Office For Mac 2016 Vba

Office For Mac 2016 Vba

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Hi All, in Excel 2016 for Mac I have enabled the Developer tab to have la possibility to show the code of a Button but I can't find the same situation as I have in Excel 2016 for Windows. More exactly in Exec 2016 for Windows, to show the code related to a Button I select 'Developer tab', under.

AppleScriptTask in Office 2016 for the Mac

In Office 2011 for the Mac there are many problems with the built-in VBA commands. For Example Dir, Kill, GetOpenFilename, GetSaveAsFileName and many others. For example, in Office 2011 file names in VBA are limited to a maximum of 32 characters including the extension. If the file name is longer the code fails.

VBA developers responded by using AppleScript in many situations to work around the problems. They also used AppleScript to do things that are not possible with VBA code; for example to email using VBA code, Excel 2011 and Outlook 2011.

In Office 2016, we need to use a new method and a new approach explained below.

Example for Excel 2011

In Office 2011 we use the built-in MacScript function to run a script that we build up as a string in the VBA code. See the code example below.

Copy the test macro and the function below into a normal module of your workbook. Change the file path and name in the macro TestMacro to point to a file on your Mac to test.

When you run the macro named TestMacro it will test if the file :
Macintosh HD:Users:RDB:Desktop:MacTestFile.xlsm
exists on your Mac and display a msgbox showing True or False

Note: You can also use : FileName = '/Users/RDB/Desktop/MacTestFile.xlsm'

Excel 2016 for the Mac

If you test the code that is working correctly in Excel 2011, in Excel 2016 it gives a run-time error 5; but if you test the script string that the VBA code created in the Script Editor, the script works correctly.

What’s the problem here?

The legacy 'MacScript' VB Command is severely limited by Apple’s sandbox requirements: it will not work correctly in most situations in Office 2016. Updating the MacScript function seems to be too difficult.

Instead, Microsoft added a new VB command 'AppleScriptTask' that accesses and runs an AppleScript file located outside the sandboxed app. This new approach is not as convenient: with the MacScript function you could have the script in the file itself, while with the AppleScriptTask method you need to distribute an extra file containing the script, and it must be placed in the specified location on the user’s system to have permission to run. This requires some user interaction the first time.

1) Test the AppleScript in the Script Editor ?

First we open the Script Editor on your Mac.

  1. Click on the Spotlight icon in the top right corner of your Mac.
  2. Enter 'Script Editor' to find and open this program.
  3. Click the New Document button, and we are ready to start.

Tip: Right click on the Script Editor icon in the dock and choose Options>Keep in Dock so it is easy the next time to open it when you need it.

The script you want the VBA code to run looks like this now in the script editor:

tell application 'System Events' to return (exists disk item 'Macintosh HD:Users:RDB:Desktop:MacTestFile.xlsm') and class of disk item 'Macintosh HD:Users:RDB:Desktop:MacTestFile.xlsm' = file

  1. Paste that inside the editor
  2. Press the Run button
  3. Observe the Result area at the bottom
  4. You see the result (True or False)

When your script works correctly in the script editor you have proved that nothing is wrong with the script. Now we go to step 2 to make the script ready for using it with AppleScriptTask.

2) Add the script inside a handler and test it

Replace the script in the Script Editor with the script below.

And for testing only we copy this line at the top

ExistsFile('/Users/RDB/Desktop/MacTestFile.xlsm')

You can use this line instead if you want to use the colon separator

ExistsFile('Macintosh HD:Users:RDB:Desktop:MacTestFile.xlsm')

So it looks like this :

  1. Now save the file as MyFileTest.scpt on your Desktop.
  2. Use (File>Save)in the Script Editor Menu bar in the top left corner of your Mac window
  • The Script Editor must be active to see the Script Editor menu bar.

You see that I placed the code inside a handler named ExistsFile which takes a parameter string of filepath. The name of the handler and parameter string is your choice. You see also in the script line that I replaced both path/file name strings with the variable filepath. This works the same as in the VBA code example for Excel 2011 where we have a string named FileName, which we created in the macro.

Before we try to run the script with AppleScriptTask in VBA we first test the handler inside the Script Editor. The first line in the script is there only for testing.

Press the Run button, and the script test if the file exists on your Mac. The line above the ExistsFile handler provides the filename string to the ExistsFile handler, to enable you to test the script before we take the next step of calling it from VBA.

Before we go to the next step remove the script line above the handler or make it a comment, so the script does not use it. You do this by adding two hyphens before the line so it looks like this:

--ExistsFile('/Users/RDB/Desktop/MacTestFile.xlsm')

Click on the Run button and you see that nothing happens, because the handler has no filename string to test. But it test and indents the changes in the script. It is important before you close a file after you make changes to press the Run button.

Close the script file now and you will notice that it has automatically saved your changes.

3) Where to place the script file for using it with AppleScriptTask

Now the script file is ready and tested we must copy it into the correct location. Follow the steps below to copy and paste it into this exact location.

  1. Open a Finder Window
  2. Hold the Alt key and click Go in the Finder menu bar
  3. Click Library
  4. Click Application Scripts (if it exists; if not create this folder)
  5. Click com.microsoft.Excel if it exists; if not create this folder (note: Capital letter E)
  6. Copy MyFileTest.scpt to the com.microsoft.Excel folder.

Note : If you have add one or both folders and have problems with the code on this page reboot your Mac first and test it again.

Note: If you want to use the example in Word you must add/use the com.microsoft.Word folder, each Office app have its own folder. Unfortunately there is no folder for all Office programs.

This are three ways to easily open the com.microsoft.Excel folder manual :

  • Add it to your Favorites in Finder by dragging it to it while holding the Alt key down.
  • Add it to your Favorites in Finder with the shortcut : cmd Ctrl T
  • Drag the folder to the Desktop with the CMD and Alt key down. You now have a link to the folder on your desktop so it is easy to find it and open it in the future.

Note : Adding the folder to your Favorites is my favorite because you see the folder in your open and save dialogs in Excel.

4) Use the script we create in VBA with AppleScriptTask

When you use AppleScriptTask the third argument is a parameter string that you use to give information to the handler. In the example on this page this must be the file path and name of the file that we want to test for.

This is the code line that you use in your VBA code: You see that there are three arguments: Download midas civil 2013 full crack.

  1. The script file name
  2. The name of the handler
  3. The file name you want to check

RunMyScript = AppleScriptTask('MyFileTest.scpt', 'ExistsFile', '/Users/RDB/Desktop/MacTestFile.xlsm')

So your VBA macro now looks like this :

You can also add code to your workbook that check if the scpt file is in the correct location, copy the function below in the same module as your macro :

You can add this to your macro to stop it when the scpt file is not in the correct location

More information

More than one handler in your script file

You can have more than one handler in the scriptfile; in the screenshot below I have also added a handler to test whether a nominated folder exists on your Mac.

Calling the folder test in VBA looks like this:

RunMyScript = AppleScriptTask('MyFileTest.scpt', 'ExistsFolder', '/Users/RDB/Desktop/YourFolder/')

Use more than one parameter string with AppleScriptTask

AppleScriptTask can accept only one parameter string, but I found a workaround. See my Mail example codes for 2016 if you want to know how to do this : http://www.rondebruin.nl/mac/mail.htm

Create SCPT files with VBA code and copy it in the com.microsoft.Excel folder

It is possible to create or update scpt files only with VBA code, but before you can do this you must do some things manual first because Apple not allow you to create the path with VBA code. See point 3 above how to create the path below.

Library/Application Scripts/com.microsoft.Excel/

Then copy the MakeSCPTFile.scpt file from the download above inside the com.microsoft.Excel folder.

You must do this only one time and after that you can do everything with VBA code.

Copy the excel workbook on your desktop and test the code and see if it create a new scpt file inside the com.microsoft.Excel folder for you, you see that you create the script also in the VBA macro. If you change the string in the macro and run the code again it will overwrite the existing scpt file, this way you can update the scpt file.

These days we all live and work in a multi-device, multi-platform world, and so when building Office 2016 for Mac, one of our key objectives was to make it as easy as possible to transition from using Office for Windows to using Office for Mac and back again. That’s why you’ll notice an interface that’s consistent with what you’d expect when using Office 2016 for Windows, and why we added support for virtually all of the Windows Excel Ctrl keyboard shortcuts. So when it came to working with external data, we applied that same logic: how can we make the experience great and working cross platform easier than ever?

External data in Excel 2016 for Mac

We examined how we could improve external data for Excel 2016 for Mac and made the following changes:

  • Excel 2016 for Mac comes with a pre-installed and integrated SQL Server ODBC driver, which we worked hand-in-hand with Simba Technologies to provide.
  • Excel 2016 for Mac has a brand new Microsoft Query (MSQuery) and Connection Manager to make creating and managing all of your data connections easier and more consistent with Windows.

Let’s take a deep dive into how each of these improvements can help you.

Native support for ODBC data connections

Excel 2016 for Mac supports ODBC data connections with SQL Server and Azure SQL Database right out of the box. This means several great things for anyone who works with external data:

  • When creating or refreshing data connections to SQL Server, there are no third-party drivers required—everything you need is included right in the app.
  • Connections made to SQL Server in Excel 2016 for Mac will work in Excel for Windows and vice versa. Have a workbook with ODBC data connections you’ve been using on Windows and never been able to use on your Mac? Well, now you can with cross-platform compatibility.
  • If you want to connect to something other than SQL Server, we still have several great partners offering third-party drivers to connect to any data source you can imagine.

In addition, all of the ways in which you interact with external data are now consistent between the platforms. Looking for that Refresh button? It’s on the Data tab just as you’d expect.

The Data tab in Excel 2016 for Mac.

A better way to work with external data connections

One of the biggest improvements to working with external data connections in Excel for Windows in recent releases has been the Connection Manager. It provides a central place to see all of the data connections in a workbook, see where they are used, and modify, remove or refresh each one individually. With Excel 2016 for Mac, you now have that same Connection Manager you are familiar with from Windows. All of your connections are displayed, and you can click any of them to see where they are used in your workbook and to perform any action.

The all-new Connection Manager in Excel 2016 for Mac.

The Connection Properties dialog has been streamlined as well to match Excel for Windows, so that you now only see the properties that apply to your particular data connection.

All of your connection properties are in one place and just like Excel for Windows.

However, what good is easier management of your data connections if it’s too hard to create them to begin with? With Excel 2016 for Mac, creating a connection to SQL Server is easier than ever. On the Data tab, simply select New Database Query > SQL Server ODBC, and you are presented with a simple connection dialog. Once it’s filled out, the newly redesigned MSQuery launches.

The all-new MSQuery in Excel 2016 for Mac.

The new MSQuery experience is very similar to the SQL Query Analyzer that many of you have worked with. On the left is a listing of the databases and tables in your database that you can explore. At the top right is a color-coded SQL editor, and at the bottom right are the results of any query you run. Simply enter a SQL statement, click Run Query to make sure it works. Once it does, click Return Data to drop your data right back into your worksheet. And that’s it; your data is now in your Excel workbook, live and ready to use in Excel 2016 for Mac or Excel for Windows!

Working with a third-party data provider works the exact same way. The only difference is that after installing the data provider, you select New Database Query > From Database and then select your data provider from the Apple iODBC manager.

Now it’s your turn!

We think we’ve made huge strides in making external data easier than ever in Excel 2016 for Mac and we hope you do too. Give it a try and let us know of any questions or feedback you have in the comments!

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