5 Ways To Get Date From String In Excel Vba

When working with dates in Excel VBA, it's not uncommon to encounter dates stored as strings. Extracting the date from these strings can be a challenge, but fortunately, there are several methods to achieve this. In this article, we'll explore five ways to get dates from strings in Excel VBA.

Understanding the Problem

Before diving into the solutions, it's essential to understand the problem. When dates are stored as strings, they can be in various formats, such as "2022-07-25", "25-Jul-2022", or "July 25, 2022". These formats can make it difficult to extract the date using standard VBA functions. To overcome this, we'll use a combination of VBA functions, such as DateValue, CDate, and regular expressions.

Method 1: Using the DateValue Function

The DateValue function is a straightforward way to extract dates from strings. This function takes a string as input and returns a date value.

Sub ExtractDateUsingDateValue()
    Dim dateString As String
    Dim dateValue As Date
    
    ' Input string
    dateString = "2022-07-25"
    
    ' Extract date using DateValue
    dateValue = DateValue(dateString)
    
    ' Print the extracted date
    Debug.Print dateValue
End Sub

In this example, the DateValue function extracts the date from the input string "2022-07-25". However, this method assumes that the date string is in a format that can be recognized by the DateValue function.

Method 2: Using the CDate Function

The CDate function is another way to extract dates from strings. This function converts a string to a date value.

Sub ExtractDateUsingCDate()
    Dim dateString As String
    Dim dateValue As Date
    
    ' Input string
    dateString = "25-Jul-2022"
    
    ' Extract date using CDate
    dateValue = CDate(dateString)
    
    ' Print the extracted date
    Debug.Print dateValue
End Sub

In this example, the CDate function extracts the date from the input string "25-Jul-2022". Like the DateValue function, CDate assumes that the date string is in a format that can be recognized by the function.

Method 3: Using Regular Expressions

Regular expressions can be used to extract dates from strings in a more flexible way. This method involves using a regular expression pattern to match the date format.

Sub ExtractDateUsingRegularExpressions()
    Dim dateString As String
    Dim datePattern As String
    Dim dateMatches As Object
    Dim dateValue As Date
    
    ' Input string
    dateString = "July 25, 2022"
    
    ' Regular expression pattern for date
    datePattern = "\b\d{1,2}[/-]\d{1,2}[/-]\d{2,4}\b"
    
    ' Create a regular expression object
    Dim regEx As New RegExp
    regEx.Pattern = datePattern
    regEx.IgnoreCase = True
    regEx.Global = True
    
    ' Execute the regular expression
    Set dateMatches = regEx.Execute(dateString)
    
    ' Extract the date from the match
    If dateMatches.Count > 0 Then
        dateValue = DateValue(dateMatches(0).Value)
    End If
    
    ' Print the extracted date
    Debug.Print dateValue
End Sub

In this example, the regular expression pattern "\b\d{1,2}[/-]\d{1,2}[/-]\d{2,4}\b" matches dates in the format "MM/DD/YYYY" or "MM-DD-YYYY". The RegExp object is used to execute the regular expression, and the extracted date is then converted to a date value using the DateValue function.

Method 4: Using the Split Function

Another way to extract dates from strings is by using the Split function. This method involves splitting the date string into its constituent parts using a delimiter.

Sub ExtractDateUsingSplit()
    Dim dateString As String
    Dim dateParts As Variant
    Dim dateValue As Date
    
    ' Input string
    dateString = "2022-07-25"
    
    ' Split the date string into parts
    dateParts = Split(dateString, "-")
    
    ' Extract the date from the parts
    dateValue = DateSerial(dateParts(0), dateParts(1), dateParts(2))
    
    ' Print the extracted date
    Debug.Print dateValue
End Sub

In this example, the Split function splits the date string "2022-07-25" into its constituent parts using the "-" delimiter. The extracted date is then constructed using the DateSerial function.

Method 5: Using the Format Function

Finally, the Format function can be used to extract dates from strings. This method involves formatting the date string into a recognizable format.

Sub ExtractDateUsingFormat()
    Dim dateString As String
    Dim dateValue As Date
    
    ' Input string
    dateString = "25-Jul-2022"
    
    ' Format the date string into a recognizable format
    dateValue = Format(dateString, "yyyy-mm-dd")
    
    ' Print the extracted date
    Debug.Print dateValue
End Sub

In this example, the Format function formats the date string "25-Jul-2022" into the recognizable format "yyyy-mm-dd". The extracted date is then printed to the debug console.

Conclusion

In conclusion, extracting dates from strings in Excel VBA can be achieved using various methods. The DateValue, CDate, regular expressions, Split, and Format functions can be used to extract dates from strings in different formats. By choosing the right method for your specific use case, you can efficiently extract dates from strings and perform date-related operations in your VBA code.