In Excel VBA, how do I save / restore a user-defined filter?

Have a look at Capture Autofilter state

To prevent link rot, here is the code (credit to original author):

Works with Excel 2010, just delete the commented line marked.

Sub ReDoAutoFilter()    Dim w As Worksheet    Dim filterArray()    Dim currentFiltRange As String    Dim col As Integer    Set w = ActiveSheet    ' Capture AutoFilter settings    With w.AutoFilter        currentFiltRange = .Range.Address        With .Filters            ReDim filterArray(1 To .Count, 1 To 3)            For f = 1 To .Count                With .Item(f)                    If .On Then                        filterArray(f, 1) = .Criteria1                        If .Operator Then                            filterArray(f, 2) = .Operator                            filterArray(f, 3) = .Criteria2 'simply delete this line to make it work in Excel 2010                        End If                    End If                End With            Next f        End With    End With    'Remove AutoFilter    w.AutoFilterMode = False    ' Your code here    ' Restore Filter settings    For col = 1 To UBound(filterArray(), 1)        If Not IsEmpty(filterArray(col, 1)) Then            If filterArray(col, 2) Then                w.Range(currentFiltRange).AutoFilter field:=col, _                Criteria1:=filterArray(col, 1), _                Operator:=filterArray(col, 2), _                Criteria2:=filterArray(col, 3)            Else                w.Range(currentFiltRange).AutoFilter field:=col, _                Criteria1:=filterArray(col, 1)            End If        End If    Next colEnd Sub

Above code does not work in Excel 2010 as it has more possible filter types. This may be true for Excel 2007 too.

Excel 2010 (XL14) introduces a number of changes over XL 2003 (XL11)

• .Operator is no longer True/False but an enumeration. There is still a FALSE (=0) value, which for some reason cannot be set using Operator:= when setting Criteria1. The old TRUE values remain as xlAnd and xlOr (1 and 2).

• The selected ranges (xlTop10Items, xlBottom10Items, xlTop10Percent, xlBottom10Percent) appear to be implemented as a .Operator=FALSE type that will achieve the desired result at the time the filter was set, but with a non-zero .Operator. However you cannot use Operator:= when restoring the filter. It becomes a fixed range rather than (say) top 10.

• For .Operator=xlFilterValues, .Criteria1 is an array of the selected values, and seems to be restored OK with the expected statement.

• The criteria for Format filters (eg cells with green fill - new in XL 2010 over XL 2007?) apparently can't be restored using the .Criteria1 mechanisms. The operator can be restored, but the pass filter isn't restored so it filters out everything. Better to just leave it off.

Extended version of above, implemented as SaveFilters() and RestoreFilters()

I have used literal numbers rather than the enumerations (xlAnd, xlOr etc) so that the code has a fighting chance of being usable in XL 2003 which didn't have those enumerations. Some of the restoration CASE statements are repeated code; this is to simplify later extensions if someone finds a way to bypass some of the limitations above.

' Usage example:'    Dim strAFilterRng As String    ' Autofilter range'    Dim varFilterCache()           ' Autofilter cache'    ' [set up code]'    Set wksAF = Worksheets("Configuration")''    ' Check for autofilter, turn off if active..'    SaveFilters wksAF, strAFilterRng, varFilterCache'    [code with filter off]'    [set up special auto-filter if required]'    [code with filter on as applicable]'    ' Restore original autofilter if present ..'    RestoreFilters wksAF, strAFilterRng, varFilterCache'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~' Sub:      SaveFilters' Purpose:  Save filter on worksheet' Returns:  wks.AutoFilterMode when function entered'' Arguments:'   [Name]      [Type]  [Description]'   wks         I/P     Worksheet that filter may reside on'   FilterRange O/P     Range on which filter is applied as string; "" if no filter'   FilterCache O/P     Variant dynamic array in which to save filter'' Author:   Based on MS Excel AutoFilter Object help file'' Modifications:' 2006/12/11 Phil Spencer: Adapted as general purpose routine' 2007/03/23 PJS: Now turns off .AutoFilterMode' 2013/03/13 PJS: Initial mods for XL14, which has more operators'' Comments:'----------------------------Function SaveFilters(wks As Worksheet, FilterRange As String, FilterCache()) As Boolean    Dim ii As Long    FilterRange = ""    ' Alternative signal for no autofilter active    SaveFilters = wks.AutoFilterMode    If SaveFilters Then        With wks.AutoFilter            FilterRange = .Range.Address            With .Filters                ReDim FilterCache(1 To .Count, 1 To 3)                For ii = 1 To .Count                    With .Item(ii)                        If .On Then#If False Then ' XL11 code                            FilterCache(ii, 1) = .Criteria1                            If .Operator Then                                FilterCache(ii, 2) = .Operator                                FilterCache(ii, 3) = .Criteria2                            End If#Else   ' first pass XL14                            Select Case .Operator                            Case 1, 2   'xlAnd, xlOr                                FilterCache(ii, 1) = .Criteria1                                FilterCache(ii, 2) = .Operator                                FilterCache(ii, 3) = .Criteria2                            Case 0, 3 To 7 ' no operator, xlTop10Items, _ xlBottom10Items, xlTop10Percent, xlBottom10Percent, xlFilterValues                                FilterCache(ii, 1) = .Criteria1                                FilterCache(ii, 2) = .Operator                            Case Else    ' These are not correctly restored; there's someting in Criteria1 but can't save it.                                FilterCache(ii, 2) = .Operator                                ' FilterCache(ii, 1) = .Criteria1   ' <-- Generates an error                                ' No error in next statement, but couldn't do restore operation                                ' Set FilterCache(ii, 1) = .Criteria1                            End Select#End If                        End If                    End With ' .Item(ii)                Next            End With ' .Filters        End With ' wks.AutoFilter        wks.AutoFilterMode = False  ' turn off filter    End If ' wks.AutoFilterModeEnd Function'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~' Sub:      RestoreFilters' Purpose:  Restore filter on worksheet' Arguments:'   [Name]      [Type]  [Description]'   wks         I/P     Worksheet that filter resides on'   FilterRange I/P     Range on which filter is applied'   FilterCache I/P     Variant dynamic array containing saved filter'' Author:   Based on MS Excel AutoFilter Object help file'' Modifications:' 2006/12/11 Phil Spencer: Adapted as general purpose routine' 2013/03/13 PJS: Initial mods for XL14, which has more operators'' Comments:'----------------------------Sub RestoreFilters(wks As Worksheet, FilterRange As String, FilterCache())    Dim col As Long    wks.AutoFilterMode = False ' turn off any existing auto-filter    If FilterRange <> "" Then        wks.Range(FilterRange).AutoFilter ' Turn on the autofilter        For col = 1 To UBound(FilterCache(), 1)#If False Then  ' XL11            If Not IsEmpty(FilterCache(col, 1)) Then                If FilterCache(col, 2) Then                    wks.Range(FilterRange).AutoFilter field:=col, _                        Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1), _                            Operator:=FilterCache(col, 2), _                        Criteria2:=FilterCache(col, 3)                Else                    wks.Range(FilterRange).AutoFilter field:=col, _                        Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1)                End If            End If#Else            If Not IsEmpty(FilterCache(col, 2)) Then                Select Case FilterCache(col, 2)                Case 0  ' no operator                    wks.Range(FilterRange).AutoFilter field:=col, _                        Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1) ' Do NOT reload 'Operator'                Case 1, 2   'xlAnd, xlOr                    wks.Range(FilterRange).AutoFilter field:=col, _                        Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1), _                        Operator:=FilterCache(col, 2), _                        Criteria2:=FilterCache(col, 3)                Case 3 To 6 ' xlTop10Items, xlBottom10Items, xlTop10Percent, xlBottom10Percent#If True Then                    wks.Range(FilterRange).AutoFilter field:=col, _                        Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1) ' Do NOT reload 'Operator' , it doesn't work                    ' wks.AutoFilter.Filters.Item(col).Operator = FilterCache(col, 2)#Else ' Trying to restore Operator as well as Criteria ..                    ' Including the 'Operator:=' arguement leads to error.                    ' Criteria1 is expressed as if for a FALSE .Operator                    wks.Range(FilterRange).AutoFilter field:=col, _                        Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1), _                        Operator:=FilterCache(col, 2)#End If                Case 7  'xlFilterValues                    wks.Range(FilterRange).AutoFilter field:=col, _                        Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1), _                        Operator:=FilterCache(col, 2)#If False Then ' Switch on filters on cell formats' These statements restore the filter, but cannot reset the pass Criteria, so the filter hides all data.' Leave it off instead.                Case Else   ' (Various filters on data format)                    wks.Range(FilterRange).AutoFilter field:=col, _                        Operator:=FilterCache(col, 2)#End If ' Switch on filters on cell formats                End Select            End If#End If     ' XL11 / XL14        Next col    End IfEnd Sub

I've seen a suggestion elsewhere to achieve the required outcome by

• Set up a custom view (using some improbable name to avoid overwriting things)

• Execute code with autofilter off or modified

• .Show the view (restore previous layout)

• .Delete the view (to remove redundant data).

Good luck folks..

People looking for saving and restoring listobject / table filters (tested in Office 2007).

I have made some changes to the very good code above of Phil Spencer. Now you only need to add a listobject to the function and then it works for saving and restoring listobject filters as well:

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~' Sub:      SaveListObjectFilters' Purpose:  Save filter on worksheet' Returns:  wks.AutoFilterMode when function entered' Source: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9489126/in-excel-vba-how-do-i-save-        restore-a-user-defined-filter'' Arguments:'   [Name]      [Type]  [Description]'   wks         I/P     Worksheet that filter may reside on'   FilterRange O/P     Range on which filter is applied as string; "" if no filter'   FilterCache O/P     Variant dynamic array in which to save filter'' Author:   Based on MS Excel AutoFilter Object help file'' Modifications:' 2006/12/11 Phil Spencer: Adapted as general purpose routine' 2007/03/23 PJS: Now turns off .AutoFilterMode' 2013/03/13 PJS: Initial mods for XL14, which has more operators' 2013/05/31 P.H.: Changed to save list-object filtersFunction SaveListObjectFilters(lo As ListObject, FilterCache()) As BooleanDim ii As LongfilterRange = ""    With lo.AutoFilter        filterRange = .Range.Address        With .Filters            ReDim FilterCache(1 To .Count, 1 To 3)            For ii = 1 To .Count                With .Item(ii)                    If .On Then#If False Then ' XL11 code                        FilterCache(ii, 1) = .Criteria1                        If .Operator Then                            FilterCache(ii, 2) = .Operator                            FilterCache(ii, 3) = .Criteria2                        End If#Else   ' first pass XL14                        Select Case .Operator                        Case 1, 2   'xlAnd, xlOr                            FilterCache(ii, 1) = .Criteria1                            FilterCache(ii, 2) = .Operator                            FilterCache(ii, 3) = .Criteria2                        Case 0, 3 To 7 ' no operator, xlTop10Items, _xlBottom10Items, xlTop10Percent, xlBottom10Percent, xlFilterValues                            FilterCache(ii, 1) = .Criteria1                            FilterCache(ii, 2) = .Operator                        Case Else    ' These are not correctly restored; there's someting in Criteria1 but can't save it.                            FilterCache(ii, 2) = .Operator                            ' FilterCache(ii, 1) = .Criteria1   ' <-- Generates an error                            ' No error in next statement, but couldn't do restore operation                            ' Set FilterCache(ii, 1) = .Criteria1                        End Select#End If                    End If                End With ' .Item(ii)            Next        End With ' .Filters    End With ' wks.AutoFilterEnd Function'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~' Sub:      RestoreListObjectFilters' Purpose:  Restore filter on listobject' Source: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9489126/in-excel-vba-how-do-i-save-restore-a-user-defined-filter' Arguments:'   [Name]      [Type]  [Description]'   wks         I/P     Worksheet that filter resides on'   FilterRange I/P     Range on which filter is applied'   FilterCache I/P     Variant dynamic array containing saved filter'' Author:   Based on MS Excel AutoFilter Object help file'' Modifications:' 2006/12/11 Phil Spencer: Adapted as general purpose routine' 2013/03/13 PJS: Initial mods for XL14, which has more operators' 2013/05/31 P.H.: Changed to restore list-object filters'' Comments:'----------------------------Sub RestoreListObjectFilters(lo As ListObject, FilterCache())Dim col As LongIf lo.Range.Address <> "" Then    For col = 1 To UBound(FilterCache(), 1)#If False Then  ' XL11        If Not IsEmpty(FilterCache(col, 1)) Then            If FilterCache(col, 2) Then                lo.AutoFilter field:=col, _                    Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1), _                        Operator:=FilterCache(col, 2), _                    Criteria2:=FilterCache(col, 3)            Else                lo.AutoFilter field:=col, _                    Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1)            End If        End If#Else        If Not IsEmpty(FilterCache(col, 2)) Then            Select Case FilterCache(col, 2)            Case 0  ' no operator                lo.Range.AutoFilter field:=col, _                    Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1) ' Do NOT reload 'Operator'            Case 1, 2   'xlAnd, xlOr                lo.Range.AutoFilter field:=col, _                    Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1), _                    Operator:=FilterCache(col, 2), _                    Criteria2:=FilterCache(col, 3)            Case 3 To 6 ' xlTop10Items, xlBottom10Items, xlTop10Percent,     xlBottom10Percent#If True Then                lo.Range.AutoFilter field:=col, _                    Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1) ' Do NOT reload 'Operator' , it doesn't work                ' wks.AutoFilter.Filters.Item(col).Operator = FilterCache(col, 2)#Else ' Trying to restore Operator as well as Criteria ..                ' Including the 'Operator:=' arguement leads to error.                ' Criteria1 is expressed as if for a FALSE .Operator                lo.Range.AutoFilter field:=col, _                    Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1), _                    Operator:=FilterCache(col, 2)#End If            Case 7  'xlFilterValues                lo.Range.AutoFilter field:=col, _                    Criteria1:=FilterCache(col, 1), _                    Operator:=FilterCache(col, 2)#If False Then ' Switch on filters on cell formats' These statements restore the filter, but cannot reset the pass Criteria, so the filter hides all data.' Leave it off instead.            Case Else   ' (Various filters on data format)                lo.RangeAutoFilter field:=col, _                    Operator:=FilterCache(col, 2)#End If ' Switch on filters on cell formats            End Select        End If#End If     ' XL11 / XL14    Next colEnd IfEnd Sub