Visual Basic for Applications:
Concatenating strings

How to:

VBA provides a straightforward method for concatenating strings using the & operator or the Concatenate function. Let’s explore both methods with examples:

1. Using the & Operator:

The & operator is the most common method for concatenating strings in VBA. It’s simple and efficient for joining multiple strings.

Dim firstName As String
Dim lastName As String
firstName = "Jane"
lastName = "Doe"
' Concatenating strings
Dim fullName As String
fullName = firstName & " " & lastName
Debug.Print fullName 'Output: Jane Doe

2. Using the Concatenate Function:

Alternatively, VBA allows string concatenation using the Concatenate function, which is especially useful when dealing with an array of strings or when you prefer a function syntax.

Dim greetings As String
Dim name As String
greetings = "Hello"
name = "John"
' Concatenating strings using Concatenate function
Dim message As String
message = Application.WorksheetFunction.Concatenate(greetings, " ", name, "!")
Debug.Print message 'Output: Hello John!

The choice between the & operator and the Concatenate function depends on personal preference and the specific requirements of your project.

Deep Dive

String concatenation is a basic yet powerful feature in VBA, tracing its roots back to early programming languages. The & operator’s prevalence in VBA for concatenation over the + operator, commonly used in many other languages, underscores VBA’s focus on explicit string handling, thus avoiding unintentional data type mismatches and errors.

While the & operator is efficient and widely adopted, the Concatenate function shines in scenarios requiring more clarity or handling special concatenation cases, such as dealing with arrays. However, it’s important to note that modern versions of Excel have introduced the TEXTJOIN function, which can be more efficient for concatenating arrays of strings with a delimiter, although it’s not directly part of VBA.

When dealing with extensive string manipulations or performance-critical applications, programmers might explore alternatives such as using the StringBuilder class in .NET (accessible via COM in VBA). This can significantly enhance performance, particularly in loops or when concatenating a large number of strings, due to its more efficient memory usage patterns.

Ultimately, choosing the right method for concatenating strings in VBA depends on your specific needs, performance considerations, and readability. Whether opting for the simplicity of the & operator or the functionality of the Concatenate function, understanding the implications and efficiency of each approach is crucial for effective string manipulation in VBA.