VBA upgrade Office XP

[bearnone]

I build simple business automation macros... I have been through three upgrades with Microsoft Office. With each offers new challenges on how the macros react in the new versions environment.

In the past, I have simple set the default functions to the "lowest common denominator" which allows the macros to run in all versions that may exist for the end-users. I recently received my first request for updgrade to Office XP and have run into a few challenges.

1) Is VBA still the primary Office Language Tool? or has VB.net been introduced?

2) Are the reference libriaries in Office XP compatible with past versions? I ask because no matter how I setup the references on the XP version, the past version seem to not share the same capibilities.

Thank you for your insights.
Mark

 

[BuGlen]

Hi Mark,

Yes, VBA is still the primary language in XP and even 2003. In 2003, there are tools to extend the capabilities using the .Net technologies, but all your existing applications using VBA should work fine.

As for the references, they are always upgraded between versions. The best way to combat this is to us late binding on the references rather than using a specific library version. An example of late binding is as follows:

Dim xlApp As Object

Set xlApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application")

Using late binding will allow you to run your VBA application on Office 2000 or later with no reference problems.

Hope this helps.

Glen Appleton

VB.Net student.