Excel vba overflow run time error 6

Errors are part and parcel of any coding language but finding why that error is coming is what makes you stand apart from the crowd in interviews. Errors are not strange to 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. However, errors are not intentional, so finding the cause for the error is a hard task. In VBA, we have some predefined errors, and knowing about them makes you quickly fix the bug. This article will show you the RUN TIME ERROR 6: Overflow. Follow the full article to learn about the error, the reasons for the VBA “Overflow error,” and how to fix them.

What is Run Time Error 6: Overflow Error in VBA?

When we declare the variable, we assign a data type to them. We should be completely aware of each data type’s pros and cons—this is where “Run Time Error 6: Overflow” comes into the picture. When we overload the data type with a value, which is more than the capacity of the data type, then we will get this error.

For example: If you declare the variable as Byte.

Dim Number As Byte

The Byte data type can hold values from 0 to 255. Now, we will assign the value to 240.

Number = 240

It should work fine because the value we have assigned is less than the limit of Byte’s value of 255. However, the moment we assign the value, which is more than 255, it leads to the error of Run Time Error 6: Overflow.

It is the general overview of the Run Time Error 6: Overflow. Next, we will see some of the examples in detail.

Examples of Run Time Error 6: OverFlow in VBA

Let us see some examples of VBA overflow errors in Excel.

Example 1: OverFlow Error with Byte Data Type

Knowing the pros and cons of the VBA data typeData 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 we will use is important. For example, look at the below code.

Code:

Sub OverFlowError_Example1()

Dim Number As Byte

Number = 256

MsgBox Number

End Sub

For the variable “Number,”we have assigned the value as 256. Therefore, we will get the below error when we run this code.

The data type Byte can hold values from 0 to 255. So it causes an error. To fix the error, we either change the data type or reduce the value assigned to the variable “Number.”

Example 2: VBA OverFlow Error with Integer Data Type

VBA integerIn 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 is a data type that can hold values from -32768 to 32767. For example, look at the below code.

Code:

Sub OverFlowError_Example2()

Dim MyValue As Integer

MyValue = 25656

MsgBox MyValue

End Sub

When we run this code, we will get the variable “MyValue” value in the message box, i.e., 25656.

Now, we will reassign the number to the variable as “45654.”

Code:

Sub OverFlowError_Example2()

Dim MyValue As Integer

MyValue = 45654

MsgBox MyValue

End Sub

Now, if I try to run the code, it will cause an error because the data type we have declared can only hold the maximum of 32767 for positive numbers, and for negative numbers, the limit is -32768.

Example 3: VBA OverFlow Error with Long Data Type

The Long data type is the most often used in Excel VBA. This can hold values from –2,147,483,648 to 2,147,486,647. Anything above that will cause an error.

Code:

Sub OverFlowError_Example3()

Dim MyValue As Long

MyValue = 5000 * 457

MsgBox MyValue

End Sub

It will cause an overflow error.

We need to use the function CLNG in VBAVBA CLng or «VBA Convert to Long» is an in-built Excel function that facilitates converting the numerical values or data exceeding the long data type limit into the acceptable data type.read more to fix this issue. Below is an example of the same.

Code:

Sub OverFlowError_Example3()

Dim MyValue As Long

MyValue = CLng (5000) * 457

MsgBox MyValue

End Sub

It should work fine.

It is the overview of the Run Time Error 6: Overflow.We must be completely aware of the data types to solve this error. So go back to basics, do the basics right, then everything will fall in place.

You can download this VBA Overflow Error Excel Template here – VBA OverFlow Error Excel Template

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This article will explain the VBA Runtime error 6.

Run-time error 6 in VBA is the Overflow error. This means that a variable has been declared as one numeric data type, and then populated with a number that is outside the parameters of that data type.

Consider the following code:

Sub OverflowError()
 Dim i As Integer
 i = 600000
End Sub

We are declaring i as an Integer variable. An integer variable can hold the values of ‑32,768 to 32,768.  We are trying to assign the value of 600,000, which is outside the allowed range and therefore the error will occur.

If we click on Debug when this error occurs, the error line will appear in yellow.

To solve this error, make sure you declare the variable with the correct numeric data types to hold the required data:

In this case use the Long Variable type.

Sub OverflowError_Corrected()
 Dim i As Long
 i = 600000
End Sub

We recommend always using the Long variable type instead of the Integer variable type. The only advantage of the Integer variable type is less memory is required. However, this is mostly irrelevant for coding running from VBA on modern computers.

Introduction to VBA Overflow Error

We encounter many types if error while working with VBA. Errors are called runtime errors when they have encountered an error while executing the code. Also, every code has some certain code assigned to it in the programming of VBA. In excel one such error is the VBA Overflow error. The code for this error is run time error 6 which means overflow in the programming of VBA. We will learn about this error in this article.

Now we know what that overflow error is a type of error now let us understand what this error means. If we declare any variable as a certain data type and the value of the variable is exceeding the limit of the data type of the variable we get the error for overflow. For example, if we define a variable as integer and we know that integer can hold values up to 32767 for positive numbers and -32768 for negative numbers. So if we provide any input beyond that range we will encounter overflow error in VBA.

Overflow error in layman terms means we overload a data type with the values it can hold. Such cases will encounter us to this error. So to avoid this error we need to be aware of what data type we are using so that we can prevent it.

We will see through various examples that how in different types of data types we will possibly encounter this error.

How to Use VBA Overflow Error in Excel?

We will learn how to use a VBA Overflow Error Function with few examples in excel.

You can download this VBA OverFlow Error Excel Template here – VBA OverFlow Error Excel Template

Example #1 – Overflow Error

For the first example let us use Integer data type. Let us try to overflow the values so that variables cannot store it and see the error we encounter.

Follow the below steps to use VBA Overflow Error function in Excel:

Step 1: To basically start with VBA first thing we need to do is enable our developer’s tab and then click on it to open VB Editor from Visual Basic option as shown in the screenshot below,

Step 2: Click on it and insert a module as follows, Once we click on the module. Double click on it and it will open another window for us where we will write our code.

Step 3: We will see a blank window on the right-hand side of us, declare a subfunction and that is how we start a macro as follows,

Code:

Sub Sample()

End Sub

Step 4: Declare a variable as an integer so that it can hold integer value for us,

Code:

Sub Sample()

Dim A As Integer

End Sub

Step 5: Now in Variable A store such value which will overflow the data type as follows,

Code:

Sub Sample()

Dim A As Integer
A = 4896 * 5000

End Sub

Step 6: Now display the value of A using msgbox function,

Code:

Sub Sample()

Dim A As Integer
A = 4896 * 5000
MsgBox A

End Sub

Step 7: Run the above code and see what result we get,

We received this error because 4896*5000 is over the positive number limit for the integer data type to hold and variable A is overflowed by this value so we encounter this error.

Example #2 – Overflow Error

Now in this example let us BYTE data type. We know that byte data type can hold values from 0 to 255 but any values other than that range will give us an error. Let us find out.

Step 1: We already have our module inserted, we can work on the same one or create a new one. But let us work on the same module we inserted. Double click on the module to enter the code window again,

Step 2: Declare another sub-function as follows,

Code:

Sub Sample1()

End Sub

Step 3: Declare a variable as data type BYTE as follows,

Code:

Sub Sample1()

Dim A As Byte

End Sub

Step 4: Now in Variable A store value above than 255 as follows,

Code:

Sub Sample1()

Dim A As Byte
A = 266

End Sub

Step 5: Use a msgbox function to display the value of A,

Code:

Sub Sample1()

Dim A As Byte
A = 266
MsgBox A

End Sub

Step 6: Let us run the above code by pressing F5 and see the result,

Step 7: Now let us try and change the value of A to 244 and rerun the code to see the result,

Code:

Sub Sample1()

Dim A As Byte
A = 244
MsgBox A

End Sub

Step 8: When we run the code again we see the following result,

When we first run the code variable A has values more than the range a BYTE data type can hold, but in the second instance, the variable A has data in its data type range so we didn’t encounter the overflow error.

Example #3 – Overflow Error

Now let us use LONG data type as an example as it is the most used data type among programmers.

Step 1: We will again work in the same module we inserted earlier. We just need to double click the module and we are in it.

Step 2: Declare a sub-function as shown in the screenshot.

Code:

Sub Sample2()

End Sub

Step 3: Declare a variable as a LONG data type as follows.

Code:

Sub Sample2()

Dim A As Long

End Sub

Step 4: Now similar to above examples let us overflow this variable by making it hold values above its range as follows.

Code:

Sub Sample2()

Dim A As Long
A = 2000 * 365

End Sub

Step 5: Use a msgbox function to display the value of A as follows.

Code:

Sub Sample2()

Dim A As Long
A = 2000 * 365
MsgBox A

End Sub

Step 6: Click on the above Run Button and see that we encounter overflow error.

Step 7: Now there is a method to overcome this error in long data type by using CLNG function as follows.

Code:

Sub Sample2()

Dim A As Long
A = CLng(2000) * 365
MsgBox A

End Sub

Step 8: Now if we again run the code we can see the following result.

Now, what did the CLNG Function do? It converted the value to a long integer which the variable can hold.

How to Overcome Overflow Error in VBA

When we encounter overflow error in VBA that means any one of our variables, not more is having some values which it cannot hold. We need to identify the variable and rectify it. Also, we have CLNG function for long data types to help us. But knowing our data type actually helps.

Things to Remember

There are certain things which we need to remember about overflow error in VBA:

• Overflow error is a run time error.
• The error code for overflow error is 6.
• To overcome overflow error we must know what data type can hold how much values.
• CLNG function helps in overflow error for long data types.

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