Autocomplete suggestion in Excel data validation l

问题:

How to make suggestions in Excel data validation list while typing. There are constraints in my request:

1. The list of items should be in another sheet, and must not be above in hidden rows.
2. Typing a phrase should narrow the list to all the items which contain the phrase.
3. Search should be case insensitive.

So after typing am we should hypothetically have a suggestion to pick up from Amelia, Camila, Samantha, provided that those girls' names are on the item list.

I have found a good solution here, however it does not filter the items with contains clause but begins with. I sum up the proposed solution here shortly.

1. We insert a Combo Box (ActiveX Control) to a sheet.

2. We right click on a sheet name > View code > and paste the VBA code in the sheet VBA editor:

   Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
   'Update by Extendoffice: 2018/9/21
       Dim xCombox As OLEObject
       Dim xStr As String
       Dim xWs As Worksheet
       Dim xArr
       Set xWs = Application.ActiveSheet
       On Error Resume Next
       Set xCombox = xWs.OLEObjects("TempCombo")
       With xCombox
           .ListFillRange = ""
           .LinkedCell = ""
           .Visible = False
       End With
       If Target.Validation.Type = 3 Then
           Target.Validation.InCellDropdown = False
           Cancel = True
           xStr = Target.Validation.Formula1
           xStr = Right(xStr, Len(xStr) - 1)
           If xStr = "" Then Exit Sub
           With xCombox
               .Visible = True
               .Left = Target.Left
               .Top = Target.Top
               .Width = Target.Width + 5
               .Height = Target.Height + 5
               .ListFillRange = xStr
               If .ListFillRange = "" Then
                   xArr = Split(xStr, ",")
                   Me.TempCombo.List = xArr
               End If
               .LinkedCell = Target.Address
           End With
           xCombox.Activate
           Me.TempCombo.DropDown
       End If
   End Sub
   
   Private Sub TempCombo_KeyDown(ByVal KeyCode As MSForms.ReturnInteger, ByVal Shift As Integer)
       Select Case KeyCode
           Case 9
               Application.ActiveCell.Offset(0, 1).Activate
           Case 13
               Application.ActiveCell.Offset(1, 0).Activate
       End Select
   End Sub
   

I could not find a way to modify to change the search option from 'begins with' to contains.

The questions about autocomplete or autosuggest in validation list have been asked so far.
Excel data validation with suggestions/autocomplete
Excel 2010: how to use autocomplete in validation list
But neither of them contained answers which would satisfied the constraints I imposed.

Test file for download is here.

回答1:

Try to add the following event (additionally the the other 2). Every time you enter something the code refreshes the ComboBox list.

Private Sub TempCombo_Change()
    With Me.TempCombo
        If Not .Visible Then Exit Sub
        .Clear 'needs property MatchEntry set to 2 - fmMatchEntryNone
        .Visible = False 'to refresh the drop down
        .Visible = True
        .Activate
        Dim xStr As String, xArr As Variant
        xStr = TempCombo.TopLeftCell.Validation.Formula1
        xStr = Right(xStr, Len(xStr) - 1)
        xArr = Split(xStr, Application.International(xlListSeparator))
        Dim itm As Variant
        For Each itm In xArr
            If InStr(1, itm, .Value, vbTextCompare) > 0 Or .Value = "" Then
                .AddItem itm
            End If
        Next itm
        .DropDown
    End With
End Sub

回答2:

To overcome your first constraint, maybe you can assign a range to your combo box:

Dim xCombox             As OLEObject
    Dim xStr                As String
    Dim xWs                 As Worksheet
    Dim xArr
    Dim i                   As Range

    Set xWs = Application.ActiveSheet
    On Error Resume Next
    Set xCombox = xWs.OLEObjects("Combotest")
    With Sheets("Test_list2")
    Set i = .Range("A2:A" & .Range("A" & .Rows.Count).End(xlUp).Row)
    End With
    Combotest.ListFillRange = i.Address
 Set xWs = Application.ActiveSheet
    On Error Resume Next
    Set xCombox = xWs.OLEObjects("Combotest")
    With xCombox
        .LinkedCell = "F2"
        .Visible = True
    End With
.
.
.
.
End Sub