Use VBA to Clear Immediate Window?

Question

Does anyone know how to clear the immediate window using VBA?

While I can always clear it myself manually, I am curious if there is a way to do this programmatically.

Answer 1

Here is a combination of ideas (tested with excel vba 2007) :

' * (this can replace your day to day calling to debug)

Public Sub MyDebug(sPrintStr As String, Optional bClear As Boolean = False)
   If bClear = True Then
      Application.SendKeys "^g^{END}", True

      DoEvents '  !!! DoEvents is VERY IMPORTANT here !!!

      Debug.Print String(30, vbCrLf)
   End If

   Debug.Print sPrintStr
End Sub

I do not like deleting the Immediate content (fear of deleting the code by accident, so the above is a hack on some of the code you all wrote.

This handles the problem Akos Groller writes about above: "Unfortunately, this only works if the caret position is at the end of the Immediate window"

The code opens the Immediate window (or puts the focus on it), sends a CTRL+END, followed by a flood of newlines, so the previous debug content is not in sight.

Please note, that DoEvents is crucial, otherwise the logic would fail (the caret position would not move in time to the end of the Immediate window).

Answer 2

For cleaning Immediate window I use (VBA Excel 2016) next function:

Private Sub ClrImmediate()
   With Application.VBE.Windows("Immediate")
       .SetFocus
       Application.SendKeys "^g", True
       Application.SendKeys "^a", True
       Application.SendKeys "{DEL}", True
   End With
End Sub

But direct call of ClrImmediate() like this:

Sub ShowCommandBarNames()
    ClrImmediate
 '--   DoEvents    
    Debug.Print "next..."
End Sub

works only if i put the breakpoint on Debug.Print, otherwise the clearing will be done after execution of ShowCommandBarNames() - NOT before Debug.Print. Unfortunately, call of DoEvents() did not help me... And no matter: TRUE or FALSE is set for SendKeys.

To solve this I use next couple of calls:

Sub ShowCommandBarNames()
 '--    ClrImmediate
    Debug.Print "next..."
End Sub

Sub start_ShowCommandBarNames()
   ClrImmediate
   Application.OnTime Now + TimeSerial(0, 0, 1), "ShowCommandBarNames"
End Sub

It seems to me that using Application.OnTime might be very useful in programming for VBA IDE. In this case it's can be used even TimeSerial(0, 0, 0).

Answer 3

Below is a solution from here

Sub stance()
Dim x As Long

For x = 1 To 10    
    Debug.Print x
Next

Debug.Print Now
Application.SendKeys "^g ^a {DEL}"    
End Sub

Answer 4

• No SendKeys?
• No VBA Extensibility?
• No 3rd Party Executables?
• No problem!

A Windows API Solution

Option Explicit

Private Declare PtrSafe _
            Function FindWindowA Lib "user32" ( _
                            ByVal lpClassName As String, _
                            ByVal lpWindowName As String _
                            ) As LongPtr
Private Declare PtrSafe _
            Function FindWindowExA Lib "user32" ( _
                            ByVal hWnd1 As LongPtr, _
                            ByVal hWnd2 As LongPtr, _
                            ByVal lpsz1 As String, _
                            ByVal lpsz2 As String _
                            ) As LongPtr
Private Declare PtrSafe _
            Function PostMessageA Lib "user32" ( _
                            ByVal hwnd As LongPtr, _
                            ByVal wMsg As Long, _
                            ByVal wParam As LongPtr, _
                            ByVal lParam As LongPtr _
                            ) As Long
Private Declare PtrSafe _
            Sub keybd_event Lib "user32" ( _
                            ByVal bVk As Byte, _
                            ByVal bScan As Byte, _
                            ByVal dwFlags As Long, _
                            ByVal dwExtraInfo As LongPtr)

Private Const WM_ACTIVATE As Long = &H6
Private Const KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = &H2
Private Const VK_CONTROL = &H11

Sub ClearImmediateWindow()

    Dim hwndVBE As LongPtr
    Dim hwndImmediate As LongPtr
    
    hwndVBE = FindWindowA("wndclass_desked_gsk", vbNullString)
    hwndImmediate = FindWindowExA(hwndVBE, ByVal 0&, "VbaWindow", "Immediate")
    PostMessageA hwndImmediate, WM_ACTIVATE, 1, 0&
    
    keybd_event VK_CONTROL, 0, 0, 0
    keybd_event vbKeyA, 0, 0, 0
    keybd_event vbKeyA, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0
    keybd_event VK_CONTROL, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0
    
    keybd_event vbKeyDelete, 0, 0, 0
    keybd_event vbKeyDelete, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0
    
End Sub

Answer 5

Much harder to do that I'd envisaged. I found an version here by keepitcool that avoids the dreaded Sendkeys

Run this from a regular module.

Updated as initial post missed the Private Function Declarations - poor copy and paste job by yours truly

Private Declare Function GetWindow _
Lib "user32" ( _
ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal wCmd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function FindWindow _
Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" ( _
ByVal lpClassName As String, _
ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Private Declare Function FindWindowEx _
Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowExA" _
(ByVal hWnd1 As Long, ByVal hWnd2 As Long, _
ByVal lpsz1 As String, _
ByVal lpsz2 As String) As Long
Private Declare Function GetKeyboardState _
Lib "user32" (pbKeyState As Byte) As Long
Private Declare Function SetKeyboardState _
Lib "user32" (lppbKeyState As Byte) As Long
Private Declare Function PostMessage _
Lib "user32" Alias "PostMessageA" ( _
ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, _
ByVal wParam As Long, ByVal lParam As Long _
) As Long


Private Const WM_KEYDOWN As Long = &H100
Private Const KEYSTATE_KEYDOWN As Long = &H80


Private savState(0 To 255) As Byte


Sub ClearImmediateWindow()
'Adapted  by   keepITcool
'Original from Jamie Collins fka "OneDayWhen"
'http://www.dicks-blog.com/excel/2004/06/clear_the_immed.html


Dim hPane As Long
Dim tmpState(0 To 255) As Byte


hPane = GetImmHandle
If hPane = 0 Then MsgBox "Immediate Window not found."
If hPane < 1 Then Exit Sub


'Save the keyboardstate
GetKeyboardState savState(0)


'Sink the CTRL (note we work with the empty tmpState)
tmpState(vbKeyControl) = KEYSTATE_KEYDOWN
SetKeyboardState tmpState(0)
'Send CTRL+End
PostMessage hPane, WM_KEYDOWN, vbKeyEnd, 0&
'Sink the SHIFT
tmpState(vbKeyShift) = KEYSTATE_KEYDOWN
SetKeyboardState tmpState(0)
'Send CTRLSHIFT+Home and CTRLSHIFT+BackSpace
PostMessage hPane, WM_KEYDOWN, vbKeyHome, 0&
PostMessage hPane, WM_KEYDOWN, vbKeyBack, 0&


'Schedule cleanup code to run
Application.OnTime Now + TimeSerial(0, 0, 0), "DoCleanUp"


End Sub


Sub DoCleanUp()
' Restore keyboard state
SetKeyboardState savState(0)
End Sub


Function GetImmHandle() As Long
'This function finds the Immediate Pane and returns a handle.
'Docked or MDI, Desked or Floating, Visible or Hidden


Dim oWnd As Object, bDock As Boolean, bShow As Boolean
Dim sMain$, sDock$, sPane$
Dim lMain&, lDock&, lPane&


On Error Resume Next
sMain = Application.VBE.MainWindow.Caption
If Err <> 0 Then
MsgBox "No Access to Visual Basic Project"
GetImmHandle = -1
Exit Function
' Excel2003: Registry Editor (Regedit.exe)
'    HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Excel\Security
'    Change or add a DWORD called 'AccessVBOM', set to 1
' Excel2002: Tools/Macro/Security
'    Tab 'Trusted Sources', Check 'Trust access..'
End If


For Each oWnd In Application.VBE.Windows
If oWnd.Type = 5 Then
bShow = oWnd.Visible
sPane = oWnd.Caption
If Not oWnd.LinkedWindowFrame Is Nothing Then
bDock = True
sDock = oWnd.LinkedWindowFrame.Caption
End If
Exit For
End If
Next
lMain = FindWindow("wndclass_desked_gsk", sMain)
If bDock Then
'Docked within the VBE
lPane = FindWindowEx(lMain, 0&, "VbaWindow", sPane)
If lPane = 0 Then
'Floating Pane.. which MAY have it's own frame
lDock = FindWindow("VbFloatingPalette", vbNullString)
lPane = FindWindowEx(lDock, 0&, "VbaWindow", sPane)
While lDock > 0 And lPane = 0
lDock = GetWindow(lDock, 2) 'GW_HWNDNEXT = 2
lPane = FindWindowEx(lDock, 0&, "VbaWindow", sPane)
Wend
End If
ElseIf bShow Then
lDock = FindWindowEx(lMain, 0&, "MDIClient", _
vbNullString)
lDock = FindWindowEx(lDock, 0&, "DockingView", _
vbNullString)
lPane = FindWindowEx(lDock, 0&, "VbaWindow", sPane)
Else
lPane = FindWindowEx(lMain, 0&, "VbaWindow", sPane)
End If


GetImmHandle = lPane


End Function

Answer 6

Thanks ProfoundlyOblivious,

No SendKeys, check
No VBA Extensibility, check
No 3rd Party Executables, check
One minor problem:

Localised Office versions use another caption for the immediate window. In Dutch it is named "Direct".
I have added one line to get the localised caption in case FindWindowExA fails. For those who use both the English and Dutch version of MS-Office.

+1 for you for doing most of the work!

Option Explicit

Private Declare PtrSafe Function FindWindowA Lib "user32" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As LongPtr
Private Declare PtrSafe Function FindWindowExA Lib "user32" (ByVal hWnd1 As LongPtr, ByVal hWnd2 As LongPtr, ByVal lpsz1 As String, ByVal lpsz2 As String) As LongPtr
Private Declare PtrSafe Function PostMessageA Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As LongPtr, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As LongPtr, ByVal lParam As LongPtr) As Long
Private Declare PtrSafe Sub keybd_event Lib "user32" (ByVal bVk As Byte, ByVal bScan As Byte, ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dwExtraInfo As LongPtr)

Private Const WM_ACTIVATE As Long = &H6
Private Const KEYEVENTF_KEYUP = &H2
Private Const VK_CONTROL = &H11

Public Sub ClearImmediateWindow()
    Dim hwndVBE As LongPtr
    Dim hwndImmediate As LongPtr
    
    hwndVBE = FindWindowA("wndclass_desked_gsk", vbNullString)
    hwndImmediate = FindWindowExA(hwndVBE, ByVal 0&, "VbaWindow", "Immediate") ' English caption
    If hwndImmediate = 0 Then hwndImmediate = FindWindowExA(hwndVBE, ByVal 0&, "VbaWindow", "Direct") ' Dutch caption
    PostMessageA hwndImmediate, WM_ACTIVATE, 1, 0&
    
    keybd_event VK_CONTROL, 0, 0, 0
    keybd_event vbKeyA, 0, 0, 0
    keybd_event vbKeyA, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0
    keybd_event VK_CONTROL, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0
   
    keybd_event vbKeyDelete, 0, 0, 0
    keybd_event vbKeyDelete, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0
End Sub