How to add headers to a multicolumn listbox in an Excel userform using VBA

Question

Is it possible to set up the headers in a multicolumn listbox without using a worksheet range as the source.

The following uses an array of variants which is assigned to the list property of the listbox, the headers appear blank.

Sub testMultiColumnLb()
    ReDim arr(1 To 3, 1 To 2)

    arr(1, 1) = "1"
    arr(1, 2) = "One"
    arr(2, 1) = "2"
    arr(2, 2) = "Two"
    arr(3, 1) = "3"
    arr(3, 2) = "Three"


    With ufTestUserForm.lbTest
        .Clear
        .ColumnCount = 2
        .List = arr
    End With

    ufTestUserForm.Show 1
End Sub

Answer 1

Simple answer: no.

What I've done in the past is load the headings into row 0 then set the ListIndex to 0 when displaying the form. This then highlights the "headings" in blue, giving the appearance of a header. The form action buttons are ignored if the ListIndex remains at zero, so these values can never be selected.

Of course, as soon as another list item is selected, the heading loses focus, but by this time their job is done.

Doing things this way also allows you to have headings that scroll horizontally, which is difficult/impossible to do with separate labels that float above the listbox. The flipside is that the headings do not remain visible if the listbox needs to scroll vertically.

Basically, it's a compromise that works in the situations I've been in.

Answer 2

No. I create labels above the listbox to serve as headers. You might think that it's a royal pain to change labels every time your lisbox changes. You'd be right - it is a pain. It's a pain to set up the first time, much less changes. But I haven't found a better way.