arraysexcelvbadictionaryautofilter

Hide duplicate cells without using a helper column


I need to hide duplicate cells in a range.
with using AdvancedFilter, it hides the duplicate cells But It also prevents me from doing a subsequent normal Filter.
I have used the below working code by Mr @FaneDure, but it depends on a helper column.
I seek to the same result If it could be achieved without using a helper column.
Is it possible to put the address of the unique cells in an array and then use that array as the criteria of AutoFilter?
kindly note that after duplicate cells is hidden, I will manually do a subsequent normal Filter(s).
In advance, great thanks for you time to help.

Sub Hide_visible_duplicate_cells_(procRng As Range)
    Dim arng As Range, C As Range, dict As New Scripting.Dictionary
    Dim arrMark, colMark As Range, lastC As Long, sh As Worksheet, lastR As Long, i As Long
    
    Const markName As String = "Marker_column"
    
    Set arng = procRng.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible)
    
    If arng Is Nothing Then MsgBox "Not a valid Range": Exit Sub
    
    Set sh = procRng.Parent 'the sheet where the range belongs to

    lastR = sh.UsedRange.rows(sh.UsedRange.rows.count).row  'last row OF THE SHEET
    ReDim arrMark(1 To lastR, 1 To 1) 'redim the markers array
    
    'determinte the column where the marker to be placed (or it already exists):
    Set colMark = sh.rows(procRng.cells(1).row).Find(What:=markName, LookIn:=xlValues, LookAt:=xlWhole)
    If Not colMark Is Nothing Then
        lastC = colMark.column  'for the case when the marker column exists
    Else
        lastC = sh.cells(procRng.cells(1).row, sh.Columns.count).End(xlToLeft).column + 1 'next empty column if marker column does not exist
        'to correct the last column number, IF LAST COLUMN IS HIDDEN (it MUST HAVE A HEADER):
        If sh.cells(procRng.cells(1).row, lastC).Value <> "" Then lastC = lastC + 1
    End If
    
    For Each C In arng.cells
        If Not dict.Exists(C.Value) Then
            If i > 0 Then                                            'to skip the first cell, which should be on the headers row
                dict.Add C.Value, vbNullString       'Keep the first occurrence
                arrMark(C.row - procRng.cells(1).row, 1) = "True"      'place the marker for the first occurrence
            End If
            If C.Value <> "" Then i = i + 1 'for the case of empty cells above the header...
        End If
    Next C
    'place the marker column header, if not already existing:
     If colMark Is Nothing Then sh.cells(procRng.cells(1).row, lastC).Value = markName 'place the marker column name, IF NOT EXISTS
     
    If sh.AutoFilterMode Then sh.AutoFilterMode = False  'eliminate the filter, if any
    
    'drop the markers array content:
    sh.cells(procRng.cells(1).row + 1, lastC).Resize(UBound(arrMark), 1).Value2 = arrMark
    
    'filter by the marker column
    sh.Range(sh.cells(procRng.cells(1).row, 1), sh.cells(sh.UsedRange.rows.count, lastC)).AutoFilter lastC, "True"
End Sub

Solution

  • Please, try the next code. It concatenate the first found cells content and add a string not very probable to be found in another cell. Then place them as item in the used dictionary. In fact, look at it and its comments:

    Sub Hide_visible_duplicate_c(procRng As Range)
        Dim arng As Range, C As Range, dict As New Scripting.Dictionary
        Const strStr As String = "###$$" 'something unusual, to  not be found in the other cells content
        
        Set arng = procRng.Offset(1).Resize(procRng.rows.count - 1).SpecialCells(xlCellTypeVisible) 'eliminating the header
        
        If arng Is Nothing Then MsgBox "Not a valid Range": Exit Sub
        
        Application.Calculation = xlCalculationManual: Application.ScreenUpdating = False
         For Each C In arng.cells
            If Not dict.Exists(C.Value) Then
                dict.Add C.Value, C.Value & strStr       'Keep the first occurrence but miodified string item
                C.Value = dict(C.Value)                  'modify the first occurence cell content
            End If
         Next C
    
        procRng.CurrentRegion.AutoFilter procRng.column, dict.Items, xlFilterValues 'filter by the modified cells
        procRng.Replace strStr, "" 'replace the added unusual string
        
        Application.Calculation = xlCalculationAutomatic: Application.ScreenUpdating = True
        
        MsgBox "Ready...", vbInformation, "Job done"
    End Sub
    

    It can be tested in in the next way:

    Sub TestHide_visible_duplicate_cells()
        Dim sh As Worksheet, lastR As Long
        Const filtCol As Long = 2   'change here according to the need
        Const headerRow As Long = 2 'change it if necessary
        
        Set sh = ActiveSheet: lastR = sh.cells(sh.rows.count, filtCol).End(xlUp).row
        If Not sh.FilterMode Then MsgBox "This code needs a filtered range to be processed!", vbInformation, "End": Exit Sub
        
        Hide_visible_duplicate_c sh.Range(sh.cells(headerRow, filtCol), sh.cells(lastR, filtCol)) 'send the filtered column as argument
    End Sub