Solver in Excel 2008?

[Von Cameron]

also ... why is there an add-in dialog box (Tools:Add-ins) if there are no add-ins?

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

also ... why is there an add-in dialog box (Tools:Add-ins) if there are no
add-ins?

Because you can write and install add-ins for Excel 2008. You just can¹t do
it with VBA. The original XLM macro language works just fine for this.

 

[von cameron]

great!
is there a macro out their that replaces the solver or do i have to build it?

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

great!
is there a macro out their that replaces the solver or do i have to build it?

Excel 2008 currently has no solver. If you are going to build a macro to do
this, it will have to be in Apple Script or XLM. Let us know when you are
done as many here are anxiously awaiting a solver for Excel 2008.

 

[jpdphd]

Excel 2008 currently has no solver. If you are going to build a macro to do
this, it will have to be in Apple Script or XLM. Let us know when you are
done as many here are anxiously awaiting a solver for Excel 2008.

1. Why is it that Microsoft could get XLM into XL08 but not VBA? Don't
they both require extensive reprogramming after Apple's switching to
Intel processors?
2. Why doesn't Microsoft put Solver into XLM format for all the hungry
solver freaks out here? They have the code, the code works well. It
would take a lot of time for someone to have to start from scratch.
Does this make sense, or am I missing something???

 

[roblake]

It's my assumption that Apple's requirement that new code be developed in the XCode environment throws a monkey wrench in the works. Microsoft has been developing in anything BUT XCode. My own experience with XCode is that the learning and re-architecting of software to fit its expectations, limitations, and perversities is offputting!

 

[Bob Greenblatt]

1. Why is it that Microsoft could get XLM into XL08 but not VBA? Don't
they both require extensive reprogramming after Apple's switching to
Intel processors?

It is not that Microsoft got XLM into Excel 2008, it is that it never left.
XLM has been with us in every version of Excel for both windows and
Macintosh since Excel 4 (if not before.) Since it is an internal part of
Excel and uses the same formula parser as worksheet formulas, it just came
along for the ride.

2. Why doesn't Microsoft put Solver into XLM format for all the hungry
solver freaks out here? They have the code, the code works well. It
would take a lot of time for someone to have to start from scratch.
Does this make sense, or am I missing something???

I think you are missing a lot. The solver was written in a combination of
the local macro language (VBA and also XLM) but used extensive machine
language processing for performance. Yes, they have the code, but it has to
be recoded to be compatible with the current Intel systems. Microsoft just
did not have the resources to do this AND get the rest of Excel ready for
their shipment dates. While I have no idea what (or even if) Microsoft is
doing to get a solver back into Excel 2008, I am certain that they are sure
of the pain its lack is causing. As a result, my guess is that the problem
will be solved (no pun intended).

 

[Mohammed Iqbal]

Unbelievable! Solver along with other data analysis tools compromised about 80% of what I use Excel for. Very disappointed.

 

[Phillip Jones]

open excel 2008, go to help menu> then send feedback.

explain why you need solver (& VBA). If you don't explain it it will
never get fixed. OR as an alternative ask them to port all VBA calls and
Macros over to something else such as applescript or some other
language that is universal, and *SAFE*.

The reason why there was so many calls for VBA demise, is because it so
easy to code something to do damage to files and Hard drives on PC's And
Mac's. as long ago as Word 6.0.1 a (same time frame as word 95 on PC)
it would recommended by security vendors such as Norton to turn off Word
Macros in Office, word and excel because of this security risk. Little
if anything had changed on the Mac side involving security. So a big
portion of Office users didn't use VBA and Macro's because of such
fears. I am one I haven used a word or Excel Macro ever. And if I ever
owned a PC or put windows on a Intel Mac I would have serious thoughts
about turning Macros on even on a PC. Its just too tempting for someone
that has evil intent to misuse.

Unbelievable! Solver along with other data analysis tools compromised about 80% of what I use Excel for. Very disappointed.

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[Carl Witthoft]

Unbelievable! Solver along with other data analysis tools compromised about
80% of what I use Excel for. Very disappointed.

Just a repeat for those who missed it before:

There is a cheap and dirty (freeware) solver out there:

http://www.kaleberg.com/software/equato/index.html

Otherwise, it's the zillion-dollar TK!Solver
(doesn't support MacOS :-( )

 

[Carl Witthoft]

Unbelievable! Solver along with other data analysis tools compromised about
80% of what I use Excel for. Very disappointed.

Also, aside from the solver, many of the data analysis tools can be
written into the spreadsheet w/ formulas.


With my usual disclaimer that nobody should be using Excel to do data
analysis or any other "real" math,

you can get a number of stats tools, including anova and a histogram
generator, at the OATBRAN project, whose URL I sadly have forgotten.
(I've got a new and improved version of the histgram tool, available in
"beta test" to anyone who emails me to request it)

And general polynomial, exponential, and log curve fitting is easily
done using LINEST and LOGEST.

 

[Hylton Boothroyd]

you can get a number of stats tools, including anova and a histogram
generator, at the OATBRAN project, whose URL I sadly have forgotten.

http://www.coventry.ac.uk/ec/~nhunt/oatbran/

 

[Znieh Keleiban]

Hi, I just cranked up the student edition of Office 2008 and can't find the solver in excel or in any documentation. Please tell me solver was included, I need it for classes!

I am also desperately searching for the SOLVER in Excel of MS Office2008. Any way to get it installed?

Heinz

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I am also desperately searching for the SOLVER in Excel of MS Office2008. Any
way to get it installed?

Not currently - it just doesn't work with XL08.

 

[Phillip Jones]

A casualty of killing VBA in Mac version of Office.

Not currently - it just doesn't work with XL08.

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616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it's "fixed", don't "break it"!

mailto[email protected]

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<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm>

<http://www.vpea.org>

 

[Carl Witthoft]

Hi, I just cranked up the student edition of Office 2008 and can't find the
solver in excel or in any documentation. Please tell me solver was
included, I need it for classes!

I am also desperately searching for the SOLVER in Excel of MS Office2008. Any
way to get it installed?

Heinz[/QUOTE]

As others noted, it's not there any more.

In the meantime, try Equato for indirect solving. It's a freeware
standalone app.

 

[Roland]

As far as I am aware the Excel Solver is not written by Microsoft. It is written by Frontline Systems, and is actually a "lite" version of their more powerful solvers.

So what I think may be the problem is that the code for Solver is not owned by Microsoft. Certainly on both Windows and Mac, the Solver code is entirely contained in an .xla addin and a shared library. No part of the Solver code resides in the Excel executable or Office libraries.

Therefore creating a Solver for Office 2008 will likely require cooperation from Frontline Systems, or a complete implementation of VBA. The latter has already been dismissed by the MacBU.

I am not trying to excuse MS at all on this, I am just trying to add some (hopefully) useful background. I am just as frustrated as everyone else about the functionality dropped when 'upgrading'. I have realized Excel 2008 is not going to be a work platform I can use anymore. Not only was I a heavy Solver user, I also frequently scripted the Solver with VBA! Rather than switch to Windows I am moving most of my code to Matlab.

 

[ACHP Phil Hammond - MCSA]

I can not believe MS shipped this puppy without Solver. Reading these posts have just got my blood up. I work at a University with a bunch of Mac users wanting to know if they should upgrade and frankly I'm going to tell them to stay with Office 2004 UNTIL THIS IS FIXED. Sorry, this is inexcusable. Did you guys learn anything from the lawsuit in Europe? We're the reason the DOJ hasn't come down on you like a ton of bricks and made the Office group a separate product line from the OS line.
If this is what loyalty to MS buys, maybe I've got to look at open source a lot harder - hear that Mr. Bill?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

hear that Mr. Bill?

Not likely - we're mostly just users here...

 

[Barry.Ezell]

I am in shock. This should have been printed on the outside of the box. I have built hundreds of models for clients that implement a piece of code using VBA. Now it is hosed up. AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH. :angry: