Word 2008 and macros

[Lofty Becker]

I understand that Word 2008 no longer includes visual basic, which means
that if I get it, all my macros will go away.

I rely heavily on them for processing large documents (converting
footnote types, removing hyperlinks, and some other stuff).

Does anyone know anything about the capability of Word 2008 to automate
that kind of thing? Or do I have to choose between the new features and
robust automation?

-Lofty

 

[Jim Gordon MVP]

Hi,

You have an in-between choice. You can use AppleScript for robust
automation. There's a transition guide here:
http://www.mactech.com/vba-transition-guide/

If you don't have the time and patience to re-write all your macros and then
create new ones in AppleScript then you will most likely be happier in Word
2004 than Word 2008.

-Jim

I understand that Word 2008 no longer includes visual basic, which means
that if I get it, all my macros will go away.

I rely heavily on them for processing large documents (converting
footnote types, removing hyperlinks, and some other stuff).

Does anyone know anything about the capability of Word 2008 to automate
that kind of thing? Or do I have to choose between the new features and
robust automation?

-Lofty

--
Jim Gordon
Mac MVP

MVPs are not Microsoft Employees
MVP info

 

[JE McGimpsey]

If you don't have the time and patience to re-write all your macros and then
create new ones in AppleScript then you will most likely be happier in Word
2004 than Word 2008.

One additional alternative, which two of my clients are (rather
reluctantly) looking at, since they really like a lot of the new
features in Word 08, is to use Word04 as a preprocessor for your large
docs. Word04 and Word08 play well together, though I haven't played with
scripting two open versions of 'application "Microsoft Word"' to see if
that could be easily automated as well...

 

[Lofty Becker]

Hi,

You have an in-between choice. You can use AppleScript for robust
automation. There's a transition guide here:
http://www.mactech.com/vba-transition-guide/

Hm, thanks, Jim! I just looked at the (Word 2004) AppleScript dictionary
and glanced at your reference, and it may be that all the commands I
need are scriptable.

For my troublesome macros, I relied a lot on help from this group, so
I'll likely upgrade to 2008 and then be even more of a pest (grin).

-Lofty