VBA in Excel
Walter Milner
Sep-05 Slide:1
VBA in Excel
Introduction
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VBA = Visual Basic for Applications
Enables end-user programming
In MS Office applications
Formulae and macros OK for simple actions, but..
Advantages over formulae and macros:
– Multiple nested if is easy
– Loops easy
– Debugging easy
Sep-05 Slide:2
VBA in Excel
Getting started
View..Toolbars..Control
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VBA in Excel
Add a button
Click the button button
Drag on sheet to create one
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VBA in Excel
Format it
Right click on button
Select properties
Set as required
Note distinction between name and caption
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VBA in Excel
Program it
Right click button
Select View code:
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VBA in Excel
Test it
On Control Toolbox, click set square
This toggles run/design
Click the button
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VBA in Excel
Referring to cells
Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
Dim x As Integer
Dim y As Integer
Dim z As Integer
Dim result As Integer
x = Cells(1, 2).Value
y = Cells(2, 2).Value
z = Cells(3, 2).Value
result = x * y + z
Cells(4, 2).Value = result
End Sub
Sep-05 Slide:8
VBA in Excel
The VBA Excel Object model
• Hierarchy of classes
• Use to refer to things in an
Excel application
• Very large number of
classes, properties and
methods
• Have to use on-screen
help for reference
Sep-05 Slide:9
VBA in Excel
The VBA Excel Object model
• Object is a thing
• Property is some
property of an object
• Method is something
the object can be told
to do
• Event is something
that can happen to the
object
• Collection is a set of
related objects
• Enumeration is action
returning complete set
of things (eg all fonts
on system)
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VBA in Excel
Example object - Application
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VBA in Excel
Example properties of Application
Program a button which sets a
value for this property and see what
happens
Try it in a loop for a bizarre effect
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VBA in Excel
Example method
Program a button which calls the
findfile method of the application
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VBA in Excel
Example collection -
Display the count property of the
worksheets collection in a msgbox
to show how many sheets there are
in the workbook
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VBA in Excel
Using For Each .. Next in a collection
Private Sub CommandButton4_Click()
Dim w As Worksheet
For Each w In Application.Worksheets
MsgBox (w.Name)
Next
End Sub
Sep-05 Slide:15
VBA in Excel
The RangeSelection property of the ActiveWindow
This is a Range object
So it has the properties of a Range object
Use them to program a button which displays the total
of the numbers in the cells selected
Sep-05 Slide:16
VBA in Excel
2d array exercise
Use the RangeSelection property to program a
button which does a vertical flip of selected cells
Sep-05 Slide:17
VBA in Excel