Description
The Future of VBA and Windows Versions of Excel
Several years ago, there were many rumblings that Microsoft might stop supporting VBA. There is now plenty of evidence to indicate that VBA will be around in Windows versions of Excel through 2030. When VBA was removed from the Mac version of Excel 2008, a huge outcry from customers led to its being included in the next Mac version of Excel.
Microsoft has hinted that in Excel 16, which is the next version of Excel, it will stop providing support for XLM macros. These macros were replaced by VBA in 1993, and 20 years later, they are still supported. Some would say that Microsoft introduced a new programming language for Excel with the JavaScript applications that are discussed in Chapter 28. Assuming that Microsoft continues to support VBA for 22 years after Excel 2013, you should be good through the mid-2030s.
Versions of Excel
This fourth edition of VBA and Macros is designed to work with Excel 2013. The previous editions of this book covered code for Excel 97 through Excel 2010. In 80 percent of the chapters, the code for Excel 2013 is identical to the code in previous versions. However, there are exceptions. For example, Microsoft offers new pivot table models and timelines that will add some new methods to the pivot table chapter.
Differences for Mac Users
Although Excel for Windows and Excel for the Mac are similar in their user interface, there are a number of differences when you compare the VBA environment. Certainly, nothing in Chapter 23 that uses the Windows API will work on the Mac. The overall concepts discussed in the book apply to the Mac, but differences exist. You can find a general list of differences as they apply to the Mac at http://www.mrexcel.com/macvba.html
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Special Elements and Typographical Conventions
The following typographical conventions are used in this book:
• Italic—Indicates new terms when they are defined, special emphasis, non-English words or phrases, and letters or words used as words
• Monospace
—Indicates parts of VBA code such as object or method names, and filenames
• Italic monospace—Indicates placeholder text in code syntax
• Bold monospace—Indicates user input
In addition to these typographical conventions, there are several special elements. Each chapter has at least one case study that presents a real-world solution to common problems. The case study also demonstrates practical applications of topics discussed in the chapter.
In addition to the case studies, you will see New icons, Notes, Tips, and Cautions.
Note
Tip
Caution
Code Files
As a thank-you for buying this book, the authors have put together a set of 50 Excel workbooks that demonstrate the concepts included in this book. This set of files includes all the code from the book, sample data, additional notes from the authors, and 25 bonus macros. To download the code files, visit this book’s web page at http://www.quepublishing.com
or http://www.mrexcel.com/getcode2013.html
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Next Steps
Chapter 1, “Unleash the Power of Excel with VBA,” introduces the editing tools of the Visual Basic environment and shows why using the macro recorder is not an effective way to write VBA macro code