Microsoft Knowledge Base

• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

In the versions of Microsoft Excel mentioned above, the GetSaveAsFilename method displays the standard Microsoft Excel Save As dialog box and gets a filename without actually saving any files.

The fileFilter argument in this method allows you to specify the filters that will appear in the List Files Of Type box in the dialog box, and the filterIndex argument allows you to set the default entry in this box. However, in Visual Basic, Applications Edition, the filterIndex argument is ignored; therefore, the List Files Of Type box always displays the first filter in the list.

Microsoft provides examples of Visual Basic for Applications procedures for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. The Visual Basic procedures in this article are provided 'as is' and Microsoft does not guarantee that they can be used in all situations. While Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular macro, they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality, nor will they help you construct macros to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to consult one of the Microsoft Solution Providers. Solution Providers offer a wide range of fee-based services, including creating custom macros. For more information about Microsoft Solution Providers, call Microsoft Customer Information Service at (800) 426-9400.

For example, if you run the following Visual Basic, Applications Edition, procedure, the Add-ins (*.XLA) file type will be displayed in the List Files Of Type box even though 2 (the second filter) is specified for the filterIndex argument:

   Sub SaveAsTest()
       Dim Filters, SaveFile As String
       Filters = "Add-ins (*.xla),*.xla,Text Files (*.txt),*.txt"
       SaveFile = Application.GetSaveAsFilename(fileFilter:=Filters, _
           filterIndex:=2)
   End Sub

MORE INFORMATION

You can work around this problem by using either of the following methods:

Method 1: To work around this problem, you can specify the filter

           you wish to be the default filter as the first filter in
           the fileFilter argument.  For example, to display "Text
           Files (*.txt)" as the default filter, you could use the
           following macro:

           Sub SaveAsTest()

           Dim Filters, SaveFile As String

                Filters = "Text Files (*.txt),*.txt, Add-ins (*.xla),*.xla"
                SaveFile = _
                    Application.GetSaveAsFilename(fileFilter:=Filters)

           End Sub

           method to select the filter you wish to be the default when the
           SaveAs dialog box is displayed.

           Sub SaveAsTest()

           Dim MyFilterIndex as Integer

                 MyFilterIndex = 2
                 For BuildSendKeys = 1 To MyFilterIndex - 1
                     SendKeys "%T{DOWN}"
                 Next
                 SendKeys "%T{ENTER}"

                 Filters = _
                     "Add-ins (*.xla),*.xla, Text Files (*.txt),*.txt "
                 SaveFile = _
                     Application.GetSaveAsFilename(fileFilter:=Filters)

           End Sub

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the versions of Microsoft Excel mentioned above. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.