“Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual” statement causing run-time error 1004 in VBA Copy-Paste procedure

Question

I have VBA code that copies the first row and pastes the values to multiple rows. The below code runs fine and pastes the rows as expected:

Sub Macro1()
  D         


        

Answer 1

Pertinent to you particular question, the answer is: Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual statement erases the Clipboard Memory, which causes the subsequent Run-time error in your code snippet.

Note: there is another suggested explanation as 'Excel copy loosing the focus'; it might be just a semantic difference, pointing to the same effect and just worded differently, but for better clarity I prefer this one, i.e. clipboard memory (or whatever you call that temp register) loosing value, or the reference.

The test settings to prove/illustrate the concept and detailed explanation follows:

'Error occured because a statement
'Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual
'or Application.Calculation = xlAutomatic
'or Application.Calculation = xlManual
'placed after `Selection.Copy` clears the clipboard memory;
'thus there is nothing to paste and Error 1004 occured
'as demonstrated in the added test code block
Sub YourMacroWithProblem()
    Dim i As Long

    Range("A1:M1").Select

    'Selected Range content is placed to Clipboard memory
    Selection.Copy

    'This statement erases Clipboard memory
    Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual

    ' test if clipboard is empty ---------------------
    On Error Resume Next
    ActiveSheet.Paste
    If Err Then MsgBox "Clipboard is Empty": Err.Clear
    '-------------------------------------------------

  For i = 1 To 50
    Range("A" & i).Select
    Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteValues, Operation:=xlNone, SkipBlanks _
      :=False, Transpose:=False
  Next i
End Sub

Also, there is an old discussion on similar topic: Stop VB from Clearing Clipboard (link: http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/excel-questions/459793-stop-vbulletin-clearing-clipboard-3.html).

You may consider the following solution to your problem optimized for speed and reliability:

Sub Macro2()
    Dim i As Long

    Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False

    For i = 1 To 50
        Range("A1:M1").Copy Destination:=Range("A" & i)
    Next i

    Application.Calculation = xlCalculationAutomatic
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True

End Sub

Note: unlike your problematic code snippet, there is no need for the Select statement and Clipboard Copy/Paste operations in suggested solution, thus any potential side effects will be minimized, either.

Hope this may help. Kind regards,