I would like a global solution every time I start Excel365 with my key add-in also firing up.
I defined several LAMBDA custom functions, saved them in my add-in, and I would like to make them available globally - not just only for the current workbook. Is it possible? I tried saving a workbook with definition as an add-in (.xlam) but the formulas are not available. The don't seem to be available when as an add-in. When I am in the add-in parent file on the desktop, all is good and everything is running. But once I post the file back for your as an add-in, The Lambda(s) and the defined name space go away.
You might try creating a template for excel to load when it is opened.
Customizing how Excel starts so it utilized the template.
My additional work around is also simple. If the LAMBDAs were saved in the original Workbook with "Workbook" as the saved parameter. Then each of those worksheets in the original LAMBDA workbook is "infected" with all of the workbook LAMBDAs. Therefore, I simply copy a blank worksheet from the original Workbook to the "new" workbook. Then by virtue of "infection" the new workbook is also newly infected with all of the new LAMBDAs. It works just like COVID, who knew?
I need to write a macro that can either pull a specific worksheet from every workbook in a folder without opening them (preferable if possible due to the size of these workbooks) or open each workbook one at a time and copy the worksheet.
Every post on this topic I have been able to find, the path has been static and is specified in the macro, but for the purposes of this macro there will be two different paths that this will need to work for, and those will change every week.
Can someone show me how to code the macro so that it asks for the path?
Is it possible to pull a worksheet from a workbook without opening the workbook?
Thanks,
Aaron
You can use Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker) to prompt for the path.
My colleagues and I have created a userform with a suite of tools for doing tasks in Excel and Word
I'm quite familiar with spawning application objects from modules and closing them without effecting anything else - or other running copies of Excel.
However the user form must start some where - this leaves an Excel sheet open in the background.
I have tried Application.Visible = False but this hides all open workbooks - Kind of annoying if you have other worksheets open
I was thinking of a wrapper sheet which creates an Excel and runs the macro (spawning the macro in its own instance of Excel) - this works but then Im left with the wrapper sheet and potentially an orphan excel app if I close my parent.
Is there a better way than this to execute macros without affecting the rest of the user experience on MS office?
Yes, you can create an Excel add-in. Simply save the Workbook containing your code as an Excel add-in (select the appropriate file format in the "Save As" dialog) and configure Excel to load the add-in at startup in the "Options". You won't see anything of the add-in besides the functionality it provides.
Can VBA code be written to perform actions on any Excel file?
When I create a project in Visual Studio, it asks for an Excel file to be linked to it. All the code that I write is in ThisWorkbook.vb and hence acts only on the Excel file linked to the project.
Ideally, I want a script that:
When the user double-clicks, he/she should be allowed to select an Excel file of choice for the actions to be performed on that file.
If the above is not possible, I'd at least like to invoke the VBA script from within an Excel file.
Basically, the VBA code should be independent of any Excel file.
I looked at VBScript, but the syntax for it seems to differ slightly.
You've mentioned Visual Studio, VBA, and VBScript. The solution I'm outlining works directly with VBA rather than Visual Studio or VBScript. (However, you might adapt Visual Studio (C# or VB) along the lines of what I'm outlining below.) Hope it's helpful, so here goes:
Here's what I do, and, it ultimately results in an .xlam Excel AddIn as #chris above has commented.
Overview
I start with ordinary .xslx workbook, to which I add a VBA project, making it an .xlsm. Then create some VBA Subs (macros). Then create some Excel QAT (Quick Access Toolbar) buttons for the workbook, which are bound to (i.e. they invoke) the VBA subs/macros. Then convert the workbook (with VBA in it) to an .xlam, which is an Excel AddIn. When you're all done, the buttons are accessible from any workbook (and the VBA code has access to any user workbooks as well as those originally in your .xlsm). Further, the workbook associated with the .xlam is invisible. So it just looks like you've added some buttons to the QAT that appear on all users .xlsx windows. The .xlam is pretty easy for users to install (though I provide a buttons to uninstall/reinstall/check version). You can upgrade an .xlam independently of users' workbooks; users' workbooks can thus be data only (.xlsx, no VBA).
Details
Write some Excel Subs you want to use later
You need to be aware that the buttons can only invoke macros (VBA Subs) without parameters, so the macros will have to check things like ActiveSheet and ActiveWorkbook and Selection to figure on what sheet the button was pressed, hence what user data to really operate on. (If you need to refer to your workbook with the VBA code in it, use “ThisWorkbook”). You should be aware that there can be naming conflicts, so try to name the parameterless subs with rather long names, such as MySomewhatUniqueProjectName_button1, etc…
Add Buttons to your .xlsm
Using Excel 2010 (I think this works with 2007 or later), I put workbook-specific buttons on the QAT part of the ribbon, which connect to macros (VBA subs) in the VBA code.
To do this, you from the Quick Access Toolbar customization drop down (the tiny down arrow at the very top row of the Excel window, the last icon from left to right) choose "More Commands…". When the “Customize Quick Access Toolbar” dialog box comes up, from the (2nd) "Customize Quick Access Toolbar:" heading (top to the right), choose "For XYZ.xlsm" from the dropdown instead of the "For all documents (default)". And from under "Choose Commands From:", use "Macros" (instead of “Popular Commands”) from the dropdown. Once you have those two things selected, you can move VBA subs from the left box to the right box using “Add >>”. Each so moved will become buttons visible in your QAT. As you’re doing this you can also edit the icon and text for the buttons, add a separator as needed (I always end with a separator in case other .xlam’s use the QAT). (Now is a good time to save this .xlsm.)
Convert the .xlsm into a .xlam
Then I convert the .xlsm to an Excel add-in, by merely saving it as an .xlam file. This will end up (1) hiding the workbook associated with the code you have (though it is still accessible to itself.). Further, now, (2) the (invisible, as now it's an .xlam) workbook will load whenever Excel is loaded. (To keep this fast for when users use Excel but don’t run my VBA code, I don't run any code when the .xlam is loaded, I only run code when a button is pushed.)
You can manage the AddIn using Excel’s AddIn manager. To update the AddIn, you have to use some trickery. While you can copy over it when Excel is not running, on the other hand, you cannot directly uninstall the AddIn, you can only disable it from Excel. But once disabled, you can delete the .xlam, and relaunch Excel, go to the AddIn manager to try to work with the (now gone) AddIn and you’ll get Excel saying it can’t find it, so do you want to delete it. Say yes, and it will be uninstalled.
FYI, Notes
I keep the .xlsm to edit later, but you can actually debug and edit the .xlam and later convert it back to an .xlsm with a minor bit of trickery: find its "ThisWorkbook" entry in VBA, and then the "IsAddIn" property, set to false, its workbook will suddenly appear and you can save as .xlsm, or edit its workbook and set the property back to true to resave as .xlam directly.)
Answer 1
You can do that in VB.Net too. Just make a regular project. (comment by #SLaks)
This worked for me very well and was exactly what I was looking for.
Answer 2
The very descriptive answer posted by #ErikEidt
I haven't tried this, but it seems like a good and alternative way of getting macros to work.
Stated simply my question is as follows Is it possible for a button on a worksheet in a normal excel workbook (.xlsx not .xlsm) to trigger a macro in another file specifically an installed excel add in (.xlam).
Here is some background on why I want to achieve this. I have a workbook that many users need to be able to view but only some need to be able to update by filling in a form on another sheet and calling a macro in an add in. The worksheet should not contain any macros to avoid security warnings when opened by normal users. I can do this by having a ribbon button in the add in that the user clicks which will then check that the correct workbook is open and that the form is filled in etc. before executing the update code. However the interface would be nicer if the button instead of appearing on the ribbon was on the worksheet just below the form. Therefore my question is it possible to trigger an external macro from a button click in a non macro enabled workbook.
Yes, you can assign an external macro (which should be .xlsm file) to a non-macro-enabled workbook (.xlsx) button. My xlsm macro resides in the same directory as the xlsx workbook for simplicity. (Note: I am using Excel 2010)
Firstly, you must open your xlsm macro in the same instance of Excel window (i.e. do not open a new instance of Excel) so that your xlsx workbook will be able to see/access it.
Right-click on your xlsx workbook button and select "Assign Macro..."
Make sure you select Macros in: All Open Workbooks
All macros in open workbooks will be shown (this is why it is important to do step 1).
Select the desired macro from the list then click OK.
I don't see how you can execute a macro from a control in a non-macro-enabled workbook.