Google Apps macros - how do they compare to Office VBA macros? - vba

Do any of you use the javascript macro capabilities of Google Apps, particularly for spreadsheets? How do the capabilities compare? Is there anything that Google Apps can't do that can be done with VBA macros?


I am in the middle of conversion of a complex project from VBA to Google Apps Script as an experiment to see what can be done and what can't.
In general, the development environment for google apps script is primitive and frustrating. The language is of course javaScript so if you already know that then you have a head start. The problem though is that many of the advantages of javaScript are not realizable since you don't actually have access to DOM elements, and neither do you have an equivalent of Excel shapes - except through the UI object- which is essentially the same as an excel form, with the same kind of events and objects etc.
Another issue is general slowness. You need to be careful how you structure, so that you minimize calls to the spreadsheet data (I got round this by building a values cache), and scalability is very questionable.
I am equally at home with javaScript or VBA, so putting language aside, VBA is currently more fulfilling and quicker to get things done, although there are increasing capabilities built in to apps script to make it extremely promising.
I am logging the progress of my migration, and the things I come across and the battles to figure out how to minimize structural change (I am trying to see if I can come up with something that would allow dual maintenance on both platforms), so if you are interested, you can follow along here
http://ramblings.mcpher.com/Home/excelquirks/gooscript
Bruce


The VBA in Office has been the same for about 10 years now, still using old VB6. The limitations of that language are endless. No data structures, no logic short-circuiting, limited types, non-object oriented. Google Apps and javascript are presumably on the forefront of technology and so it should not have many of these limitations.
As for what each is capable of doing that the other can't, that's a little more difficult to assert. I would argue that both languages are more or less turing complete, so while it may be more or less difficult to do something in each language, in theory, a good enough team of programmers could do just about anything in either.
Cheers :D


I'm trying to create charts in google spreadsheet using google apps script and is seems not possible... It is fairly easy in VBA, maybe vb6 is 10 years old but on the other hand you're able to do everything what you need with your spreadsheet. This is not the case in google scripts though.


One of the major hurdles is that Google Apps is web based. Thats were most companies cringe at the thought that you would have your own data not stored securely within your own network. I would never trust Google with that sort of data. I'm sure they have secure data connectors, but why take that risk?
Sure VBA is outdated, and not as sexy as javascript. However, its a great tool for quickly writing small applications, and getting it to the user fast. You only really hear nightmare stories about applications that were built by non-programmers using VBA.
It really depends on your project, and what you want to accomplish. Both have their limitations.


Having taken a quick look at Google Spreadsheet API I get the impression that its currently somewhat limited, for instance:
fewer Events, no control of calculation?, no way of writing UDFs?
Has anyone tried using it for serious work?


By its nature, a Google spreadsheet will not be able to do many things a local program will do. Example: a macro that would import all csv files in a user specified folder and consolidate them.


One thing that springs to mind is that VBA has full access to the WinAPI through 'Declare Function' declarations. Google Apps script won't have this access. This is something to watch for if you're converting a spreadsheet between the two.

Related

How do packages that let you control other software work? What are limitations with such an approach?

I was recently using a python package called OpenPyXl. It's a package that let me control and write to Excel and I'm trying to understand how something like that even works. How can Python and Excel "talk" to each other? I had a few questions regrading this topic, I hadn't been able to find definitive answers to.
From what I understand after reading a bit, Python must be talking to Excel through some API that the developer (in this case Microsoft I guess) made available for use. Is that generally how software which controls/interacts with other software works?
Without an API are you generally unable to interact with software through your own code? Let's say I wanted to write a program that could play the game solitaire on my windows machine, without Microsoft creating a specific API that makes it possible so some code I write can "talk" to Solitaire, would my only option be some sort of program that attempts to actually visually read and comprehend my screen, and control the mouse to implement moves?
I'm just trying to understand how various pieces of software can interact with each other, thus far my only experience has really only been in self contained scripts, and I don't fully understand if every program has some sort of.
If for instance, I had to write a bot to play solitaire, I don't even know where I would begin, and I just want to have a better understanding of how the pieces fit together.

Windows Form App Code Security

I'm creating a windows form app and the underlying code needs to be secure. In the code is database information and many equations which people should not be able to see.
What I'm asking is if I install the app on someone's computer, how easy is it for them to "break" into the application and view this sensitive information? If it's not difficult for them to find the code, are there ways to prevent this from happening? I would appreciate any input.

It's very easy to view code. Tools like ILSpy or .NET Reflector can practically show your code as you have written it in C# or VB.NET.
There are some possibilities, some free or cheap, some will cost you:
Obfuscation: This replaces names and sometimes logic in your excutable with other code that is hardly human readable. This is easy to do and there are tools like Confuser that do a good job, but the code is still there and can be read. It's only slowing attackers down.
Another option that I have evaluated myself is using hardware protection in the form of Dongles. Here the whole application is encrypted with a secret key that is stored on a smartcard. Portions of the code that are needed are decrypted on the fly at runtime and executed. Since the code is encrypted you can't read it easily. Solutions like Codemeter are pretty hard to beat (there are no real cracks for these if implemented correctly, which isn't hard. But this is not for free.
You always need to have the scope of your protection in mind. Who do you want to keep from getting your code?
The average guy who also has used .NET some times and knows how to google and download ILSpy? Obfuscate it mildly and he will be annoyed enough to leave it be.
Some other people who really know what they are doing but still without financial interest? Use some more drastic obfuscation like code restructuring and so on and they will probably not invest weeks of their time to just finding some formulas.
Some other company who is willing to put in the financial ressources and the knowhow of talented people to get your code to make a profit? Obfuscation will not help you. Maybe encryption will, maybe not.
We went with the Dongle solution since we also want to manage licensing in an easy way for the customers (of which most have very restricted online capabilities), while the code protection is a very nice additional feature.

You can use two-way cryptography before storing the information on the database. This question's answer has an explanation of how to do that very simply: Simple insecure two-way "obfuscation" for C#
About the equations, if they're hardcode in your app, and you don't deliver the source code of the app, the only way to retrieve it is using disassembly, wich, even with very simple tools, you have to be "computer savy" to do it.

What is MAGIC programming language? Which other language is closest in syntax? [closed]

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I have recently heard about Magic programming language from several sources and didn't recall ever hearing about it before. It was mentioned that it is a programming language from Israel.
I did some googling and couldn't find much information about it. I couldn't find any code examples, and wikipedia didn't have any information on it either.
I think this is the site for it http://www.magicsoftware.com/en/products/?catID=70 though I am not sure, as it mentions uniPaaS instead of magic. However other material on the site indicates that this is the new name for it.
I was interested in learning more about it from it's practitioners, rather than the company. I saw several claims on the internet that it provided really fast application development, similar to claims made by RoR proponents when it came out.
How does it compare to VB?
Is it still a better RAD tool than current .net or mvc frameworks like django, ror ...etc?
How hard is it to learn?
If you can post some sample code it would be most helpful as well.
Could this site be it? Though it links back to the page above.

You're right my friend, Magic is the original name of the "programming language", nowadays is called UniPaaS (Uni Platform as a Service), I use it to develop some business application. Maybe is the fastest way to create an applications(data manipulation), you can create apps in just a few days, but like everything in life has its own drawbacks:
it's very weird so that makes it
difficult to learn.
you do not have all the control of what's happening in the background
and you have to pay a lot for licensing (servers,clients, etc)
If you are interested in learning this, you can download a "free" version of the software that only works with sqlite databases called UniPaaS Jet.

Magic Language is as it’s called today uniPaaS, it used to be Magic than eDeveloper and now uniPaaS as PachinSV menchend before.
uniPaaS is an application platform enabling enterprises, independent software vendors (ISVs) and system integrators (SIs) to more successfully build and deploy business applications.
You can download the free version of uniPaaS Jet here: http://web.magicsoftware.com/unipaas-jet-download,
try it yourself and see how easy it is to use.
Magic technology as you descried is a Magic Software Enterprises tool (uniPaaS), you can find more information on:
official website: www.magicsoftware.com/en/products/?catID=70&pageID=55
uniPaaS Jet developer group on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/unipaasJet/
Magic developer zone: devnet.magicsoftware.com/en/unipaas
Let me know if you find the information helpful
Bob

As PachinSV explained, there is a RAD once called Magic, then eDeveloper, now UniPaaS. This RAD is dedicated for database applications. Programming in this RAD does not look like anything else I know, you mostly don't write code as with usual languages, but it is nearly impossible to explain just with words. The applications are interpreted, not compiled.
As PachinSV said, when developing, you must follow UniPaaS' way of doing things. This is probably why so many people never manage to use Magic properly: if you thought like Magic before learning about it, then you will adapt to it easily; but if you have a long and successful experience using other database development tools, then often the Magic paradigm will never become natural to you. The learning curve is quite steep, you must learn a lot of things before being able to write a little application.
Previous versions stored the "code" inside a database table. The last version, UniPaas stores the code in xml files. I could send you an example, if PachinSV does not answer you before. But the files are pretty big: the smallest xml file I have in a test app is 4000 bytes, and any application is made of at least 11 files, an empty application is 7600 bytes. You must also understand that developers never use those files (they are undocumented AFAIK), they are only the storage format used internally by UniPaaS. The only way to use them is to set them up as a UniPaaS application.

I'm still an active MAGIC Developer... This is the old name used and its a completely different paradigm like some of you mentioned. I've been developing it from Magic version 8.x to eDeveloper 9.x to 10.x then renamed to UniPAAS.
The newer version is much easier to use and it is still very RAD in the sense that there is little or no code you write... a lot of the common programming tasks like IO, SQL command...etc is handled by the tool and is transparent ( so even less code to write since we use it in almost all types of applications)... Its mostly an Enterprise tool... you wouldnt use it for small application...
You can download the free version to learn the paradigm... but the enterprise licenses are expensive.. you need both the development tool and the runtime license if you want to deploy... so it can be costly for small scale projects...
I enjoy it personally, especially when you have to do quick proof of concepts or a quick data migration or porting onto any db platform and bridging any existing system through a wide range of gateways they provide with the licensed version.. It is up to date with the commonly used web technology out there...like SOAP, RIA ...
It's more popular in Europe... The HQ in the States is in Irvine... we used to have 2 branches in Canada but it closed down in 2001 .... Visit the Magic User Group on Yahoo... Its a very active forum with lots of cool people who will help you out in your quest...
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/magicu-l/

I Programmed with Magic for 6 years and found it to be a amazingly fast tool, easy to understand if you are a competent database programmmer because all operations are really about data manipulation. It is certainly a niche area develop in and because of this jobs are few and far between. As it is interpreted there are really no bugs to make. It will work with many databases/connections simultaneously but there is a big memory and processing hit.
Drawbacks :
Little control over communications between machines and devices
No mobile API as yet
Niche area so few skilled practitioners or companies willing to invest.
Good Points :
You can say you are a Magician; you can impress people with uber fast apps development (really)
It is easy to understand if you don't have a PHD in Maths
zero programming "bugs" can creep in. What you do is what you get.

Developed in The original Magic PC referred to by several of the above folks.
It is exactly this: FAST, FAST, but expensive and rigid in what it will allow you to do. It works on a tick tack toe like matrix. Dropping in commands into the various sections determines when they are run. The middle column is run indefinitely until you break the cycle. It is like a do Until loop. If you have to do an item once you put it into this infinite loop and end it after one cycle.
The first column procedures are run first, ONCE, before the infinite middle column is run. The 3rd column of commands is run after the infinite cycle, once. It is very efficient and logical once you get over the idea of an infinite loop.
Types can be specified and an associated program to present the type. Then everywhere the type is used all the settings automatically kick in. I like especially that one can write the program and 5 months later change the name of a variable and it is carried throughout the program. In fact the program does not use your name for anything. The internal name of any and all variables is hidden to the end user, so of course it is not a problem to change a name. It takes a minute to write an input program for any table. It takes a minute to write an export/import program for all the data files in the database.
Attaching to a type of database like Btrieve or SQL independent of the program itself.
I stopped using the language because they demand more for the runtime engine than I could charge for the programs I wished to run with it. Bill Gates went the opposite direction. VB is superior in control and being able to drop `10 datagridviews onto the same screen, but development is 10 times slower.
It's niche then is PROOF of concept for a program in a big company or conversion, importing, exporting for a development company. It is good for $25k programs that are database heavy and not going mobile.
uniPaaS, Magic PC

I did some Magic work around 1993. It was a DOS based 4GL that came from Israel. Haven't seen it since.

How does it compare to VB?
It doesn't.
Is it still a better RAD tool than current .net or mvc frameworks like django, ror ...etc?
If you mean "is it more Rapid", then yes, otherwise no.
How hard is it to learn?
About as hard as learning MS Access.
Coincidentally, if you want to get an idea of what it is and how it works, I've found that comparing it to MS Access is handy. It works in much the same way from a user's or developer's perspective. Obviously what happens in the background is vastly different, but if you've ever developed a form in design view in Access, Magic will seem very familiar.

Google tells me there's also MAGIC/L. All I could find about it was this blurb:
A procedural language written in
Forth. Originally ran on Z80's under
CP/M and later available for IBM-PCs
and Sun 3s.

The only Magic programming language that I know about is one used by a company called Meditech. It's a proprietary language derived from MUMPS.
The language is truly miserable - here's a sample.

What is the best way to draw in Excel using VBA?

I'm a civil engineer designing a program that allows the user to define number of cross sections of a roadway and then calculate the quantity of the different materials used to build the roadway layers. I need to be able to plot a representation of the cross section that the users has defined. I'm not sure if this would be best accomplished by plotting various series on a chart, or drawing shape objects. Does anyone have any thoughts?

Yeah, not only is Excel pretty good for this, it's also pretty common to use it for this. The Newton Excel Bach blog may be where you want to spend some good time - it's an Excel for engineers site. He's got a great series on drawing with Excel. Here's one that addresses your immediate question: Drawing in Excel 7 – Creating drawings from coordinates

Since I know nothing about your problem domain or your programming skills, I can only give some general thoughts:
Excel is really good for modeling and building certain prototypes. Modeling this problem and building some charts by hand should give you and your users a good idea if the Excel solution is going to fly. If you can't get the graphics you want I would look elsewhere. Perhaps Visual Studio and Visual Basic or C#. These have mature drawing capabilities and also charting controls in recent editions.
Excel VBA has a pretty good programming layer for charts. You can also draw custom objects with VBA. I have not done this but I am sure there are references on the web. In any event, if the manually built Excel prototype looks good, it might be worthwhile to automate it with VBA.
Another factor is how many, and of what skill set will the users be? Fewer users, who know Excel pretty well make a case for using Excel. Supporting a large number of users could become onerous as it is possible to change the code in an individual file.
Finally, how long will this application be around? Versioning Excel applications can be done, but it easier to do this with more sophisticated programming environments. Also if you are going to continue to add features you might run into a wall with VBA's feature set. Hope this helps.

Google Chart APIs for plotting data in local machine

Preface:
I am a system programmer (who has just started his career as a S/W Engineer), so not very good # web scripting languages, though I have just started learning them.
Problem Synopsis:
I want to write an app that keeps track of what I am doing and records it allowing me to analyse my time spending pattern and could help me analyse whenever I want.
Problem Description:
My plan is to write an app that sits in the background and keeps track of active window on my desktop (every second) and stores this data in a SQLite database. But to be more appealing (As I want to share this app with others), I want to have a feature where the user can analyse data recorded between any period of his interest. For this I want the user to be able to generate charts and graphs using the recorded data.
For this I thought of using browser for UI and Google Visualization APIs for plotting work. So, is it possible to use Google Visualization APIs to plot local data? if so, plz guide me on how to continue... (As told before, I am a system programmer, C programmer to be specific, who has just started learning web scripting in free time)
Reasons for these decisions:
(1) App that records what I am doing will be in C/C++ - B'coz I am system programmer and am very comfortable with them. And can get it done easily and quickly.
(2) SQLite - Very small and can easily be embedded in my app, and is Open Source. And I think many web scripting langs like PHP, python have interfaces to access SQLite DB.
(3) Browser for UI - Hope it will be easy for user to use browser, and I will not have much to do regarding UI. As main UI will be browser and Google Visualization APIs will do plotting. All I might have to do is write few lines of script (Am I right here on the last point???)
Comment on my design decision and any tutorials(or pointers) which teaches me on how to do this will be highly appreciated...
Thank You
MicroKernel :)
PS: Idea inspired by Nathan Baulch's reply to https://stackoverflow.com/questions/161590/how-do-you-track-your-time
#Nathan Baulch, Thank you so much for such a brilliant idea. \m/

I would embed browser to app (you want to write in C#)
and use jquery plotting as chart. You will find more info here: http://www.flotcharts.org/