 As Date

Next line, we have assigned the Date values as 10-12-2019 and 05-14-2019, respectively.

Date1 = #10/12/2019#

Date2 = #5/14/2019#

At this point, both the variables are Date data types. In the next line, we have applied the CSTR function to convert the Date data type to the String data type. Like CSTR function used to convert any other data type to String data type.

Recommended Articles

This article has been a guide to VBA CStr. Here, we learn how to use the VBA CStr function to convert the value to String data type, along with some simple to advanced examples. Below are some useful Excel articles related to VBA: –

• Convert String in VBA
• Excel VBA StrComp
• VBA Like Operator
• Count Function in VBA

Excel VBA CSTR

We work with lots of conversion function in our work area in excel. Such a function is CSTR function in VBA. It is basically a data type conversion function. So if I said that we want to convert a number to a string how will we do that in VBA? We do this with the help of this VBA CSTR function. VBA CSTR function converts any data type variable to string data type.

Let us learn about VBA CSTR function in detail. VBA CSTR function converts any data type to string type. For example, normally 1234 is a numeric value and ABC is a string value which is pretty simple. But if we want to change the data type for number 1234 from integer to string we use CSTR function. And as said above it is a string conversion function. It takes a single argument in it.

Formula For CSTR function in Excel VBA

Let us look below the formula for CSTR function in VBA.

Now expression can be any data type it could be integer long or Boolean etc. CSTR function will change the data type to String for the given expression regardless of what was the previous data type for the expression of itself. Now let us use this function in a few examples and see how this function actually works.

How to Use Excel VBA CSTR Function?

We will learn how to use a VBA CSTR function with few examples in Excel.

You can download this VBA CSTR Excel Template here – VBA CSTR Excel Template

VBA CSTR – Example #1

For example in true or false results the data type for them is Boolean. But what if we want them to be string data type.

Follow the below steps to use CSTR function in Excel VBA.

Step 1: Open VB Editor from the developer’s tab as shown in the screenshot below.

Step 2: In the VBA editor insert a module from the reference to the screenshot below.

Step 3: Double click on the module and let’s begin our macro with a name as shown below.

Code:

Sub sample()

End Sub

Step 4: Declare a variable as data type as Boolean and store value true in it.

Code:

Sub sample()

Dim A As Boolean
A = True

End Sub

Step 5: Let us first display the data type of the variable A using the TypeName Function as follows.

Code:

Sub sample()

Dim A As Boolean
A = True
MsgBox (TypeName(A))

End Sub

Step 6: Run the code by hitting F5 or Run button and see the output.

Step 7: Right now the data type for the variable A is Boolean now let us change it to a string using VBA CSTR function as follows.

Code:

Sub sample()

Dim A As Boolean
A = True
MsgBox (TypeName(A))
Dim B As String
B = CStr(A)

End Sub

We defined another variable and store the value of A converting it to a string using CSTR function.

Step 8: Now display both the data type of variable B and the value stored in B using the message box function as follows.

Code:

Sub sample()

Dim A As Boolean
A = True
MsgBox (TypeName(A))
Dim B As String
B = CStr(A)
MsgBox B
MsgBox (TypeName(B))

End Sub

Step 9: Re-run the above code and see the last two result as follows.

The value stored in B is the value of A which is “TRUE”. Now let us see the data type for variable B.

Though A had a Boolean value in it we converted it to String using the CSTR function.

VBA CSTR – Example #2

Now let us convert the very basic data type which is an integer in the same way above. Follow the below steps to use CSTR function in Excel VBA.

Step 1: Write another macro name as follows in the same module.

Code:

Sub Sample1()

End Sub

Step 2: Declare two variables one as integer and another as a string.

Code:

Sub Sample1()

Dim A As Integer
Dim B As String

End Sub

Step 3: Store any random value in Variable A, keep in mind it is integer data type, so provide an integer value as follows.

Code:

Sub Sample1()

Dim A As Integer
Dim B As String
A = 255

End Sub

Step 4: Now in Variable B convert A to a string using the CSTR function as shown below.

Code:

Sub Sample1()

Dim A As Integer
Dim B As String
A = 255
B = CStr(A)

End Sub

Step 5: Let us display the value of variable B as well as the data type of variable B as follows.

Code:

Sub Sample1()

Dim A As Integer
Dim B As String
A = 255
B = CStr(A)
MsgBox B
MsgBox (TypeName(B))

End Sub

Step 6: Run the code by hitting F5 or Run button and see the output.

The value stored in variable B is 255 which should be an integer but let us see what we get as the data type for variable B, We converted value 255 which was an integer as a string using CSTR function.

VBA CSTR – Example #3

Now let us try a complex data type which is Date data type. We will convert a date data type value to string. Follow the below steps to use CSTR function in Excel VBA.

Step 1: The third macro name can be as follows.

Code:

Sub Sample2()

End Sub

Step 2: Two variables need to declare one as Date data type and another as a string as shown in the image below.

Code:

Sub Sample2()

Dim A As Date
Dim B As String

End Sub

Step 3: Store a date in Variable A as follows.

Code:

Sub Sample2()

Dim A As Date
Dim B As String
A = #1/1/2019#

End Sub

Step 4: Now convert the date value in A as a string using CSTR function and store the value in variable B as shown below.

Code:

Sub Sample2()

Dim A As Date
Dim B As String
A = #1/1/2019#
B = CStr(A)

End Sub

Step 5: Now let us display both the value and data type of variable B as follows.

Code:

Sub Sample2()

Dim A As Date
Dim B As String
A = #1/1/2019#
B = CStr(A)
MsgBox B
MsgBox (TypeName(B))

End Sub

Step 6: Run the code by hitting F5 or Run button and see the output.

The value we see above is Date which is stored in variable B but when we press ok we see the data type of the above value. Though the value was the date the data type is a string.

Things to Remember

• CSTR is a conversion function.
• CSTR uses only a single argument.
• VBA CSTR function converts any value of data type to string data type.

Recommended Articles

This is a guide to VBA CSTR Function. Here we discuss how to use Excel VBA CStr function to convert the value to String Data Type along with practical examples and downloadable excel template. You can also go through our other suggested articles –

1. VBA Last Row
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