Rename Worksheet Event in Excel

Question

What is the best way to get some VBA code to run when a excel sheet is renamed?

Answer 1

I know this is an old question but I've recently begun to use Excel's CELL("filename") function which returns details about both file and sheet names.

We can parse the sheet name, using this well-known formula:

=MID(CELL(""filename"", A1),FIND(""]"",CELL(""filename""," A1))+1,255)"

By writing this function to a hidden worksheet, and then monitoring the _Calculate event on that sheet, we can catch any change to the worksheet name.

I had to resort to this method because I needed to share some VBA code with a client, which gave him the possibility to change certain worksheet names programmatically as well as by typing onto the tab. This method captures a sheet name changed event even if it was made in code.

In the skeleton code below, I've just captured the name change for the active worksheet but there's nothing to stop you adding a target worksheet list and adjusting the handling code accordingly.

The code below is in the Workbook code-behind:

Option Explicit
Private mSheetNamesWS As Worksheet
Private mOldSheetName As String

Private Sub Workbook_Open()

    'Find or create the hidden worksheet
    'containing the sheet reference.
    On Error Resume Next
    Set mSheetNamesWS = Me.Worksheets("SheetNames")
    On Error GoTo 0

    If mSheetNamesWS Is Nothing Then

        'Disable events so that the _calculate event
        'isn't thrown.
        Application.EnableEvents = False

        Set mSheetNamesWS = Me.Worksheets.Add
        With mSheetNamesWS
            .Name = "SheetNames"
            .Visible = xlSheetVeryHidden
        End With

        Application.EnableEvents = True

    End If

    'Update the sheet reference.
    If TypeOf ActiveSheet Is Worksheet Then
        UpdateCellFormula
    End If

End Sub

Private Sub Workbook_SheetActivate(ByVal Sh As Object)
    'Active sheet has changed so update the reference.
    If TypeOf ActiveSheet Is Worksheet Then
        UpdateCellFormula
    End If
End Sub

Private Sub UpdateCellFormula()
    Dim cellRef As String

    'Sense check.
    If mSheetNamesWS Is Nothing Then Exit Sub

    'The CELL function returns details about
    'the file and sheet name of any
    'specified range.
    'By adding a formula that extracts the
    'sheet name portion from the CELL function,
    'we can listen for any changes
    'of that value in the _calculate event method.

    'Disable events to avoid a spurious
    '_calculate event.
    Application.EnableEvents = False
    cellRef = ActiveSheet.Name & "!A1"
    With mSheetNamesWS.Range("A1")
        .Formula = _
            "=MID(CELL(""filename""," & _
            cellRef & _
            "),FIND(""]"",CELL(""filename""," & _
            cellRef & _
            "))+1,255)"
        mOldSheetName = .Value
    End With
    Application.EnableEvents = True

End Sub

Private Sub Workbook_SheetCalculate(ByVal Sh As Object)

    'Disregard any sheet that isn't our reference sheet.
    If Not Sh Is mSheetNamesWS Then Exit Sub

    'The reference sheet has recalculated.
    'It means the value of the cell containing
    'the current sheet name has changed.
    'Ergo we have a sheet name change.

    'Handle the event here ...
    MsgBox "You can't change the name of this sheet!"
    Application.EnableEvents = False
    ActiveSheet.Name = mOldSheetName
    Application.EnableEvents = True

End Sub