VBA · Syntax
Line continuation
A space and underscore lets a statement continue on the next line.
When to use it
A space followed by an underscore at the end of a line continues the statement on the next line, keeping long calls readable.
The code
- Code
MsgBox "Hello " & _ "world"
Worked examples
Split a string
MsgBox "Hello " & _ "world" → One statement across two lines
Long strings.
Long method calls
Range("A1:D100").Sort Key1:=Range("B1"), _ Order1:=xlDescending, Header:=xlYes → A long method call laid out one argument per line
Readable calls.
Long conditions
If x > 0 And _ y > 0 Then → A condition split across lines
Complex conditions.
Worth knowing
- There is a limit of 24 continuations per statement.
- You cannot continue inside a string literal; close it, add &, then continue.
- Indent continued lines so the structure is visible.
Where it goes wrong
- The underscore must be preceded by a space or it is a syntax error.
- A continuation at the very end of a procedure confuses the compiler.
Related
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