VBA and Office.js
VBA and Office.js
(OP)
With the move toward cloud computing and decentralized file storage and access as well as the ubiquity of mobile devices and their rapidly advancing computing power, what does everyone think about running calculations using Office.js rather than VBA?
Is anyone aware of mobile/web version support for VBA in the future?
Has anyone attempted to use Office.js or translate VBA calculations to Office.js? Was it straightforward or did you have to start completely from scratch?
Is anyone aware of mobile/web version support for VBA in the future?
Has anyone attempted to use Office.js or translate VBA calculations to Office.js? Was it straightforward or did you have to start completely from scratch?
RE: VBA and Office.js
I'd imagine the biggest barrier would be simply getting familiar enough with java script if you're not already. I've written a small amount in bluebeam to do various tasks and I didn't find it anywhere near as intuitive as VBA or python. But I was a total beginner.
Personally I'm hanging out for them adding native python support to open up a world of possibilities with the libraries available. It seems like it may happen one day.
I can't imagine they will ever add mobile support for VBA. But you never know.
RE: VBA and Office.js
Windows versions will continue to support VBA. Until there are no more Windows versions of Office, or until MS decides to no longer support VBA (probably unlikely).
RE: VBA and Office.js
MintJulep - that's what I had concluded as well, but I know there are several people here that are much more adept and aware of industry trends when it comes to programming languages. Figured I'd ask and see if anyone knew something I didn't.
RE: VBA and Office.js
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/dev/add-in...
I've created some 10,000 lines of VBA code that automate business processes. Someday it seems inevitable that they will need to be ported to Office.js. Since programming is not actually my primary job, I'm hoping that I won't be the one doing it.
RE: VBA and Office.js
I also agree that Microsoft's position is that whilst they will keep supporting VBA they will not be introducing a Web-enabled version, and all the new development is focussed on JavaScript.
Regarding Python, Microsoft said they would be working on native Python support in Office about 3 years ago, but they seem to have gone quiet on that. But there is really no reason to wait for that; there are several options for developing Python code that interacts directly with Excel, including xlwings (free) and Pyxll (commercial but inexpensive).
I am focussing on Pyxll at the moment and whilst the debugging isn't quite as smooth as in VBA, the development process is otherwise pretty much as easy as using VBA, once you have got used to the Python peculiarities.
Those interested in making Excel macros available on line might be interested in: https://www.pyxll.com/blog/anvil-pyxll/ "This article demonstrates how Anvil can be used to create web apps that can also power Excel spreadsheets with PyXLL"
Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services
http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/
RE: VBA and Office.js
It's just not native support in excel (yet) which means you're invariably going to potentially have some issues. Really opens up a lot of possibilities though that vba just cannot do. I'm currently using xlwings with Python/excel, seems to be actively supported and developed with updates on a reasonably regular basis.
Python is fairly simple to grasp, just took a while to come to grips with some of the formatting. But get VSCode and some of the automatic formatting extensions and you're good to go more or less after a few YouTube videos.
RE: VBA and Office.js
To access the Office 365 REST API from python.
I don't have the time, need or interest to investigate deeper.
RE: VBA and Office.js