title: VBA Word Macro to Allow User to Select and Copy Text Multiple Times
body: <p>I am working on a VBA script with Microsoft Word that allows the user to select text that will be be copied to the clipboard so that it can exported to an Excel file. The user will make a number of selections and finally indicate he/she is done when the contents of the clipboard will be copied to a template Excel file.</p>
  
  <p>There are two forms: the first (UserForm1 in the code below) queries the user for the Word filename.  The filename variable is passed to the second form. The second form (frmModeLessForInput) is a modeless form. The behavior I need is that program control goes to the second form with two buttons "Continue" and "Done". </p>
  
  <p>The user is allowed to navigate the document and place the cursor anywhere in the document. Then when "Continue" is pressed the form will call a subroutine (Highlight_Sentence) to copy the selected text to a "clipboard" variable. When "Done" is pressed control will be passed to called main module which will then copy the clipboard to the Excel file.</p>
  
  <p>Below is the code.  I have noted with comments where I am trouble with the code. One problem is the variables defined as Public in the ThisDocument module are not defined in the userforms and their subroutines. </p>
  
  <p>The second problem is in the main module that the frmModelessForInput is supposed to be displayed and control is not supposed to be transferred to next statement {MsgBox "Sentences will now be copied to Excel file"....this is where I will put the code to copy the clipboard to the Excel file.} but the message appears before the frmModelessForInput form is run...thus the clipboard will be empty.</p>
  
  <p>The third problem is that in frmModelessForInput form the statement str_clipboard = str_clipboard + str_clipboard_line is not working.  Each time the "Continue" button is pushed str_clipboard loses it previous contents.</p>
  
  <p>Any assistance in resolving these problems is appreciated.  As VBA programming is a sideline for me I am still learning.</p>
  
  <p>Note this an updated question <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/52022737/pause-vba-word-macro-allow-user-to-make-a-selection-and-restart-where-it-left">Pause VBA Word macro, allow user to make a selection, and restart where it left off</a> adding some more detail on the requirement and the sample code.</p>
  
  <p>MAIN MODULE:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Option Explicit
  Public str_clipboard As String
  Public txt_active_document As String
  Public i_how_many_sentences As Integer
  Private Sub Test_master_macro()
      UserForm1.Show
      i_how_many_sentences = 0
      Call DisplayModeless
      MsgBox "Sentences will now be copied to Excel file" 'Problem: this msg displays before the frmModelessForInput is displayed
  End Sub
  Sub DisplayModeless()
      Dim frm As frmModelessForInput
      Set frm = New frmModelessForInput
      With frmModelessForInput
          .str_word_doc_filename = txt_active_document
          .str_no_copied = "0"
          .Show False
      End With
      Set frm = Nothing
  End Sub
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>USERFORM1: form has field for user entering the document filename to user (str_filename) and a command button to close form (cmd_start_selecting_text) </p>
  
  <pre><code>Private Sub cmd_start_selecting_text_Click()
      'User enters filename on form for use in frmModelessForInput subroutine 
      txt_active_document = UserForm1.str_filename  'Problem: VBA reports txt_active_document as undefined even though it is a Public variable
      Unload Me
  End Sub
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>FRMMODELESSFORINPUT: Form displays filename of Word file entered in UserForm1 and how many sentences have been copied to the clipboard</p>
  
  <pre><code>Option Explicit
  
  Private Sub cmdContinue_Click()
   Dim str_clipboard, str_clipboard_line As String
         Call Highlight_Sentence(str_clipboard_line)
          i_how_many_sentences = i_how_many_sentences + 1 'Problem: VBA reports i_how_many_sentences as undefined even though it is a Public variable 
          frmModelessForInput.str_no_copied = i_how_many_sentences  'Same Problem
      str_clipboard = str_clipboard + str_clipboard_line 'Problem: each time I select a new text/sentence str_clipboard does not contain the contents of the previous selection
  End Sub
  
  
  Private Sub cmdDone_Click()
      Me.Hide
  End Sub
  
  Private Sub UserForm_Activate()
      'Position the form near the top-left of the window
      'So that the user can work with the document
      Me.Top = Application.ActiveWindow.Top + 15
      Me.Left = Application.ActiveWindow.Left + 15
  End Sub
  
  Private Sub Highlight_Sentence(clipboard As String)
      'This sub extends the selection to the entire sentence and copies the selection, the page number on which the selection is contained and the filename to the clipboard variable
      Dim txt_sentence, txt_page_no As String
      With Selection
       ' Collapse current selection.
       .Collapse
       ' Expand selection to current sentence.
       .Expand Unit:=wdSentence
      End With
      txt_sentence = Selection.Text
      txt_page_no = Selection.Information(wdActiveEndPageNumber)
      clipboard = txt_active_document &amp; vbTab &amp; txt_page_no &amp; vbTab &amp; txt_sentence &amp; vbCrLf 'Problem: VBA reports txt_active_document as undefined even though it is a Public variable 
  End Sub
  </code></pre>