Jan 05, 2025

jump back to the previous table

setup

now that i've got a one-click solution of jump to the next table (see more in here, i'd like its reverse, i.e. jumping backward to the previous table.

solution

the plan

check if the current table is the first in the doc.
if yes, prompt. if no, go backward to right before the current table, and keep going to the previous paragraph until the cursor's inside a table.

programming language & module(s)

file preps

make the doc to be processed the active document, i.e. the one where the cursor currently is in.

variables to customize

none

the script

go2PrevTbl

 Sub go2PrevTbl()
    Dim doc As Document
    Dim selStart, selEnd, safeCount As Long
    
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    System.Cursor = wdCursorWait
    set doc = ActiveDocument
    
    safeCount = 0
    If doc.Tables.Count = 0 Then
        MsgBox "there's NO table in this doc."
    Else
        With Selection
            If selStart <= doc.Tables(1).Range.Start Then
                MsgBox "there's no table before this one."
                doc.Range(selStart, selEnd).Select
                Exit Sub
            Else
                If .Information(wdWithInTable) = True Then
                    selTbl
                    .MoveLeft wdCharacter, 2
                End If
                Do While safeCount < 5000 ' customize here if needed.
                    safeCount = safeCount + 1
                    If .Information(wdWithInTable) = False Then
                        .MoveUp wdParagraph, 1
                    Else
                        selTbl
                        .MoveLeft wdCharacter, 1
                        Exit Sub
                    End If
                Loop
            End If
        End With
    End If

    System.Cursor = wdCursorNormal
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

Sub selTbl()
    Selection.Tables(1).Select
End Sub

output

if the starting table is the last in the doc, a pop-up window saying so.
or else, the cursor will now be at the beginning of the next table.

note to self

the macro goes to the immediately next table irrespective of where the cursor is, as in, inside or outside a table.

table VBA locating

Xiao

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	Sub go2PrevTbl()
	Dim doc As Document
	Dim selStart, selEnd, safeCount As Long

	Application.ScreenUpdating = False
	System.Cursor = wdCursorWait
	set doc = ActiveDocument

	safeCount = 0
	If doc.Tables.Count = 0 Then
	MsgBox "there's NO table in this doc."
	Else
	With Selection
	If selStart <= doc.Tables(1).Range.Start Then
	MsgBox "there's no table before this one."
	doc.Range(selStart, selEnd).Select
	Exit Sub
	Else
	If .Information(wdWithInTable) = True Then
	selTbl
	.MoveLeft wdCharacter, 2
	End If
	Do While safeCount < 5000 ' customize here if needed.
	safeCount = safeCount + 1
	If .Information(wdWithInTable) = False Then
	.MoveUp wdParagraph, 1
	Else
	selTbl
	.MoveLeft wdCharacter, 1
	Exit Sub
	End If
	Loop
	End If
	End With
	End If

	System.Cursor = wdCursorNormal
	Application.ScreenUpdating = True
	End Sub

	Sub selTbl()
	Selection.Tables(1).Select
	End Sub