VBA/Visio course recommendation?

[Paul]

I learned my Visio on the streets, which means by banging around. Not
much use of the stencils except when I need a shape. Trial and error
on the interconnect types, and connection handles.

I want to take a VBA course because it would add a lot of value in the
environment of MS Windows applications. I suspect that I should try
to lean it toward Visio first, and Excel second. The combination of
Visio and VBA seems quite rare. Would anyone have suggestions? Any
special considerations to keep in mind due to the hole-filled
knowledge of Visio, as learned by banging around?

Thanks.

 

[WapperDude]

Hey Paul --
Unfortunately, there isn't a nice text for Visio VBA as there is for Excel.
I'll refer you to an answer posted in the Developer section, subject is: Re:
is there a book for macros in visio 2003?.

I've seen similar posts to yours, and the common answer seems to be the same
as in the post above, basically, trial by fire, and when stumped, ask for
help in a forum. Part of the problem is Visio offers much more breadth in
this arena than say Excel, and, Visio isn't quite as stable in my opinion.
Some quite a bit can change from release to release. But, if your looking to
do VBA in Excel, my recommendation is the current text by John Walkenbach.

Wapperdude

 

[John... Visio MVP]

DVS has been the standard starting point for Visio development since it was
first released. The examples were in VB, when Visio was the first non
Microsoft product to fully implement VBA, the examples in DVS were in VBA.
Originally it was a blue book, then a PDF and it's final incarnation was as
a Microsoft Press book (and a set of MSDN webpages).

So what is DVS. Originally it was Developing Visio Shapes, then renamed
Developing Visio Solutions, then Developing (Microsoft) Visio Solutions. For
those who have bought Graham Wideman's book, the unofficial name of the DVS
book is Da Very Start. ;-)

So, find a copy of Visio.pdf from an older version of Visio, buy the MS
press book, or visit the MSDN website. Though the book was released for
Visio 2002 and the pdfs are getting long in the tooth, more than 90% of the
information is still applicable to Visio 2007. Hopefully the book will be
updated for the next version of Visio.

Oh, I almost forgot, David Parker's book covers Data graphics, something
that was included in Visio 2007.

(We have also been bribing Graham to update his VIsio 2002 book)

John... Visio MVP

 

[WapperDude]

Interesting comment about DVS. It rang a bell, and I searched through my
files of antiquity, and yes, I have a paperback book, Developing Visio
Solutions. It came with Visio Technical 4.1. No author though. Seems to
cover much or most of the basic stuff. The following link will take you to
the website version,
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa245244(office.10).aspx, which is
under V2002. See my topic referal in 1st post, which includes John's website
-- has a ton of examples.!

 

[John... Visio MVP]

I've been hanging around since before version 1, so I am sort of the
unofficial historian. DVS was part of the official manual that came with
Visio, back in the old days when software did come with manuals. The book
was written by the Visio team and Chris Roth, the Visio Guy, had a hand in
it. His name is mentioned in the authors section in the earlier versions,
but that section was dropped by the time the book was updated for 4.1. (and
yes I do have a shelf load of Visio books that came with the product) One of
my early complaints was that the version number did not appear on the spine.

John...

 

[AlEdlund]

John,
You missed that Graham wrote one for the 2003 version as well.
;-)
al

 

[John... Visio MVP]

We were discussing DVS. Graham's books go beyond DVS so they require that
you are acquianted with DVS.

As to Graham's 2003 version, the SIGNED version is sitting within three feet
of this keyboard, next to his other two books. There is also space next to
them for his next edition.

John...

 

[Paul]

Thanks for the references, Wapper, John, and Al.

Would you know of any actual courses (possibly multilple days) to get
someone jumpstarted? Sitting down with a book presumes realistic
scheduling and scope of mainline activities (which isn't always in
one's control). In the absence of such, it isn't all that fine to be
doing other stuff (or actually, there is, but there are other things
competing for that time!). However, it is OK to take a time-out to
formally get a jumpstart via courses.

If there are no courses that are visio-oriented, what Excel-oriented
course would minimize the gap in getting started in visio? Would it
be overly presumptuous to also have the criteria of looking for a
course for those who haven't yet picked up VBA on the streets of
Excel, and have a intermediate knowledge of Excel as a spreadsheet
rather than a programming tool? I.e. same degree of knowledge depth
as one might have of older spreadsheet programs such as sc on unix,
Quatro, and older applications on the venerable CBM machines....

 

[AlEdlund]

IMHO VBA merely provides a framework for describing how to work with
information, the challange is in understanding the knowledge space that
you're working in. Regarding VBA, a standard introductory course to visual
basic should offer all that you need . I haven't seen anyone offer a
combination of visual basic focused on office products. Even the Office
Connections Conference usually focus' on word/excel/powerpoint.

Regarding education relative to Visio, I've seen some consulting firms that
offer it. Visio is a very rich environment with a unique set of features and
functions that should be understood first. Where the four primary books that
John mentioned have some VBA code in them, their primary function is to
first teach Visio. There are numerous examples in these forums of those that
have built "smart shapes" using just the shapesheet within the tool and not
adding a lot of code.

Al

Thanks for the references, Wapper, John, and Al.

Would you know of any actual courses (possibly multilple days) to get
someone jumpstarted? Sitting down with a book presumes realistic
scheduling and scope of mainline activities (which isn't always in
one's control). In the absence of such, it isn't all that fine to be
doing other stuff (or actually, there is, but there are other things
competing for that time!). However, it is OK to take a time-out to
formally get a jumpstart via courses.

If there are no courses that are visio-oriented, what Excel-oriented
course would minimize the gap in getting started in visio? Would it
be overly presumptuous to also have the criteria of looking for a
course for those who haven't yet picked up VBA on the streets of
Excel, and have a intermediate knowledge of Excel as a spreadsheet
rather than a programming tool? I.e. same degree of knowledge depth
as one might have of older spreadsheet programs such as sc on unix,
Quatro, and older applications on the venerable CBM machines....

 

[Paul]

What you say makes much sense, Al. Will seek out a VBA course.

I've tried to track down a PDF copy of "Developing Microsoft Visio
Solutions" to no avail. It would complement the MSDN website quite
nicely, as it is easier to search the whole document for words/
phrases, and presumably has an index. Easier to search than a hard
copy, too (though I have ordered the book). It seems kind of odd that
it isn't online.

 

[WapperDude]

Did you want the PDF to make a hardcopy? If just to have an online
reference, and either John or Al may correct me, but this link, which I'll
provide again for convenience,
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa245244(office.10).aspx, does take
you to the DVS material.

What Al says about VBA as a framework is quite true. My VBA experience came
out of Excel. The VBA methodology is same for Visio, but Visio has so much
more, that the specific details soon diverge. Certainly, knowing Visio is
fundamental, but when you start wading thru all of methods, etc. that Visio
has, it can be quite a daunting experience. It's sort of a 3-pronged issue:
1.) know Visio, 2.) know VBA, and 3.) know VBA as it relates to Visio
(because there is a huge "language" set within the confines of Visio).
Fortunately, it breaks down into some standard VBA structure that,
theoretically, makes producing code easier. Lest that scare you, you do not
have to be an expert with infinite knowledge, to be able to produce
reasonable, working code. But, you do need to be patient.

HTH
Wapperdude

 

[Paul]

Did you want the PDF to make a hardcopy?  If just to have an online
reference, and either John or Al may correct me, but this link, which I'll
provide again for convenience,http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa245244(office.10).aspx, does take
you to the DVS material.

That's the MSDN website I referred to in my previous post (below).
It's easier to search an entire document for words/phrases if the
document isn't distributed over many web pages, which is the only
reason I would be looking for a PDF. Being a newb in different areas
of knowledge, I find myself doing such searches all the time. I've
requested the hard copy, but am wondering whether it will have any
added value over the online content.

I certainly understand what you say below about needing to learn
language and the tool or environment (Visio) in which you use the
language.