Future of VBA

[Michael Armstrong]

Bill mentioned in his book that Microsoft is talking about removing VBA. Is there any news on this? Thank you

 

[SydneyGeek]

I haven't heard anything new, but given that VBA is in just about every desktop application that MS ships, and millions of workbooks, databases, Word files, Outlook forms, Visio drawings... rely on VBA functionality, it would be a pretty rash step to ditch VBA altogether.
Basically, anyone with an investment in VBA applications wouldn't upgrade unless there was a guaranteed compatibility path. And what would prevent disgruntled users going to OpenOffice instead? So, although VBA is lumbered with some security issues, I think it's likely to be around for the foreseeable future.
My 2 cents...

Denis

 

[danlaporte]

I wouldn't be surprised to see it drifting toward the .Net framework (whatever that means...)

Dan

 

[SEAN432]

so ironic

Ironically I came to this forum to ask this very question. I come with a bit more information then what has already been shared here, information that concerns me.

Office 2003 developer...is not a product one can buy. Instead MS is reporting that it will develer a .Net package called "Visual studio tools for Office".

I seriously doubt they would take out VBA out of Office (maybe even ever) because its so helpful for small things as well as large projects. But it looks like for serious soultions MS wants to move things away from VBA

But, I just bought a book that covers VBA as a whole (how it intergrates with applications, API etc) becuase I am thinking of getting deep into VBA but if the serious VBA apps of the future are really going to be .Net I might as well continue .Net. .Net is not as much as fun or instantly gradifying as VBA but if I am going to invest a lot of study I might as well invest in the future and not what might soon be legacy code.

Here is the thing.

I dont see how VBA can communicate to objects created in .Net without a lot of trouble. Its pain enough as it is have managed code (.Net code) communicate with unmanaged code(legacy VBA,VB6 etc). So, when Office becomes written in .Net which it will if not already then having VBA communicate with office objects I am thinking would be a huge pain.

Having said all this, I would think MS would create a VBA.Net of sorts so that quick scripting etc will still be fun for us all but its starting to look like creating anything that can be truely protected will have to be done in visual studio (I am assuming a lot there).

From my understanding why something like Office would want to go .Net is for further use of XML, web services not to mention meaning a programmer can write in any lanugage syntax he/she chooses.

 

[Smitty]

Welcome to the Board!

See: http://dotnet.sys-con.com/read/48576.htm and http://classicvb.org/petition/

HTH,

Smitty

 

[mdmilner]

http://msdn.microsoft.com/office/technologyinfo/devtools/accessextensions/default.aspx

Been digging around - looks like my employer is moving to Office 2003 shortly, and I was trying to figure out precisely what I'm going to have to demand to support it. By the above link, it appears that the tools might be sold separately, or possibly a freebie.

Anybody have any other info?

I'm wondering if picking up VS2005.Net would work with Office 2003?

Mike

 

[Smitty]

VS 2005 will work fine with 2003.

Goto http://www.microsoft.com/getthebetas to order your FREE copy of VS2005 Beta.2. From the little bit that I've played with it it's pretty slick.

Smitty

 

[mdmilner]

Thanks - it always seems like I find what I'm looking for right after I post.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/howtobuy/vsto/default.aspx

Mike

 

[Smitty]

I think you'll like my link better. Visual Studio 2005 includes Visual Tools for Office, and oh yeah, did I mention that it's FREE!

As in zip, nada, nothing...Well, maybe you've got to pay for shipping, but that beats $499 anyday!

Smitty

 

[Anne Troy]

Check the link in my new signature.