“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

You are changing the focus between the copy and the paste. When you do that Excel loses the copied data, giving you the error when you try to Paste. The same thing would occur if you tried to do that from the worksheet, in that order.

Excel doesn't really use the system clipboard, like other programs. I believe this has to do with issues having to do with changing cell references in the copied data.

You could try using the Office Clipboard if you only want to paste the values, but there's no VBA support for that of which I am aware, in recent versions of Excel.

You might find this response of interest. It references a comment by an Excel developer Prevent Excel from clearing copied data for pasting, after certain operations, without Office clipboard

Answer 2

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,