| Programming Excel isn't about adding new features as much as it's about combining existing features to solve particular problems. With a few modifications, you can transform Excel into a task-specific piece of software that will serve your needs. In other words, Excel is an ideal platform for probably millions of small spreadsheet-based software solutions.
The best part is, you can program Excel with no additional tools. A variant of the Visual Basic programming language, VB for Applications (VBA) is built into Excel to facilitate its use as a platform. With VBA, you can create macros & templates, manipulate user interface features such as menus and toolbars, and work with custom user forms or dialog boxes. VBA is relatively easy to use, but if you've never programmed before, Programming Excel with VBA and .NET is a great way to learn a lot very quickly. If you're an experienced Excel user or a Visual Basic programmer, you'll pick up a lot of valuable new tricks. Developers looking forward to .NET development will also find discussion of how the Excel object model works with .NET tools, including Visual Studio Tools for Office (VSTO).
This book teaches you how to use Excel VBA by explaining concepts in plain English, and provides downloadable samples. You'll be exposed to tasks most commonly performed with Excel, arranged into chapters according to subject, with those subjects corresponding to one or more Excel objects. With both the samples and important reference information for each object included right in the chapters, instead of tucked away in separate sections, Programming Excel with VBA and .NET covers the entire Excel object library.
For those just starting out, it also lays down the basic rules common to all programming languages. | |
