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VBA · Errors & debugging

Watches and Locals

Windows that show the current value of variables while paused.

OccasionalDifficulty 1100 · Proficient

Practice · 1 questions →

When to use it

The Locals window lists every variable in the current procedure with its value while paused; the Watch window tracks chosen expressions and can break when one changes.

The code

Code: View > Locals Window

Worked examples

Locals
View > Locals Window, pause at a breakpoint → Every local variable and its value
Expand objects to see properties.
Watch
Right-click a variable, Add Watch → The expression tracked in the Watch window
Follow one value.
Break on change
Add Watch with "Break When Value Changes" → Pauses the moment the variable changes
Find who modifies a value.

Worth knowing

Hovering over a variable in the code window shows its value too.
Watch expressions can be any expression, like rng.Address.
Locals shows the Me object for form and sheet modules.

Where it goes wrong

Many watches slow stepping.
Watches persist only for the session.

On Error handling The Err object Debug.Print and the Immediate window Breakpoints and stepping Compile errors

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