Example
If you want to access a workbook that's already open, then getting the assignment from the Workbooks collection is straightforward:
dim myWB as Workbook
Set myWB = Workbooks("UsuallyFullPathnameOfWorkbook.xlsx")
If you want to create a new workbook, then use the Workbooks collection object to Add a new entry.
Dim myNewWB as Workbook
Set myNewWB = Workbooks.Add
There are times when you may not or (or care) if the workbook you need is open already or not, or possible does not exist. The example function shows how to always return a valid workbook object.
Option Explicit
Function GetWorkbook(ByVal wbFilename As String) As Workbook
'--- returns a workbook object for the given filename, including checks
' for when the workbook is already open, exists but not open, or
' does not yet exist (and must be created)
' *** wbFilename must be a fully specified pathname
Dim folderFile As String
Dim returnedWB As Workbook
'--- check if the file exists in the directory location
folderFile = File(wbFilename)
If folderFile = "" Then
'--- the workbook doesn't exist, so create it
Dim pos1 As Integer
Dim fileExt As String
Dim fileFormatNum As Long
'--- in order to save the workbook correctly, we need to infer which workbook
' type the user intended from the file extension
pos1 = InStrRev(sFullName, ".", , vbTextCompare)
fileExt = Right(sFullName, Len(sFullName) - pos1)
Select Case fileExt
Case "xlsx"
fileFormatNum = 51
Case "xlsm"
fileFormatNum = 52
Case "xls"
fileFormatNum = 56
Case "xlsb"
fileFormatNum = 50
Case Else
Err.Raise vbObjectError + 1000, "GetWorkbook function", _
"The file type you've requested (file extension) is not recognized. " & _
"Please use a known extension: xlsx, xlsm, xls, or xlsb."
End Select
Set returnedWB = Workbooks.Add
Application.DisplayAlerts = False
returnedWB.SaveAs filename:=wbFilename, FileFormat:=fileFormatNum
Application.DisplayAlerts = True
Set GetWorkbook = returnedWB
Else
'--- the workbook exists in the directory, so check to see if
' it's already open or not
On Error Resume Next
Set returnedWB = Workbooks(sFile)
If returnedWB Is Nothing Then
Set returnedWB = Workbooks.Open(sFullName)
End If
End If
End Function
