Office Object Libraries

[VanS]

Hello,
I have an Excel/ Word VBA application using automation. I am trying to make
it backward compatible to at least Office 2000. My development system has
Office 2003 but the Excel .xls file with MS Office Object Library, MS Excel
Object Library and MS Word Object Library is on another system with OFfice
2000 in order to bring in the object libraries for that version of Office(to
make it backward compatible). This latter system is not workable to develop
on, so the problem is that when I bring the xls file from the Office 2000
into my development box with Office 2003 , the object libraries are converted
to those for Office 2003, or version 11.

I need to package my app on the newer system, but does anyone know a way to
retain the older object library versions when I import them into the newer
system?
Thanks, God bless
Van

 

[Howard Kaikow]

There's no reason to do so.

If you build the app on the system with Excel 2000, the libraries will get
automatically updated when run on the Excel 2003 system.
Which is what you want if you use early binding

If you build the app on the system with Excel 2003, it depends on what you
are doing as to whether you can get away with using early binding. To play
safe, you can use late binding when building on the Excel 2003 system.

When you build on your Excel 2003 system, you will need to take care to not
use code that will not run in Excel 2000 or Excel 2002.

 

[VanS]

Howard,
Thanks for your reply. I appreciate your thoughts.
Just to clarify-there is no way to do early binding building on the system
with Office 2003? Late binding is the only way?
That's what I was wondering if there is someway to suspend at will the
automatic update from say OFfice 2000 when the app is run in Office 2003. Or
somehow to allow me to as Indicated to do an initial build in Office 2000 to
get the earlier type files, then do the final build with the Office 2003
system (which I have to do) but retain the earlier type libraries for early
binding?
Thanks, God bless
Van

 

[Ed]

Van:

I had major problems with macros when our IT dept. upgraded me from 2000 to
XP. Not being very experienced, I spent a few days chasing things around on
my computer and here in the NG. Yes, it was the library references. For a
while, the only solution was late binding. Then I had the bright idea to
have IT reload Word and Excel (the only two VBA models I use) back onto my
system. Now I use the XP versions for my own use, but launch the 2000
versions when I write a macro.

HTH
Ed

 

[VanS]

Ed,
Thanks for your suggestions. Just to clarify: you load two versions of
Office on the same system? How do you do that so that both versions can
function? I have heard of using Norton Ghost to accomplish this.
Thanks again, regards
Van

 

[Howard Kaikow]

Do NOT load two versions of Office on the same system.
At some point you will run into conflicts!

You can build a multiboot system and have a different Office installed under
each OS, that's what I do.

Depending on what you are doing, you can use early binding in Office 2003
and the code "might" work in earlier versions.
I do that all the time for debugging my own stuff, but for stuff for a
client, I build in the earliest version that they want to use.

It is safer to develop in the earliest version and use early binding, but
you still have test in the later versions because things don't always work
in later versions.

I tend to develop in the latest version because it's easier than booting to
the other systems, but I periodically boot to the earlier version and test.
As one gets more experience, one learns, the hard way, what not to use in
later versions.

For example, Office 97 does not have Enums, modeless userforms, replace,
split, etc. functions. Over time, you learn not to use those.
For specific clients, since most no longer care about Office 97, I can
usually convince them that I should ignore Office 97 compatibility. This
needs to be decided up front.

 

[VanS]

Thanks again, Howard for your expertise-it's been a big help. Do you have any
suggestions on best way to build a multi-boot system? Have you used Ghost or
do you have other solutions?
Thanks again, God bless
Van

 

[Howard Kaikow]

My religion says do it with supported MSFT tools, unless absolutely
necessary to use other tools.

So the first thing you need to do, if not done so already, is make some free
partitions on your disk drives.

I did this the old fashioned way by backing up everything, reformatting the
drive and then restoring the files.
Others may use tools such as Partition Magic.

Note that since I was using FAT 32 (because Win 98 was originally on the
system, now all is Win 2000), I made the partitions no larger than 8189MB.
That's the largest you can specify to keep the cluster size down to 4096
bytes.

Make sure to install each OS as a CLEAN install in a separate partition.
Do NOT attempt to clone a system. I did this once and appear to have been
over 99% successful, but I would not do it again and recommend nobody else
do it. Involves making 10's of thousands registry edits plus many disk file
edits. It's easy to miss something critical. I got lucky and missed very
few things.

 

[VanS]

Again, I thank you for you insights, Howard. Best to you in your endeavors
and God bless,
Van