Excel VBA Array of Arrays - arrays

Question

I am trying to create an array of arrays inside of the macros of Excel. Here is my problem... I am creating a year calendar and want to highlight dates inside that calendar.
I have a range of dates in a worksheet. These would be any type of dates I want to remember, etc. I read them in and then create the calendar and make these a different dates a different background color.
9/24/2015
1/20/2015
4/5/2015
9/30/2015
1/1/2015
In my limited thinking I would read them in, Group them by month (year doesn't matter) and then put the dates associated with that month.
9 -> 24, 30
1 -> 20, 1
4 -> 5
Here is what I have so far
'Set Variables
Dim ImportantDays As Variant
Dim id As Integer
Dim tempSplitDateArray() As Integer
'Grab the dates from the entered WorkSheet
ImportantDays = Worksheets("MainData").Range("E4:E19")
'Loop through the dates entered
For id = LBound(ImportantDays, 1) To UBound(ImportantDays, 1)
If ImportantDays(id, 1) <> "" Then
tempSplitDateArray() = Split(ImportantDays(id, 1), "/")
'--I now have tempSplitDateArray(0) = month
'--tempSplitDateArray(1) = day
'------------------------------------
'-- Not sure of my next step here
'------------------------------------
End If
Next id
I know I can have a 2D array, but how do I keep track of which array slot is open? I have this variable (the 12 is the months, the 16 is the total number of dates allowed).
Dim monthlyDates(12, 16) As Variant
Ideally I would store all the September months in monthlyDates(9) or something like that, but I am at a loss as to ...
How to keep track when storing them?
How to access and loop through the values when that particular month is being created?
Any thoughts?

Answer 1

If I understand correctly, I think this option is right for you ...
Sub test()
Dim id&, z&, oCell As Range, Key, MKey
Dim I_Month As Object: Set I_Month = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")
Dim I_Day As Object: Set I_Day = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")
Dim Cnt As Object: Set Cnt = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")
Dim Month_count As Object: Set Month_count = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")
id = 1
'Grab the dates from the entered WorkSheet
For Each oCell In Worksheets("MainData").Range("E4:E19")
I_Month.Add id, Month(oCell.Value)
I_Day.Add id, Day(oCell.Value)
id = id + 1
Next
id = 12
z = 0
While id <> 0
For Each Key In I_Month
If I_Month(Key) = id Then z = z + 1
Next
Cnt.Add id, z
id = id - 1: z = 0
Wend
For Each Key In I_Month
For Each MKey In Cnt
If MKey = I_Month(Key) Then
id = Cnt(MKey)
Exit For
End If
Next
Month_count.Add Key, id
Next
For Each Key In I_Month
Debug.Print Key, I_Month(Key), I_Day(Key), Month_count(Key)
Next
End Sub
result
Key Month Day Count of the Month iteration
1 6 22 4
2 10 24 2
3 6 15 4
4 10 28 2
5 1 14 3
6 1 9 3
7 11 15 1
8 1 24 3
9 6 2 4
10 3 21 1
11 12 26 2
12 5 25 2
13 2 23 1
14 12 7 2
15 5 31 2
16 6 5 4