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teejayuu's avatar
teejayuu
Copper Contributor
Jan 04, 2026

VBA code just looping despite exit subs

It's been many, many years since I last dabbled with VBA in Excel.

I am trying to put some text in I3 when I change a Data Validation List depending on its value.  There are a number of values, but my code only looks for NONE, an empty cell (delete the contents), and the rest are weapons.

The is a single If Then Elseif Else block.  Regardless of what I do, I can't get it to exit to exit the sub and keeps looping.  It fills I3 with "Selection is Selection is...until Excel crashes.

Here's what Ive got:

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)

If (Target.Address = "$B$3" And Target.Value = "NONE") Then
    Range("I3").Value = "Selection is " & Target.Value & ". You have no Melee weapon."
    Exit Sub
ElseIf Target.Value = "" Then
    Exit Sub
Else
    Range("I3").Value = "Selection is " & Target.Value & ". This is a Melee Weapon."
    Exit Sub
End If

Exit Sub

End Sub

Macros and VBA

1 Reply

  • NikolinoDE's avatar
    NikolinoDE
    Platinum Contributor
    Jan 05, 2026

    This is a classic Worksheet_Change trap, and your Exit Subs are not the problem 😊

    it’s looping becourse Worksheet_Change fires every time any cell on the sheet changes.

    Your code:

    • User changes B3 ➜ event fires
    • Your code writes to I3 ➜ event fires again
    • That second trigger writes to I3 again, appending text
    • Repeat until Excel crashes

    So even though you Exit Sub, the act of writing to I3 retriggers the event.

     

    Two required fixes

    Only respond when B3 changes

    Disable events while writing to I3

    Corrected, safe version of your code:

    Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)

    ' Only run when B3 changes
    If Target.Address <> "$B$3" Then Exit Sub

    Application.EnableEvents = False

    If Target.Value = "NONE" Then
        Range("I3").Value = "Selection is " & Target.Value & ". You have no Melee weapon."
    ElseIf Target.Value = "" Then
        Range("I3").ClearContents
    Else
        Range("I3").Value = "Selection is " & Target.Value & ". This is a Melee Weapon."
    End If

    Application.EnableEvents = True

End Sub

     

    Prevents changes to I3 from retriggering logic.

    Stops Excel from firing Worksheet_Change while your code edits cells.

     

    My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!

     

    Hope this will help you.

     

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