Learning VB for Excel

[AJ]

I am brand new to this group and could really use some advice. I consider
myself to be about an intermediate level Excel 2003 user (that's the only
version the company I work for uses). I have no programming experience.
I've been told that I need to understand enough Visual Basic to enhance some
of our Excel reports later this year- not exactly sure what means yet.
Since I'll have to learn this on my own, I sure could use some advice about
books or online resources to help me over the next 2-3 months.
Unfortunately, I'll have more time than money to do this. I can afford
maybe 2 books that will cover the basics and offer some useful business
examples to help me. I'm a fairly quick learner, but this will be very new
to me. Your suggestions would be most appreciated. Thank you so much!

 

[gls858]

I am brand new to this group and could really use some advice. I consider
myself to be about an intermediate level Excel 2003 user (that's the only
version the company I work for uses). I have no programming experience.
I've been told that I need to understand enough Visual Basic to enhance some
of our Excel reports later this year- not exactly sure what means yet.
Since I'll have to learn this on my own, I sure could use some advice about
books or online resources to help me over the next 2-3 months.
Unfortunately, I'll have more time than money to do this. I can afford
maybe 2 books that will cover the basics and offer some useful business
examples to help me. I'm a fairly quick learner, but this will be very new
to me. Your suggestions would be most appreciated. Thank you so much!

Google for VBA tutorials. Lots of free stuff out there. I'm in the same
boat. Need to use some VBA and I'm basically clueless.

You might try recording a few macros and that will give you some ideas also.

gls858

 

[Jim Cone]

John Walkenbach has written several similar books with
"Power Programming" in the title.
Anyone of those would be of great assistance.
I recommend staying away from xl2007 books for now as that
version is substantially different from prior versions.

Walkenbach's website... http://j-walk.com/ss/
and
Chip Pearsons web site... http://www.cpearson.com/excel/MainPage.aspx

will bail you out time after time. Use them.

Since you are new, be aware that there is a separate Excel newsgroup
devoted to Excel programming... microsoft.public.excel.programming.
Also, Chip Pearson has a list of tips and advice for new posters...
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/newposte.htm
--
Jim Cone
San Francisco, USA
http://www.realezsites.com/bus/primitivesoftware
(Excel Add-ins / Excel Programming)



"AJ"
wrote in message
I am brand new to this group and could really use some advice. I consider
myself to be about an intermediate level Excel 2003 user (that's the only
version the company I work for uses). I have no programming experience.
I've been told that I need to understand enough Visual Basic to enhance some
of our Excel reports later this year- not exactly sure what means yet.
Since I'll have to learn this on my own, I sure could use some advice about
books or online resources to help me over the next 2-3 months.
Unfortunately, I'll have more time than money to do this. I can afford
maybe 2 books that will cover the basics and offer some useful business
examples to help me. I'm a fairly quick learner, but this will be very new
to me. Your suggestions would be most appreciated. Thank you so much!

 

[AJ]

Thanks for your suggestions. I'll get familiar with the newsgroup this
weekend - great idea! Do you have any opinion on a basic book like "VBA
for "Dummies"? I think that Walkenbach wrote or co-authored it.

I won't need to become an expert, but certainly more than a novice.

Thanks again.....AJ

 

[AJ]

Thanks for getting back with me. I'll search what's available via Google
this weekend.

 

[Jim Cone]

Well, I purchased Walkenbach's book
"Excel 97 Programming for Windows for Dummies" in 1998 and
still have the book. I bought it, at that time, primarily for its
treatment of menu and toolbar programming (VBA).
It is still the best explanation on that subject I have seen.

Be aware that xl2007 uses a different language to program the "ribbon" (menus).
--
Jim Cone
San Francisco, USA
http://www.realezsites.com/bus/primitivesoftware
(Excel Add-ins / Excel Programming)



"AJ"
wrote in message
Thanks for your suggestions. I'll get familiar with the newsgroup this
weekend - great idea! Do you have any opinion on a basic book like "VBA
for "Dummies"? I think that Walkenbach wrote or co-authored it.

I won't need to become an expert, but certainly more than a novice.
Thanks again.....AJ




"Jim Cone"
wrote in message

 

[AJ]

Thanks for your suggestion.

I know that one of the things I'll need to do soon will be to "color fill"
cells in they meet certain parameters. I know I don't want to do that
manually. As a simple example: if a1<10, color the A1 red, if A1 is >10,
but less than 20, color the A1 blue, etc. If this could be done with
conditional formulas that would be great, but I think I'll need a VBA
formula.

Thanks....AJ

 

[JLatham]

I think the %@@^!* system just ate my post - so I'll just retype the meat:

Walkenbach's books are good, I own a couple or three myself. Stay away from
2007 versions, the interface is different and there are features in 2007 that
don't exist in earlier versions of Excel. A "best buy" for introductory
information is probably:
Microsoft Office Excel 2003 All-In-One Desk Reference for Dummies
by Greg Harvey, ISBN 0-7645-3758-X ($29.99 U.S.) - has 9 separate sections
dealing with: Excel Basics, Worksheet Design, Formulas and Functions,
Collaboration, Charts & Graphics, Data Management, Data Analysis, Excel & the
Web, and Excel & VBA. There's another edition of the book, same author,
that's about $7 cheaper, but doesn't cover as much ground as this one does.

 

[JLatham]

Along with the two sites that Jim Cone recommended (great ones, I've gotten
excellent ideas/solutions/help from both) is Debra Dalgleish's site:
http://www.contextures.com
Click the [Tips] button on the main page and you'll find a virtual library
of "how to get it done" solutions that all have good explanations of just how
to do it yourself and what makes the solutions tick.

 

[AJ]

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it. I'll visit all of the
recommended sites tomorrow.

Along with the two sites that Jim Cone recommended (great ones, I've
gotten
excellent ideas/solutions/help from both) is Debra Dalgleish's site:
http://www.contextures.com
Click the [Tips] button on the main page and you'll find a virtual library
of "how to get it done" solutions that all have good explanations of just
how
to do it yourself and what makes the solutions tick.

Thanks for your suggestion.

I know that one of the things I'll need to do soon will be to "color
fill"
cells in they meet certain parameters. I know I don't want to do that
manually. As a simple example: if a1<10, color the A1 red, if A1 is
but less than 20, color the A1 blue, etc. If this could be done with
conditional formulas that would be great, but I think I'll need a VBA
formula.

Thanks....AJ