Syntax
MsgBox Message$ [, Title$] [, Type]
MsgBox(Message$ [, Title$] [, Type])
Remarks
The MsgBox statement displays a message in a message box. You can also display a message with the MsgBox() function, which returns a value according to the command button the user chooses in the message box. Use MsgBox() if you need your macro to take action based on the user's response.
Argument | Explanation | |
Message$ | The message to be displayed in the message box. If Message$ is longer than 255 characters, an error occurs. | |
Title$ | The title of the message box. In Windows, if Title$ is omitted or is an empty string (""), "Microsoft Word" is the default title. On the Macintosh, if Title$ is an empty string (""), a title bar does not appear in the message box. | |
Type | A value representing the symbol and buttons displayed in the box. | |
Type is the sum of three values, one from each of the following groups.
Group | Value | Meaning | |
Button | 0 (zero) | OK button (default) | |
1 | OK and Cancel buttons | ||
2 | Abort, Retry, and Ignore buttons | ||
3 | Yes, No, and Cancel buttons | ||
4 | Yes and No buttons | ||
5 | Retry and Cancel buttons | ||
Symbol | 0 (zero) | No symbol (default) | |
16 | Stop symbol | ||
32 | Question symbol (Windows) or attention symbol (Macintosh) | ||
48 | Attention symbol | ||
64 | Information symbol | ||
Button action | 0 (zero) | First button is the default | |
256 | Second button is the default | ||
512 | Third button is the default | ||
By specifying Type as �1, �2, or �8, you can display the message in the status bar instead of a message box. This is similar to using the Print statement, but gives you more control over how long the message is displayed. Specifying Type as �1 displays the message until another message replaces it; specifying �2 displays the message until a mouse or keyboard action occurs; and specifying �8 displays the message in the entire status bar width until a mouse or keyboard action occurs.
Because the MsgBox statement does not return a value, the use of button values other than 0 (zero) is not recommended. To make use of buttons other than the OK button, use the MsgBox() function. MsgBox() returns the following values.
Return value | Button chosen | Button text | |
�1 | First (leftmost) button | OK | |
Yes | |||
Abort | |||
0 (zero) | Second button | Cancel | |
No | |||
Retry | |||
1 | Third button | Cancel | |
Ignore | |||
If Type is a negative value�that is, if you use MsgBox() to display a message in the status bar�MsgBox() always returns 0 (zero).
Examples
In this example, the MsgBox instruction displays a message box containing the message "Unable to find file," the title "MyTest Macro," an OK button, and a Stop symbol (0 + 16 + 0 = 16):
MsgBox "Unable to find file.", "MyTest Macro", 16
In the following macro, the If conditional checks whether or not there is a selection before proceeding. If there is no selected text, the MsgBox() function displays a message box asking if the user wants to continue anyway. The second If conditional tests the return value. If it's 0 (zero), which means the second button (No) was chosen, the macro ends without running subsequent instructions.
Sub MAIN
'Series of instructions that select text
If SelType() <> 2 Then
button = MsgBox("There is no selection. Continue anyway?", 36)
If button = 0 Then Goto bye
End If
'Series of instructions that act on the selection
bye:
End Sub
See Also
InputBox$(), Print