VBA Like Operator (Easy Examples) | How to Use "Like" in Excel VBA?

VBA Like Operator

Like is an operator in VBA and this is a comparison operator which compares a given string as argument in a set of strings and it matches the pattern, if the pattern is matched then the result obtained is true and if the pattern does not match then the result obtained is false, this is an inbuilt operator in VBA.

“LIKE” operator is the most underused operator despite its wonderful usage. I have not seen many people who use this operator to a full extent in their coding, In fact I am one of them who doesn’t use this operator quite often. “VBA LIKE” operator allows us to match the pattern of the string against the full string. By using VBA LIKE operator we can compare two strings against the patter given. We can check whether the string contains substring in VBA or we can also whether the string contains any specific format. If the pattern matches with the string then VBA LIKE operator returns TRUE or else FALSE.

While matching strings we need to use wildcard characters to the patter we specify. Below are the wildcards we use in VBA LIKE operator.

Question Mark (?): This is used to match any one character from the string. For example, if we have a string “CAT” and the pattern is “C?T” then VBA LIKE operator returns TRUE. If the string is “CATCH and the patterns are “C?T” then VBA LIKE operator returns FALSE.
Asterisk (*): This matches zero or more characters. For example, if the string is “Good” and the pattern is “G**d” VBA LIKE operator returns TRUE.
Brackets ([]): This matches any one single characters specified in the brackets.
[Char-Char]: This matches any single character in the range Char-Char.
[!Chars]: This matches any single character not in the list.
[!Char-Char]: This matches any single character not in the range Char-Char.

Examples of VBA LIKE Operator

Let’s see some of the examples of VBA LIKE operator now.

You can download this VBA Like Excel Template here – VBA Like Excel Template

Example #1 – With Question Mark

Code:

Sub QuestionMark_Example1()

  Dim k As String
  k = "Good"

  If k Like "Go?d" Then
    MsgBox "Yes"
  Else
    MsgBox "No"
  End If

End Sub

In the above code, we have supplied the string as “Good” and the pattern is “Go?d”. Since question mark can match a single character it will show the result as “Yes”.

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Now I will change the string to “Good Morning”.

Code:

Sub QuestionMark_Example1()

  Dim  k As String
  k = "Good Morning"

  If k Like "Go?d" Then
    MsgBox "Yes"
  Else
    MsgBox "No"
  End If

End Sub

In this case, it will show “No” because we have added one more word to the string i.e. Morning. To match any number of characters we need to use the asterisk.

Example #2 – With Asterisk

Code:

Sub QuestionMark_Example2()

  Dim k As String
  k = "Good Morning"

  If k Like "*Good*" Then
    MsgBox "Yes"
  Else
    MsgBox "No"
  End If

End Sub

In the above example, I have added two asterisks before and after the character “*Good*”. This will match the word “Good” in the string “Good Morning” and returns “Yes”.

Example #3 – With Brackets []

Code:

Sub QuestionMark_Example3()

  Dim k As String
  k = "Good Morning"

  If k Like "*[M]*" Then
    MsgBox "Yes"
  Else
    MsgBox "No"
  End If

End Sub

The above code matches the single letter mentioned in the bracket “M” and returns the result as Yes.

Example #4 – With Brackets & Alphabets [A-Z]

Code:

Sub QuestionMark_Example4()

  Dim k As String
  k = "Good Morning"

  If k Like "*[A-D]*" Then
   MsgBox "Yes"
  Else
   MsgBox "No"
  End If

End Sub

In the above, I have mentioned the characters to match from A to D.

This will return “No” because there are no characters from A to D in the string “Good Morning”.

Now I will change the pattern to [A-H]

Code:

Sub QuestionMark_Example4()

  Dim k As String
  k = "Good Morning"

  If k Like "*[A-H]*" Then
    MsgBox "Yes"
  Else
    MsgBox "No"
  End If

End Sub

This will return “Yes” because from A to H we have a character “G” in the string “Good Morning”

Like this, we can use VBA “LIKE” operator to match any string from the pattern with wild card characters.