iPad 2 running Excel with VBA?

[Engineer Joe]

Does anyone know if you can run Excel and VBA with an iPad 2? Our company is running a pilot program with iPads. My only previous use for Macs to use them as visual indicators for people who don't actually do any work, but rather enjoy appearing very busy. So, at some point, one of our division heads received enough requests and input from people saying that we should use iPads at work. EVERYTHING we do is Microsoft based, so to me the idea was ludicrous when it was first proposed. So now we have a pilot program, and I've been tasked with leading the program from my division head. I have the task of assessing their usefulness in the workplace. I think I was chosen because I'm somewhat tech savvy and I'm known as an apple-hater. So anyway, here are the questions that I believe that my trusty friends who frequent MrExcel can help me answer so that I can find a way to put these **** toys to work for me.

1) Can Ipad 2 run excel and VBA macros? (i googled this question, couldn't find a solid response)
2) If not, is there a comparable scripting language for apple products that iPads can utilize?
3) WHERE IS THE MINIMIZE BUTTON????????????????????????????

Alrighty, thanks. and next time I'll be back in my normal mode of posing more codey questions which everyone is more comfortable with.

 

[Norie]

Joe

I checked this out myself and I'm pretty sure the consensus was No.

I can't recall seeing anybody suggesting workarounds either.

Mind you I did see someone suggesting converting to .NET but they didn't really expand on the idea.

 

[Engineer Joe]

And the reply comes from Norie! You've been on this board since before I knew how to write a "for each" loop. Thanks for the input. I figured this might be the case. I think I'm still going to try and see if I can make some sort of work around. Frankly, I'm appalled that we've bought 40 iPads and absolutely zero microsoft or android based tablets. If I can find a way to make it work, I'll post back, but I don't have very high hopes.

 

[tusharm]

AFAIK, the Mac and the iPad use different OSs (Mac OS and iOS, respectively). Mac Excel, and the rest of Mac Office 2011 run on MacOS. I have not seen any reports of Office running on iOS. Also, from my limited tests it appears that the Mac Office 2011 VBA feature set is the equivalent of VBA on Windows Office 97!

There may be iOS products that work with Excel files. Based on my experience with claims and tests of other products running on other platforms, I am skeptical about how faithfully such a product will emulate Excel's behavior.

Does anyone know if you can run Excel and VBA with an iPad 2? Our company is running a pilot program with iPads. My only previous use for Macs to use them as visual indicators for people who don't actually do any work, but rather enjoy appearing very busy. So, at some point, one of our division heads received enough requests and input from people saying that we should use iPads at work. EVERYTHING we do is Microsoft based, so to me the idea was ludicrous when it was first proposed. So now we have a pilot program, and I've been tasked with leading the program from my division head. I have the task of assessing their usefulness in the workplace. I think I was chosen because I'm somewhat tech savvy and I'm known as an apple-hater. So anyway, here are the questions that I believe that my trusty friends who frequent MrExcel can help me answer so that I can find a way to put these **** toys to work for me.

1) Can Ipad 2 run excel and VBA macros? (i googled this question, couldn't find a solid response)
2) If not, is there a comparable scripting language for apple products that iPads can utilize?
3) WHERE IS THE MINIMIZE BUTTON????????????????????????????

Alrighty, thanks. and next time I'll be back in my normal mode of posing more codey questions which everyone is more comfortable with.

 

[shg]

My wife and I gave each other an iPad for Christmas -- it really is a fun appliance.

But something that would run Excel and VBA would be more fun (to me). Unfortunately, the first app you'd need to load would be a 500-pound anti-virus app.

 

[kgng100]

My wife and I gave each other an iPad for Christmas -- it really is a fun appliance.

But something that would run Excel and VBA would be more fun (to me). Unfortunately, the first app you'd need to load would be a 500-pound anti-virus app.

Hi folks, I am running into brick walls with macros on the iPad. My only suggestion would be to add your vote to quickoffice ideas website. Quick office is a Microsoft office viewer/editing tool for the iPad. They have a voting service for ideas to implement and if enough people vote they may work on fitting this in. I know that quick office works with macros on the Samsung android device so they have provided this support before.

Here is the link:
Macro support - Quickoffice for iPad - Quickoffice Ideas - by IdeaScale

 

[nd1marcello]

I believe the new Microsoft tablet does not support VBA at all... which leads me to think other versions do not either.

 

[Ronelz]

Hi Joe

Did you ever find a solution for this?

And did you ever test OnLive Desktop as a possibility? It's not available where I am yet but I think it *might* be the answer.

I'd be grateful for any help you can offer!

 

[nbrcrunch]

Joe: The only way I can think to address the need for automation is to consider Scripts within Google docs (spreadsheet included). I just read about this recently here: Google Apps Script - The Programmer's Library. Another man that I actually "met" here at MrExcel now does a blog on Google docs that is very enlightening: Cloud Computing -- Google Docs Way. The good thing is that since it is cloud based, these scripts should run on any tablet as long as the security is set correctly.

Sadly, upper mgmt doesn't always make insightful decisions especially when it comes to technology. I know what it feels like to be told "make it work" when the only intelligent reply is: "You can't get blood out of turnip." However, as has been cited, none of the tablet OS's support VBA.

 

[Engineer Joe]

Hey everyone, I just want to let you know that I think I found the solution! Here are the steps you'll need to take:

1) Throw away your iPad.
2) Wait until mid-february and purchase the surface pro.
3) ...profit!
4) Also, rest easy knowing that the pro will have the full version of adobe acrobat so you can run all that javascript you crapped into those PDF's.