Tag: add-in

Applications Settings v2

Posted on by Andrew Engwirda

I made a new version of my Application Settings addin as per Sébastien’s comments in my last post.

Application Settings Version 2

As you can see, there are new settings for the following.

Application.Iteration

Application.MaxIterations

Application.MaxChange

In the case of the last 2 settings, you’ll notice that there are Set, Reset and Save buttons. This is how they work,

Set: Set to the number that is entered in the text box.

Reset: Reset to the real default or “alias” default.

Save: Save an “alias” default instead of Excel’s real default. For example, if you prefer 120 instead of 100 for Max Iterations, you can set the “alias” default so that the form does not appear when opening or saving the active workbook if Application.MaxIterations is set to 120. Also, clicking the Reset button thereafter will reset Application.MaxIterations to 120. And using the Set button to set Application.MaxIterations to any other value than 120 will show the value in red font to indicate it is not the “alias” default.

Hope this is useful. Download the new version here.

Application Settings

Posted on by Andrew Engwirda

As posted on my blog a few days earlier,

Back in 2005, I noticed something that worried me.

You may know already that switching Application.Calculation to xlCalculationManual can make various code run faster. It can be a big time saver.

The problem, as I see it, is not switching it back to xlCalculationAutomatic. Given that some people for whatever reasons might use Manual Calculation all the time, most people don’t, especially the vast majority of average users who probably haven’t heard of this setting. With Calculation still set to Manual, they might be looking at values that haven’t be updated. Even experienced programmers might be temporarily confused until they figure out what’s going on. Imagine someone in a sales department quoting incorrect pricing to a customer or doing a faulty presentation at an important meeting. Not good.

And now for what really worries me – saving files with this setting. Let’s try something. Close all Excel files, except one to use for testing. Now switch to Manual Calculation. If you don’t know how to do it in code, you can click Calculation Options on the Formulas tab, then select Manual. Now save in that setting, close Excel, and reopen the file. If that file is the first one to be opened, Excel Calculation will be set to Manual by default, and all other files opened thereafter will be affected too. Save any of them with this setting, and the same thing will happen if they happen to be the first file opened…

So, how do you know Calculation is set to Manual without specifically checking?

You can’t. (Actually there is a way to make it more obvious. See the comment from Jake Collins)

Now, imagine sending one of these files to colleagues or customers, then realizing something is amiss days later. Again, not good. In fact, downright scary.

So, also in 2005(?), I made an addin called Calculation Checker. It checks Calculation when you save and prompts you to do so as Automatic if set as otherwise (including Automatic Except for Data Tables).

I’ve found it useful, but since then I’ve thought there’s room for improvement, so I made something new.

As you can see there’s 3 menu items. The bottom 2, when toggle to “On”, check files when opened/saved for the following settings.

Application.DisplayFormulaBar

Application.DisplayStatusBar

Application.Calculation

Application.ReferenceStyle

If any of those settings are not at their default, the Application Settings form will be displayed. Non-default settings are displayed in red. (Yes, the first 3 should be obvious, but easy enough to miss if you’re busy, tired or both!)

Click the form’s controls to reset them individually, or just click the Reset Everything button, then the Save File and Exit button if you choose to. Alternatively, click the X button not to save the file. Note that any other file that are open will also be saved with these settings (unless you change them later), because they are Application settings, not Workbook settings.

And because the form can be opened directly from the Ribbon, you can easily change any of the settings at any time for whatever reason. Click the Show Settings button and you can see other settings that can also be reset when clicking the Reset Everything button, if the Include other settings checkbox is ticked.

Note
Keep in mind that these additional settings aren’t checked automatically. The form only resets them if you click the Reset Everything button as mentioned above. Also, if Application.EnableEvents is set to False by VBA code, my addin won’t check files when opening or saving as these are the events that trigger it. In fact, you should be setting this False if any of your code does open or save workbooks to prevent my code from running, then set it back to True before the code ends.

Hopefully this tool will be of use. You can download it here.

PS. I’m going on holidays for a few days so I’ll reply to comments (if there be any!) when I get back.

AET VBE Tools v1.7

Posted on by Andrew Engwirda

They are finally ready!

This verson includes 3 additional tools, and another option to the existing Cleanup Project Code tool.

Here’s a description of what’s new.

1. Rename Userform Controls
This tool allows you to batch rename all controls on a userform via a simple Find and Replace interface. In addition to changing the control names, it also changes code with the old control name to the new control name.

So, if you want to change all controls that start with “CommandButton” to “btn” or “cb”, etc, this is the way to do it all at the same time!

2. Make Project Variables List
The bigger the project, the more complex it becomes.

This tool analyses your code and makes a list of variables and constants.

Details include:

  • Module Name (Where the variable or constant is)
  • Scope (Public, Private, Type or Procedure)
  • Location (Declaration or procedure name)
  • Name (Variable or constant name)
  • Type (Variable or constant type, eg String, Long, etc)
  • Const (True or null, to discern between variables and constants)
  • Const Value (Value if constant)
  • Found in Project (Count within project)
  • Found in Report (Count within report)
  • Modules Count
  • Procedures Count
  • Unique Values
  • Duplicate Values

    More features are planned in the near future.

    3. Copy Code for Web
    If you need to show your code on the web, normal indenting won’t show. The way to get around it is to convert indent spaces to “ ”.

    This tool does that and copies the code to the clipboard so you can paste it where required.

    4. Delete Orphan Code
    This feature was added at the request of Kellsens Willamos, who has supported me and the development of these tools from the beginning.

    What’s “orphan code”?

    When developing, did you ever click userform controls by mistake? Maybe you get something like this.

    Private Sub lblSelectProject_Click()

    End Sub

    Chances are you don’t want the code, and if there’s nothing between the first and last line, it’s a fair bet that you don’t. The Delete Orphan Code tool looks for code like this and gets rid of it.

    I’ve added it as an option on Cleanup Project Code. To include it, tick the checkbox on the Settings form.

    As mentioned previously, I’ve made AET VBE Tools shareware. But when you see the price, I hope you will agree they are well worth the cost. (And you will get future versions free of charge!)

    You can download them here.

    P.S. I’m looking for affiliates and translators. If interested, email me at aengwirda at gmail dot com.

    • AET VBE Tools v1.6.1

    Posted on by Andrew Engwirda

    Over the last week, I made some changes to my AET VBE Tools.

    Although still free, I want to ensure they are as good as I can make them for you, before I release a paid version.

    This is what has been done –

    An indenting bug was fixed for Select Case constructs when working with Projects and Modules.

    I also improved the indenting of Add Line Numbers code.

    When adding the date and time to text files being exported, the code has been adjusted to show the correct time.

    I made a change to the Copy Code and Compare Code userforms. Sometimes duplicate file names were showing.

    I edited Highlight Code In Excel so that individual Case statements are also highlighted with Select Case constructs.

    Case Statements

    Note: It is a big help with regards to visibility to see them highlighted this way. Unfortunately I had to hard code that part, so it will only work if your tab settings are set to 4. (In the VBE, Tools, Options, Editor, Tab Width). If I find a way to determine this programatically, I will adjust the code to suit. Alternatively, if you know a way, please leave a comment.

    As a small bonus, I also added the functionality to delete Debug.Assert and Stop to the Cleanup Project code.

    Download the new version (now v1.7) here.

    AET VBE Tools

    Posted on by Andrew Engwirda

    Late last year, I started work on a new set of VBE tools. It’s an extension of a code indenter that I made several years ago. I thought it would be nice to update it.

    So far I’m up to Version 1.6. It’s freeware (sorry, now shareware), but I’m starting work on a shareware version (v1.7) that will have more stuff. Anyway, here’s what I blogged about it on my site. Give it a try if you like!

    Access AET VBE Tools by right clicking within the active code pane.

    Here are the tools.

    Indent Code
    Indent code within the active VB project, module, procedure or selected text.

    Add Line Numbers
    Add line numbers to code within the active VB project, module, procedure.

    Delete Line Numbers
    Delete line numbers from code within the active VB project, module, procedure.

    Export Code
    Export code from the active VB project, module, procedure to text files.

    Compare Code
    Select modules from projects.

    Code from both modules will be exported to worksheets in a new workbook.

    Code that exists in one module, but not the other (and vice versa) will be highlighted.

    Copy Code
    You can copy code/modules between projects.

    Standard modules, class modules and userforms will be be replaced if they exist (have the same name), or added if they don’t exist.

    ThisWorkbook code will be replaced.

    Sheet module’s code will be replaced if the sheet exists, or worksheets will be added with the new code if they don’t exist.

    Macro Comment Tools
    A handy way to add generic comments to all macros in the active project or module.

    Insert Code Snippets
    Tired of entering the same code all the time? This makes it easier.

    Run Favourite Macros
    Yes, you can already run them from your Personal workbook.

    But now you can also export your favourite code to text files. Note: Not all code will run. This is a experimental tool, but I have found it quite useful when coding myself.

    Multiple Find And Replace
    You can find and replace code with several fields at once. Fields are saved between sessions.

    Cleanup Project
    Just 2 options at the moment. You can delete lines of code that have “Debug.Print”, and also delete excess blank lines. (Only a single blank line will remain)

    Highlight Code In Excel
    Export your code to a worksheet in a new workbook. Selecting cells in Column A that have keywords like If, With, Select, etc will be highlighted so you can see where that part of the code begins and ends. This is very beneficial to your mental health when trying to figure out what connects with what in those long, long procedures.

    Last, but not least, there are various settings available.

    Download AET VBE Tools v1.6 (v1.7) here.

    TM Excel Dynamic Path Navigator

    Posted on by Tushar Mehta

    One of the features that consumers may find useful is retracing their path as they navigate through different workbooks, different sheets, and different windows. This navigation would be equivalent of a web browser’s Previous and Next feature. While Excel does not support this natively, the code in this note enables this capability.

    For a version in a page by itself (i.e., not in a scrollable iframe as below) visit http://www.tushar-mehta.com/publish_train/xl_vba_cases/1110%20Workbook%20Navigation%20Retrace.shtml

    Tushar Mehta