GoTo Command

The GoTo command is a control statement used in VBA programming to jump execution to specific points in your code.

In this page, we will explain the basic usage of the GoTo command and provide some considerations when using it.

Basic Usage of the GoTo Command

The GoTo command is written as follows:

GoTo LabelName

' Code to be skipped

LabelName:

' Code to be executed after the jump

The GoTo command is used in conjunction with a label name to jump to a specified label.

Label names can be placed anywhere in the code, but they are typically used immediately after the section where you want to skip the execution of the command or as a destination to jump to when a specific condition is met.

Considerations for the GoTo Command

Naming and Placement of Labels

Labels can be placed anywhere in the code, but they are typically used immediately after the section where you want to skip the execution of the command or as a destination to jump to when a specific condition is met.

Label names consist of a combination of alphanumeric characters and underscores, and cannot start with a number. They must also be unique within the same procedure.

Scope of Jumps

The GoTo command can only jump to labels within the same procedure (subprocedure or function). Jumps to labels in different procedures or modules are not allowed.

Code Structure and Readability

The GoTo command is deprecated or not implemented in many programming languages today.

This is because the GoTo command can make the flow of a program opaque and make the code harder to read.

Therefore, to enhance code readability and maintainability, it is desirable to minimize the use of the GoTo command and instead use more structured approaches to control the flow of the program, such as If-Then-Else statements or Select Case statements, to achieve similar results.

Usage in Error Handling

The GoTo command is often used in the context of error handling.

It allows you to jump to a specified error handler when an error occurs and perform appropriate error-specific actions.

The following example demonstrates the usage of the GoTo command in error handling.

To learn how to implement Try Catch Finally in VBA using the GoTo command, refer to the following article:

Summary

The GoTo command is a useful tool in VBA for conditionally skipping specific sections of code, but its usage should be approached with caution.

To maintain code readability and maintainability, it is recommended to consider GoTo as a last resort and prioritize the use of more structured control flow alternatives.