What does ScreenUpdating = False do?

[Guest]

I have "borrowed" subroutines from this site (that work beautifully) that have:

ScreenUpdating = False
<code that changes the values of cells here>
ScreenUpdating = True

I was wondering what setting the ScreenUpdating to false and back to true is
doing for me. I looked in Excel help (it was no help).

I would love a simple (I'm not an advanced user) explanation.
Thank you,
Judy

 

[Dave Peterson]

If your code changes worksheets or moves the screen (going to other cells), then
it hides those screen movements.

It's less disturbing to the user and actually makes your code work faster.

 

[Guest]

Thank you very much for your reply. I was only using this in my borrowed
function; I can see that it would be a good idea to use it throughout my
macros--except that my users are impressed by seeing the screen movements!

Thank you,
Judy

 

[Bob Phillips]

Will they be impressed as much when they have a fit?


Bob

 

[Earl Kiosterud]

Yeah. I often turn ScreenUpdating on once a row, or something, so it'll
look like it's doing something. It's like high-tech movies where they show
a card sorter or an old tape drive. I've even thought about issuing beeps
and boops as the code runs. The public expects it.

 

[David McRitchie]

Makes a better movie when the card sorter spews the cards up
into the air rather than down into slots. Not much interest in looking
at square tapes that just sit there.