Retrieving The Computer Name Or Logged-in User Name

Category: VBA Functions | [Item URL]

This tip uses two Windows API functions to return the name of the computer, and the name of the user who is currently logged in. These functions can be used in a worksheet formula, or called from a VBA procedure.

NOTE: The logged-in user name may or may not be the name that is returned by Application.User

API Declarations

Private Declare Function GetComputerName Lib "kernel32" _
  Alias "GetComputerNameA" (ByVal lpBuffer As String, nSize As Long) _
  As Long

Private Declare Function GetUserName Lib "advapi32.dll" _
Alias "GetUserNameA" (ByVal lpBuffer As String, nSize As Long) _
  As Long

The Functions

Public Function NameOfComputer()
'   Returns the name of the computer
    Dim ComputerName As String
    Dim ComputerNameLen As Long
    Dim Result As Long
    ComputerNameLen = 256
    ComputerName = Space(ComputerNameLen)
    Result = GetComputerName(ComputerName, ComputerNameLen)
    If Result <> 0 Then
        NameOfComputer = Left(ComputerName, ComputerNameLen)
    Else
        NameOfComputer = "Unknown"
    End If
End Function

Function UserName() As String
'   Returns the name of the logged-in user
    Dim Buffer As String * 100
    Dim BuffLen As Long
    BuffLen = 100
    GetUserName Buffer, BuffLen
    UserName = Left(Buffer, BuffLen - 1)
End Function