XL97: Changes to Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

The user interface for Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications in Microsoft Excel 97 has changed significantly from the interface for earlier versions of Microsoft Excel. This article describes the changes in the Visual Basic for Applications environment in Microsoft Excel 97.

MORE INFORMATION

The components that make up Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications are the Visual Basic Editor, the forms interface, and the Visual Basic for Applications language.

The Microsoft Visual Basic Editor

The Microsoft Visual Basic Editor (VBE) uses the familiar programming interface of Microsoft Visual Basic 4.0 as a base for creating and editing code. Within the VBE, there are five major elements: Project Explorer, Property Window, Code Window, Object Browser, and Debugging Tools.

• Project Explorer

        Code created for a Microsoft Excel workbook is associated to that
        workbook through a project. The Project Explorer is a navigational
        and management tool which displays a hierarchical list of each open
        project. It also shows each of the components associated with those
        projects, such as worksheets, forms, class modules, and references.
  

• Property Window

        The Property Window displays properties for the active object
        (UserForm or control). It provides a visual way to set or modify
        properties. In earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, most properties
        could only be set programmatically. In Microsoft Excel 97, many of
        these properties can now be set through the Properties window for an
        object. In the Property window, properties may be listed
        alphabetically or by category.
  

• Code Window

        Module sheets are no longer available for insertion into a workbook.
        Instead, a Code window is provided for each workbook, for individual
        worksheets, and for general modules, class modules, and forms. The
        Code window includes two drop-down boxes: one (on the left) to
        identify the Object with which the code is associated, and one (on
        the right) to identify the Procedure.
  

        To activate a Code window, use one of the following methods:
  

         - Double-click the object for which you want to write or edit
           code.
  
            -or-
  
         - Click the object once to select it, and then click Code on the
           View menu or press F7.
  
            -or-
  
         - Using the right mouse button, click the object, and then click
           View Code on the shortcut menu.
  
        For backward compatibility, Microsoft Excel 4.0 Macro sheets can
        still be inserted and will run normally. Microsoft Excel 5.x and 7.x
        module sheets are hidden and the code on them is transferred to code
        modules in Visual Basic for Applications. This code will also run
        normally.
  
  

• Object Browser

        The Object Browser is similar to the Object Browser in earlier
        versions of Microsoft Excel with additional functionality including:
  

         - Differentiates between built-in properties, methods, and
           user-defined procedures.
  
         - Indicates which items are globally accessible.
  
         - Shows function return types, parameter names and types, and user
           defined types and constants.
  
         - Has a modeless window so that other activities can be carried
           out while the browser is displayed.
  
         - Allows for viewing of all available type libraries.
  
         - Includes a Find feature to search for objects across libraries.
  
  

• Debugging Tools

        The debugging tools in VBE include the familiar Watch window and
        Immediate window in addition to:
  

         - An auto variables window which allows you to automatically see
           the values of all variables and expressions within a few lines
           of the current line of execution.
  
         - A local variables window which includes a call stack browser
           which allows you to jump to variable and procedure definitions
           and references.
  
         - Margin Indicators to visually indicate current lines of
           execution.
  
         - Ability to tile the debug window.
  
  

The Forms Interface

Earlier versions of Microsoft Excel used Dialogs on Dialog sheets to create custom forms. In Microsoft Excel 97, Dialog sheets are still available for backward computability. UserForms are now available for custom forms and can be used in Microsoft Excel 97, Microsoft Word 97, and Microsoft PowerPoint 97.

The advantages of UserForms are that they:

• Take less time to load, save, and redraw controls.
• Support data binding to cells and ranges.
• Support printing and zooming.
• Include alignment and layout tools, drag-and-drop operations of

      controls and in-place editing of captions for advanced form design.
  

• Support multi-page controls for tab creation.

Dragging a control from the form back to the toolbar creates a template of that control on the toolbar. For more information about creating a template for a control on the Forms toolbar, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

     ARTICLE-ID: Q160473
     TITLE     : XL97: How to Create a Template for a Toolbox Control

The Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Programming Language

- The Language

     Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Programming developed for
     Microsoft Office 97 uses Microsoft Visual Basic 4.0 as its foundation.
     Many elements found in Visual Basic 4.0 are now incorporated into
     Visual Basic for Applications, such as user defined class modules,
     user defined collections, and custom properties.

     The three member types of all Visual Basic for Applications object
     models are Methods, Properties, and Events. Events have been expanded
     beyond the Click, Show, and Change events that were available in
     earlier versions of Microsoft Excel. Examples of new events are
     Activate, BeforeDoubleClick, SheetChange, Open, WindowActivate,
     MouseUp, MouseDown, and Calculate.

     Visual Basic for Applications also supports extended objects in
     Microsoft Excel 97. An extended object is an object that has code
     attached to it. Workbooks and worksheets can have code attached, as
     can controls and forms.

     Code behind objects uses extended objects to enhance Visual Basic for
     Applications programming by:

      - Directly and exclusively attaching a code module to an object.
      - Directly attaching forms to an object.
      - Using Properties and Methods of the object without need for the
        name of the object to which the code is attached.
      - Providing a unified user model for writing event handling code for
        the object and for the controls inside the object.

     There are several advantages to code behind objects. Code is moved,
     copied, and saved with the object to which it is attached. Simpler
     syntax can be used to refer to properties and methods of the objects
     because the code is attached to the object. For example, in earlier
     versions of Microsoft Excel, if programming code referred to
     "Worksheets("Sheet1")" and Sheet1 was renamed to "First Sheet", all
     code referring to Sheet1 would generate an error. With code attached
     to the object, when Sheet1 is renamed, the code attached to it still
     runs without you having to edit the code.

REFERENCES

For more information about new features, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text

   new, features