Custom worksheet functions.

[Steve_in_Montréal]

Does Excel 2008 still allow custom function, written in AppleScript, to be called from within the cell of a worksheet? Or, are worksheet functions now limited to only those that have been defined by MS?

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Does Excel 2008 still allow custom function, written in AppleScript, to be
called from within the cell of a worksheet? Or, are worksheet functions now
limited to only those that have been defined by MS?

You should be able to write custom user functions in apple script, but you¹d
have to call them via XLM. You can also write them in XLM. Remember that a
user function can only return a value, it can not in any way alter Excel¹s
environment ­ like changing formats.

 

[Steve_in_Montréal]

My question was about writing custom functions in AppleScript and calling them from a cell in an Excel worksheet. Bob, could you you please clarify you response that one can "call them via XLM"? Isn't XLM something from the pre-VBA versions of Office?

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

My question was about writing custom functions in AppleScript and calling them
from a cell in an Excel worksheet. Bob, could you you please clarify you
response that one can "call them via XLM"? Isn't XLM something from the
pre-VBA versions of Office?

Yes it is. But, it has NEVER gone away. It has always worked in all versions
of Excel on both platforms. I¹m not sure how, or even if, Excel can call an
apple script directly; but you can fire an XLM macro from an object (forms
tool, chart, etc.) or cell formula. Then that macro simply consists of
=exec(pathtocompiledaplescript), =return().

 

[Keith E Miland]

Bob,

I know this post is talking about functions. Since I noticed your reference to XLM macro, I'll ask. If I decide to upgrade to 2008, all my macros are dead. Do I learn Apple script and write them that way or this XLM. My macros are simple and you've already helped me get one working. Most were done using the record feature because I am not by any stretch a programmer.

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

Bob,

I know this post is talking about functions. Since I noticed your reference to
XLM macro, I'll ask. If I decide to upgrade to 2008, all my macros are dead.
Do I learn Apple script and write them that way or this XLM. My macros are
simple and you've already helped me get one working. Most were done using the
record feature because I am not by any stretch a programmer.

It all depends on what your macros do. You could write them in apple script,
but you¹ll probably have to trigger them from XLM, so might as well convert
them to xlm.