Visual Basic for Applications
Developer Microsoft | | |
First appeared | 1993 | |
---|---|---|
Stable release | 7.1 (Office 2021 )
| |
Typing discipline | Static/Dynamic Hybrid, Strong/Weak Hybrid | |
OS | Microsoft Windows, macOS | |
License | Commercial proprietary software | |
Influenced by | ||
QuickBASIC, Visual Basic |
Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is an implementation of
Visual Basic for Applications enables building user-defined functions (UDFs), automating processes and accessing Windows API and other low-level functionality through dynamic-link libraries (DLLs). It supersedes and expands on the abilities of earlier application-specific macro programming languages such as Word's WordBASIC. It can be used to control many aspects of the host application, including manipulating user interface features, such as menus and toolbars, and working with custom user forms or dialog boxes.
As its name suggests, VBA is closely related to Visual Basic and uses the Visual Basic Runtime Library. However, VBA code normally can only run within a host application, rather than as a standalone program. VBA can, however, control one application from another using OLE Automation. For example, VBA can automatically create a Microsoft Word report from Microsoft Excel data that Excel collects automatically from polled sensors. VBA can use, but not create, ActiveX/COM DLLs, and later versions add support for class modules.
VBA is built into most
Design
Code written in VBA is
Automation
Interaction with the host application uses
Visual Basic for Applications programs which are written to use the OLE Automation interface of one application cannot be used to automate a different application, even if that application hosts the Visual Basic runtime, because the OLE Automation interfaces will be different. For example, a VBA program written to automate Microsoft Word cannot be used with a different word processor, even if that word processor hosts VBA.
Conversely, multiple applications can be automated from the one host by creating Application objects within the VBA code. References to the different libraries must be created within the VBA client before any of the methods, objects, etc. become available to use in the application. This is achieved through what is referred to as Early or Late Binding. These application objects create the OLE link to the application when they are first created. Commands to the different applications must be done explicitly through these application objects in order to work correctly.
As an example, VBA code written in Microsoft Access can establish references to the Excel, Word and Outlook libraries; this allows creating an application that – for instance – runs a query in Access, exports the results to Excel and analyzes them, and then formats the output as tables in a Word document or sends them as an Outlook email.
VBA programs can be attached to a menu button, a macro, a keyboard shortcut, or an OLE/COM event, such as the opening of a document in the application. The language provides a user interface in the form of UserForms, which can host ActiveX controls for added functionality.
Inter-process communication automation includes the Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) and RealTimeData (RTD) which allows calling a Component Object Model (COM) automation server for dynamic or realtime financial or scientific data.[7]
Security concerns
As with any common programming language, VBA macros can be created with malicious intent. Using VBA, most of the
In February 2022, Microsoft announced its plan to block VBA macros in files downloaded from the Internet by default in a variety of Office apps due to their widespread use to spread malware.[8]
Version history
- VBA was first launched with MS Excel 5.0 in 1993. It became an instant success among developers to create corporate solutions using Excel. Inclusion of VBA with Microsoft Project, Access and Word replacing Access BASIC and WordBASIC respectively made it more popular.
- VBA 4.0 is the next famous release with a totally upgraded version compared to previous one. Released in 1996, it is written in C++ and became an object oriented language.
- VBA 5.0 was launched in 1997 along with all of MS Office 97 products. The only exception for this was Outlook 97 which used VBScript.
- VBA 6.0 and VBA 6.1 were launched in 1999, notably with support for COM add-ins in Office 2000. VBA 6.2 was released alongside Office 2000 SR-1.
- VBA 6.3 was released after Office XP, VBA 6.4 followed Office 2003 and VBA 6.5 was released with Office 2007.
- Office 2010 includes VBA 7.0. There are no new features in VBA 7 for developers compared to VBA 6.5 except for 64-bit support. However, after VBA 6.5/Office 2007, Microsoft stopped licensing VBA for other applications.
- Office 2013, Office 2016, Office 2019 and Office 2021 include VBA 7.1.
Development
As of July 1, 2007, Microsoft no longer offers VBA distribution licenses to new customers. Microsoft intended to add .NET-based languages to the current version of VBA ever since the release of the .NET Framework,[9] of which versions 1.0 and 1.1 included a scripting runtime technology named Script for the .NET Framework.[10] Visual Studio .NET 2002 and 2003 SDK contained a separate scripting IDE called Visual Studio for Applications (VSA) that supported VB.NET.[11][12][13] One of its significant features was that the interfaces to the technology were available via Active Scripting (VBScript and JScript), allowing even .NET-unaware applications to be scripted via .NET languages. However, VSA was deprecated in version 2.0 of the .NET Framework,[13] leaving no clear upgrade path for applications desiring Active Scripting support (although "scripts" can be created in C#, VBScript, and other .NET languages, which can be compiled and executed at run-time via libraries installed as part of the standard .NET runtime).
Microsoft dropped VBA support for Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac.[14][15] VBA was restored in Microsoft Office for Mac 2011. Microsoft said that it has no plan to remove VBA from the Windows version of Office.[16][17]
With
See also
- Visual Studio Tools for Applications
- Visual Studio Tools for Office
- Microsoft Visual Studio
- Microsoft FrontPage
- OpenOffice Basic
- LotusScript
- Microsoft Power Fx
References
- ^ "Compatibility Between the 32-bit and 64-bit Versions of Office 2010". msdn.microsoft.com.
- ^ o365devx. "What's new for VBA in Office 2019". docs.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Support for VBA Macros". The Document Foundation - LibreOffice. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
- ^ "Reflection Desktop VBA Guide". docs.attachmate.com. Retrieved 2017-07-01.
- ^ "2016 SolidWorks Help – VBA". help.solidworks.com. Retrieved 2016-07-25.
- ^ a b "ACC: Visual/Access Basic Is Both a Compiler and an Interpreter". Microsoft. 2012. Archived from the original on 2012-10-21.
- ^ "How to set up and use the RTD function in Excel". msdn.microsoft.com.
- ^ "Microsoft to Block Office VBA Macros by Default". The Verge. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
- ^ "Visual Studio for Applications". Archived from the original on 2007-12-17.
- ^ "Introducing Visual Studio for Applications". msdn.microsoft.com.
- ^ "Script Happens .NET". msdn.microsoft.com.
- ^ "Microsoft Takes Wraps Off VSA Development Technology". Archived from the original on 2007-12-17.
- ^ a b "VSA scripting in .NET". Archived from the original on 2007-02-11.
- ^ "WWDC: Microsoft updates Universal status of Mac apps". Macworld. 2006-08-07. Retrieved 2007-05-25.
- ^ "What is Microsoft Office and Office 365 – FAQs".
- ^ "The Reports of VBA's Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated".
- ^ "Clarification on VBA Support". Archived from the original on 2008-04-11.
- ^ "Compatibility Between the 32-bit and 64-bit Versions of Office 2010". msdn.microsoft.com.
- ^ "Release notes for Monthly Channel releases in 2017". learn.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2022-11-13.