How to Get Filename in VBA Without Extension (Excel)

Written by Kasper Langmann

Working with Excel often involves managing and manipulating files. One of the most common tasks is retrieving the filename from a file path. This task can be quite challenging, especially when you want to get the filename without the extension. Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) provides a way to achieve this, and this guide will walk you through the process.

Understanding VBA in Excel

Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is a programming language developed by Microsoft. It is primarily used for automating tasks in Microsoft Office applications. In Excel, VBA allows users to create custom functions and automate tasks, making it a powerful tool for data analysis and manipulation.

One of the most common uses of VBA in Excel is to manipulate files and directories. This includes tasks like opening and closing files, reading and writing data, and retrieving file information. One such piece of information is the filename, which can be extracted from a file path using VBA.

Before we delve into how to get the filename in VBA without the extension, it’s important to understand what a file path is. A file path is a string that specifies the location of a file in a file system. It typically includes the directory path, the filename, and the file extension.

Working with Filenames in VBA

When working with files in VBA, you often need to retrieve the filename from a file path. This can be done using the Dir function, which returns the last component of a file path. However, the Dir function returns the filename with the extension, and there is no built-in function in VBA to get the filename without the extension.

To get the filename without the extension in VBA, you need to use a combination of the Dir, InStrRev, and Left functions. The Dir function is used to get the filename with the extension, the InStrRev function is used to find the position of the last period in the filename, and the Left function is used to extract the filename without the extension.

Using the Dir Function

The Dir function in VBA is used to return the last component of a file path. The syntax of the Dir function is as follows:

Dir(PathName, [Attributes])

Here, PathName is the file path, and Attributes is an optional parameter that specifies the attributes of the file. If the Attributes parameter is omitted, the Dir function returns the filename with the extension.

Using the InStrRev Function

The InStrRev function in VBA is used to find the position of the last occurrence of a substring in a string. The syntax of the InStrRev function is as follows:

InStrRev(StringCheck, StringMatch, [Start, [Compare]])

Here, StringCheck is the string to be checked, StringMatch is the substring to find, Start is an optional parameter that specifies the starting position for the search, and Compare is an optional parameter that specifies the type of comparison to perform.

Using the Left Function

The Left function in VBA is used to return a specified number of characters from the left of a string. The syntax of the Left function is as follows:

Left(String, Length)

Here, String is the string to extract from, and Length is the number of characters to return.

Getting the Filename Without the Extension

Now that we understand the functions involved, let’s see how to get the filename without the extension in VBA. The following code demonstrates this:

Function GetFilenameWithoutExtension(FilePath As String) As String
    Dim FilenameWithExtension As String
    FilenameWithExtension = Dir(FilePath)
    GetFilenameWithoutExtension = Left(FilenameWithExtension, InStrRev(FilenameWithExtension, ".") - 1)
End Function

This function takes a file path as input and returns the filename without the extension. It first uses the Dir function to get the filename with the extension. Then it uses the InStrRev function to find the position of the last period in the filename, and the Left function to extract the filename without the extension.

Conclusion

Getting the filename without the extension in VBA involves using a combination of the Dir, InStrRev, and Left functions. While there is no built-in function in VBA to achieve this, the process is straightforward and can be easily implemented with a custom function.

Understanding how to manipulate files and directories in VBA is crucial when working with Excel, as it allows for greater flexibility and automation in data analysis and manipulation. By mastering these skills, you can significantly enhance your Excel proficiency and efficiency.