Category Archives for VBA
Happy Holidays 2015
OK, so I know a few days ago I said I had written my last blog posted before the end of the holiday. But then I’ve released holiday cards in both 2013 and 2014, so this year should be no different. So I went with a topical Star Wars theme. The text being shown is […]
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Enlarging Form Control Option Buttons
In a previous tip, I had complained about form control option buttons. I had argued they suffer because you can’t change the font size nor the “punch circle.” But then an idea dawned on me that builds off of that previous tip. We could use the same dynamic described in that earlier article and combine […]
Continue readingA method for quickly importing and working with CSV files (part 2)
This is part 2 in which I explain how I solved the problem. Make sure to read the previous blog posts. Taken together, these show I though through and ultimately solved the problem. Query Tables to the Rescue! To solve this problem, I stumbled on something I rarely use, and that’s our good ol’ friend […]
Continue readingDeveloping a JSON Excel Add-In With VB.NET
Written by Bjoern Stiel Add-Ins are a great way to increase Excel’s firepower. Add-Ins not only add additional functionality but are also an ideal vehicle for distributing your custom functions across multiple workbooks and users. If writing a new Add-In is on your to-do list anyway, this is the perfect opportunity to look beyond VBA. VBA has […]
Continue readingA VBA Coding Manitesto (Part 2)
In the first part of my manifesto, I outlined why I think we should really change the way we code. The important takeaways of that article were: (1) the Hungarian Notation coding style is old and should no longer be preferred; (2) we cannot simply code for ourselves anymore; and (3) the implications of the […]
Continue readingA VBA Coding Manifesto (Part 1)
A little while ago, I made a blog post on why I think we no longer need Hungarian Notation. Truthfully, it’s not the first time I’ve advocated for doing something against the grain. My blog on the principles for app/game development with Excel argues you should keep most of your procedures in the sheet object […]
Continue readingIt’s time to say “Goodbye,” to Hungarian Notation
Most of us code using the Hungarian notation style when writing VBA code. Basically, that’s when you prefix an abbreviated description of a variables’ type or class in front of its name. For example, the ‘d’ below is a prefix for a variable of type double. You get the idea. 1: Dim dDouble As Double […]
Continue readingIt’s time to say “Goodbye,” to Hungarian Notation
Most of us code using the Hungarian notation style when writing VBA code. Basically, that’s when you prefix an abbreviated description of a variables’ type or class in front of its name. For example, the ‘d’ below is a prefix for a variable of type double. You get the idea. 1: Dim dDouble As Double […]
Continue readingExcel Holiday Card
Wishing everyone a happy holiday and a terrific new year! Download file: Happy Holidays.xlsm
Continue readingCreating a Spreadsheet-Based Wizard
First of all, happy spreadsheet day! It was on this date today that VisiCalc was first shipped to the masses. The rest, as they say, is history. So let’s talk about creating a spreadsheet-based wizard. By “spreadsheet-based,” I mean no Userforms. That’s right. There are many good Excel tutorials out there on developing wizards with […]
Continue readingYour First Maze
Disclaimer: The following tutorial requires Conditional Formatting which is a feature of Excel 2010 and greater. If you are using an older version of Excel, please note that formatting will not work correctly for you. This article is part of a series called “VBA4Play,” written in conjunction with Excel game developer, Cary Walkin, for his […]
Continue readingDevelopment Principles for Excel Games and Applications
This is part of a series called “VBA4Play,” written in conjunction with Excel game developer, Cary Walkin, for his blog. Many thanks to Cary for inviting me to write a few tutorials for his series. My development approach is different from Cary’s. To be sure, there are many different development styles when in comes to […]
Continue readingHandling Excel Rollover Popups
Various people have written to me asking what they should do about popups generated by the rollover method that don’t go away on their own. Essentially, the rollover method provides for an “on mouse over” style routine but not for a “on mouse out.” The “moat” method One method to address this is to create […]
Continue readingA Dynamically Linked Checkbox Matrix with Microsoft Excel
Edit: sorry for some of the squashed images you see in this and other posts. I’m still working on my layout. In the meantime, click on an image to view it in full if you’re having trouble. Today, I want to show you what I liked to call a “ dynamically linked matrix.” I’ll post […]
Continue readingThe two WORST Excel Errors EVER
In my opinion, these are the two worst Excel errors ever: Code execution has been interrupted, and There was a problem sending the command to the program A casual Google search will show these errors are as common as they are arcane. Below I’m going to detail my experiences with these errors and how I’ve […]
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