Outsourcing of VBA code - vba

I am writing different VBA functions that I want to use out of different Excel files. How can I "outsource" these VBA functions that I don't have to write them in every Excel file redundantly!
Thank you for your help!

You could save your workbook as an add-in (.xlam) - an add-in loads with Excel, and runs at application level. You can reference an add-in in a macro-enabled workbook, and use the functions and objects it exposes:
The flipside is that anyone using workbooks that reference an add-in, will require that add-in in order to work.

Related

Creating a Macro That Can Run on Any Excel Sheet That I Open [duplicate]

How can I write macro in Excel that will work (to run with shortcut) on any excel document which I will open?
Is this possible?
You need to add your macros to Personal.xlsb in order to make them available to all the excel files. Choose Personal Macro Workbook in Record Macro dialog to do this quickly.
Source: http://office.microsoft.com/en-in/excel-help/copy-your-macros-to-a-personal-macro-workbook-HA102174076.aspx

Hiding or not displaying excel VBA UDF module/code

I wrote a simple UDF in Excel VBA. I saved it as an Add-in and imported it in so that I can use the function like any other excel function. But whenever I open an Excel workbook and subsequently VBA window to create a macro, the module I wrote is displayed in the Project Explorer window and its code in the coding window.
Is there any way I can hide or not display every time I open VBA?
Please let me know if you need more information. Thanks in advance!

Normal.dotm equivalent in Excel for referencing the same single VBA code

Just curiosity.
The only way I know so far is to create an add-in with code, put it in some trusted directory and hope it opens when you need it. The drawback is that it sometimes does not open together with application (e.g. I have a custom UDF in the add-in, I use it in the worksheet and an error is what I get, because the addin hasn't started). For this I have a button on my ribbon which calls a sub in the addin which does nothing, but then the addin is activated the UDF works.
Is there any other efficient way to reference code in another workbooks, like in Word we have normal.dotm template?
Indeed, Excel DOES have a common code file, similar in concept to Word's normal.dotm. It is called Personal.xlsb. I use it myself for common functions that I need for several linked yet independent spreadsheets.
Using Personal.xlsb has some disadvantages too, so you'll have to decide if that works better than the Add-in approach. Note that Personal.xlsb works best when its just one person needing common functions across spreadsheets; its not well suited for multi-user access to the spreadsheets in an enterprise environment.
Some useful links are below to get started. Also just google search "excel Personal.xlsb" and you will find a lot more information:
http://www.rondebruin.nl/win/personal.htm
http://chandoo.org/wp/2013/11/18/using-personal-macro-workbook/
To create an equalevant to normal.dot in Excel do this (at least ver. 2016):
Record a macro from the Developer tab (you likely have to enable this tab first)
This will create the file %appdata%\Microsoft\Excel\XLSTART\PERSONAL.XLSB which is Excel's equalevant to normal.dot
Now unhide the hidden workbook called "PERSONAL.XLSB"
Press Alt+F8 or Alt+F11 to edit the VBA code
Extra: VBA example for SaveAs:
Application.Dialogs(xlDialogSaveAs).Show

How do I correctly execute an Excel VBA macro?

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.

Standalone code for Excel

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.