Missing Features in Excel 2008!?

[Dave Nance]

I tried to do applescript in Excel, and to begin my effort looked at the help. Seaching "applescript" I was taken to "Known Issues in Office 2008." There I found 3 choices, one of which is "Automator Workflows and Applescripts."

When I selected this one, the terse 'help' said only "Running Automator workflows and AppleScripts from the Office script menu is not currently supported under Mac OS X v10.5 (Leopard)."

Do you know any way I can do Applescript in Excel, since that is apparently my only option?

Thanks.
D.W.N.
(e-mail address removed)

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I tried to do applescript in Excel, and to begin my effort looked at the
help. Seaching "applescript" I was taken to "Known Issues in Office 2008."
There I found 3 choices, one of which is "Automator Workflows and
Applescripts."<br>
<br>
When I selected this one, the terse 'help' said only "Running Automator
workflows and AppleScripts from the Office script menu is not currently
supported under Mac OS X v10.5 (Leopard)."<br>

I can run Applescripts from the XL Applescript menu. Automator actions
still don't work from the script menu under 10.5.1.

Do you know any way I can do Applescript in Excel, since that is apparently
my only option?<br>

Well, the first time that pops up in a Search on MacTopia is

MacTopia Developer's Page (with resource links and the
VBA to AppleScript Migration Guide):
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/developers/default.mspx

and the first entry in Google is

Using AppleScript with Excel for Mac:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q113891/

Couple of other resources:

Moving from Microsoft Office VBA to AppleScript:
MacTech's Guide to Making the Transition (from which
the migration guide in the first item above was developed):
http://www.mactech.com/vba-transition-guide/

Excel 2004 AppleScript Reference (PDF download - not
XL08, but generally helpful):
http://tinyurl.com/2fljga

 

[Phillip Jones]

I myself don't run a business. But there are a lot of people running
businesses on Mac. What? Does MS believe creative types, don't have the
smarts to run a business?

Hi JJ

Market penetration of the Apple computers on the whole is one thing, but
the perception is that Mac users are “consumers” and “creative types”
who really don’t use or have much use for VBA or any products created
using VBA.

VBA is often considered something for “developers” and “business”
people, not us Mac users.

So if you want VBA support you’ll have to explain to Microsoft why a
“consumer” or “creative” person would ever want to use it. In the past,
VBA usage on the Mac has been minimal. You limit your use of
spreadsheets to tables of information for your holiday card list, right?
Maybe do your homework assignment? Surely you have no interested beyond
that, do you? You would never make or use an add-in, right?

-Jim

Quoting from "(e-mail address removed)" <[email protected]>, in article
(e-mail address removed)9absDaxw, on [DATE:

Looking forward eagerly to spreadsheets with more speed and more
real estate, I guess I just didn't imagine Microsoft would
compromise something as long-standing and functional as macros.

So, I was stunned to hear that macros cannot be created in Excel
2008 for the Mac. Not that Visual Basic was ever as understandable
as the old macros in Excel, but at least it was something.

Then I learned that there is no Solver function and no Data Analysis
pak in Excel 2008. Surely this can’t be true. Why bother with the
new version if you are the denied features you have now? No Solver.
No Data Analysis. No macros. It makes no sense.

I am profoundly disappointed. What is the market share is required
to provide fully featured software for Mac users? 10%? 15%? Never?



--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP info

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[Jim Gordon MVP]

It's the big-picture mentality of market analysis goofoos. Apple's market is
not business, so how come there are Mac users trying to use their computers
for business? Don't they know they we not supposed to want to do that?
We're supposed to be making home movies, not home businesses. It's the same
old bullcrap we've been putting up with for years put into action.

-Jim

I myself don't run a business. But there are a lot of people running
businesses on Mac. What? Does MS believe creative types, don't have the
smarts to run a business?

Hi JJ

Market penetration of the Apple computers on the whole is one thing, but
the perception is that Mac users are ³consumers² and ³creative types²
who really don¹t use or have much use for VBA or any products created
using VBA.

VBA is often considered something for ³developers² and ³business²
people, not us Mac users.

So if you want VBA support you¹ll have to explain to Microsoft why a
³consumer² or ³creative² person would ever want to use it. In the past,
VBA usage on the Mac has been minimal. You limit your use of
spreadsheets to tables of information for your holiday card list, right?
Maybe do your homework assignment? Surely you have no interested beyond
that, do you? You would never make or use an add-in, right?

-Jim

Quoting from "(e-mail address removed)" <[email protected]>, in article
(e-mail address removed)9absDaxw, on [DATE:

Looking forward eagerly to spreadsheets with more speed and more
real estate, I guess I just didn't imagine Microsoft would
compromise something as long-standing and functional as macros.

So, I was stunned to hear that macros cannot be created in Excel
2008 for the Mac. Not that Visual Basic was ever as understandable
as the old macros in Excel, but at least it was something.

Then I learned that there is no Solver function and no Data Analysis
pak in Excel 2008. Surely this can¹t be true. Why bother with the
new version if you are the denied features you have now? No Solver.
No Data Analysis. No macros. It makes no sense.

I am profoundly disappointed. What is the market share is required
to provide fully featured software for Mac users? 10%? 15%? Never?



--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP info

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP info

 

[BobP]

Hi Folks,

I've noticed that when saving Excel 2008 files in the .xlsx format the file sizes is much bigger. e.g. A simple file created in 2008 and saved as .xlsx format is 44K while the same file saved as .xls format is only 24K.

Can anyone offer an explanation please as it seems I will be missing a lot more memory in the future!

Thnx

Bob

 

[chechi]

I've been going crazy trying to align objects! It's no longer in the formatting palette. Where did it go?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I've been going crazy trying to align objects! It's no longer in the
formatting palette. Where did it go?

Check out the Ordering section of the Size, Rotation and Ordering pane
of the Formatting Palette.

(You can find this in XL08 Help, searching for "align objects".)

 

[Ian]

I installed 2008 2 hrs ago and I already miss the ability to rotate a 3D chart onscreen by grabbing the handles.
Ian

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

I installed 2008 2 hrs ago and I already miss the ability to rotate a 3D chart
onscreen by grabbing the handles.
Ian

Then send feedback to Microsoft using the Help Menu. Explain how difficult
you find this and how much it slows down your work.

 

[CPE]

I've found the best solution to my Excel 2008 issues. I've removed the program, taken it back for a refund and have started back up with my office 2004. I now have customizable error bars, macros and all the stuff I liked....

 

[chechi]

"Check out the Ordering section of the Size, Rotation and Ordering pane
of the Formatting Palette.

(You can find this in XL08 Help, searching for "align objects".)"

In regards to this reply, in Excel 2008 the ordering section is no longer in the formatting palette. In the help it says that's where it is but it's not there.

 

[Guest]

Hahaha. Tell this to the other 10% of students in my MBA program who are also working on Macs.

Re: Missing Features in Excel 2008!? Print This Reply
It's the big-picture mentality of market analysis goofoos. Apple's market is
not business, so how come there are Mac users trying to use their computers
for business? Don't they know they we not supposed to want to do that?
We're supposed to be making home movies, not home businesses. It's the same
old bullcrap we've been putting up with for years put into action.

-Jim

Quoting from "Phillip Jones" , in article
u#[email protected], on [DATE:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I myself don't run a business. But there are a lot of people running businesses
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;on Mac. What? Does MS believe creative types, don't have the smarts to
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;run a business?







&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jim Gordon MVP wrote: &gt; Hi JJ &gt; &gt; Market penetration of the Apple computers
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;on the whole is one thing, but &gt; the perception is that Mac users are
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;³consumers² and ³creative types² &gt; who really don¹t use or have much use
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;for VBA or any products created &gt; using VBA. &gt; &gt; VBA is often considered
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;something for ³developers² and ³business² &gt; people, not us Mac users.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&gt; &gt; So if you want VBA support you¹ll have to explain to Microsoft why
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;a &gt; ³consumer² or ³creative² person would ever want to use it. In the
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;past, &gt; VBA usage on the Mac has been minimal. You limit your use of &gt;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;spreadsheets to tables of information for your holiday card list, right?
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&gt; Maybe do your homework assignment? Surely you have no interested beyond
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&gt; that, do you? You would never make or use an add-in, right? &gt; &gt; -Jim
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&gt; &gt; Quoting from "(e-mail address removed)" , in article &gt; (e-mail address removed)9absDaxw,
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;on [DATE: &gt; &gt; Looking forward eagerly to spreadsheets with more speed
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and more &gt; real estate, I guess I just didn't imagine Microsoft would
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&gt; compromise something as long-standing and functional as macros. &gt; &gt;
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So, I was stunned to hear that macros cannot be created in Excel &gt; 2008
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;for the Mac. Not that Visual Basic was ever as understandable &gt; as the
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;old macros in Excel, but at least it was something. &gt; &gt; Then I learned
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;that there is no Solver function and no Data Analysis &gt; pak in Excel 2008.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Surely this can¹t be true. Why bother with the &gt; new version if you are
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the denied features you have now? No Solver. &gt; No Data Analysis. No macros.
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It makes no sense. &gt; &gt; I am profoundly disappointed. What is the market
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;share is required &gt; to provide fully featured software for Mac users?
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;10%? 15%? Never? &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; -- &gt; Jim Gordon &gt; Mac MVP &gt; &gt; MVPs are not Microsoft
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Employees &gt; MVP info &lt;http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/&gt;






--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

 

[Ardy]

This is absolutely ridicilous, I cannot believe that Excel 2008 is missing all these features. I am very very very very very disappointed. It makes my life so much harder. I don't understand why they would make the mac version and pc version different, when they are both Excel 2008. Even really simple things you can't change on the mac version. This is SUCH a nuisance. So frustrated right now!

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

This is absolutely ridicilous, I cannot believe that Excel 2008 is missing all
these features. I am very very very very very disappointed. It makes my life
so much harder. I don't understand why they would make the mac version and pc
version different, when they are both Excel 2008. Even really simple things
you can't change on the mac version. This is SUCH a nuisance. So frustrated
right now!

At least Excel 2004 has the features and runs just fine in Tiger and
Leopard.

-Jim
--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP info

 

[CyberTaz]

Quoting from "(e-mail address removed)" <[email protected]>, in article
(e-mail address removed)9absDaxw

they are both Excel 2008

<snip>

No, they're *not*... Excel on the PC is *2007*.

The Win version & the Mac version have not been _identical_ for a long, long
time - It's just that the disparity has grown [significantly] greater with
the most recent releases.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Ardy]

so What this mean for me who JUST bought a mac and assumed that the excel on mac would be just the same.. i guess it means I made a bad assumption that Apple was as good as PC.. but its not

 

[CyberTaz]

Regrettably that seems to be the case. If you read through the newsgroups
you'll find that you are certainly not alone - although that probably
doesn't help much. And, depending on your specific requirements, the
differences are more significant for some users than for others. Despite the
fact that some of the major distinctions have been expected for some time -
such as the lack of support for VBA - I don't believe most users were aware
of the extent to which they would be affected.

Don't hesitate to use Help> Send Feedback to voice your dissatisfaction
directly to MS. We'd all like to think that Office 2008 is still a "work in
progress" & that there are brighter days around the bend, but what - if
anything - will be done to close the gap is just guesswork.

I'd also suggest that you not generalize about *Apple* vs. PC strictly on
the basis of what *MS Excel* has to offer [or not] on the two platforms.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Ardy]

Actually I will choose to generalize Apple vs. PC because Apple advertises the macbook pro as a laptop that has all the functionality of the PC. one example of this type of advertising are the Mac vs. PC commercials.

The fact is when it comes to Word Processing, Excel (not to mention VBA) PC is much superior to MAC.. and for MOST MOST MOST people those two thing are one the Major uses they get out of their computer..

So yes Bob, I can generalize.

 

[roblake]

For what it might be worth --- MacTech magazine, www.mactech.com , has in its April 2007 issue a 150-page guide "Moving from Microsoft Office VBA to AppleScript" Pages 118 - 163 deal with Excel. Others cover the other Office components.

I can not vouch for the contents as I have yet to need VBA conversions.

 

[CyberTaz]

Well, you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but the ads from Apple are
addressing the Macintosh operating system & Macintosh hardware produced by
Apple compared to the Window operating system, *not* the caliber of software
applications offered by any one developer. Those ads certainly don't even
mention Microsoft Office, let alone make any claims about the equivalency of
that particular suite of products.

IOW: The arguable assertion that MS provides a less capable version of
something for one platform than it does for another *doesn't* speak to the
caliber of the platform itself.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac