Kenneth Ismert
kismert at sbcglobal.net
Fri Jul 14 11:39:25 CDT 2006
Well, here is Microsoft's explicit replacement for VBA -- it's called VSTA. Here are some links and exerpts. This will give you a much clearer idea how VSTA/VSTO will replace VBA, and the migration paths offered. VBA will have legacy support in Vista (as well as the VB6 runtime, and DOS), but it looks like no new products with be shipped with it, beyond Office 2007. -Ken Visual Studio Tools for Applications -- Announcement http://blogs.msdn.com/vsta/archive/2006/02/03/524676.aspx Visual Studio Tools for Applications -- Blog http://blogs.msdn.com/vsta/default.aspx Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Applications http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/extend/vsta/ VSTA Fills an Important Niche for MS http://www.ftponline.com/weblogger/forum.aspx?id=6&Date=09/15/2005#438 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- You will see a handful of important differences between VSTA and its VBA predecessor. First, you'll be able to program against VSTA using Visual Basic and C#; VBA, as its name suggested, could be programmed against only with Visual Basic. Second, implementations you create with VSTA will sit side-by-side with VBA-created solutions; they do not interact in any way. If you have an application that integrates VBA, you need to upgrade the application to VSTA to take advantage of VSTA in that application. KD cautioned that the upgrade experience of moving to VSTA from VBA will be considerably easier than moving from VB to VB.NET, saying that Microsoft learned quite a bit from watching customer efforts to migrate their applications to .NET previously, knowledge that will make it easier to make a transition this time around. Artinsoft, the company that provides the VB-to-.NET porting tools in Visual Studio .NET, is also listed as an early adopter of VSTA, and will play a similar role in helping companies move their applications forward from VBA to .NET. Microsoft Debuts Expression, Visual Studio for Apps and C# 3.0 http://www.crn.com/sections/custom/custom.jhtml?articleId=170703326 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Microsoft also plans to release in late 2006 an enhanced .NET application customization technology extended for the 64-bit environment called Visual Studio Tools for Application, the successor to Visual Basic for Applications, said KD Hallman, general manager for Visual Studio Tools for Applications and Office and VB.NET. The VSTA IDE and run-time engine, which will ship in the second half of 2006, can be licensed and embedded in applications ISVs and systems integrators develop. VBA solved many problems but did not allow applications to scale up the enterprise, she said, adding that Microsoft will continue to support VBA indefinitely. VSTO can be used with Office but VSTA can be used by any application developed by ISVs or systems integrators, she said. Microsoft will use the IDE an run-time in Office 12 and the InfoPath 12 server, Microsoft said. Microsoft Announces VSTA and VSTO 3.0 at PDC05 http://www.hunterstrat.com/news/category/tools/vsto/ VSTO links: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Migrating from VBA to .NET/VSTO – Where to Start http://blogs.officezealot.com/chris/archive/2005/08/08/7678.aspx Nine Compelling Reasons to Move From VBA to VSTO 2005 http://www.devx.com/OfficeProDev/Article/28088 Redesigning an Excel VBA Solution for .NET Using Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office http://msdn.microsoft.com/office/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/odc_vsto2005_ta/html/OfficeVSTOExcelVBARearchitecture.asp Convert VBA Code to Visual Basic When Migrating to Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office http://msdn.microsoft.com/office/default.aspx?pull=/library/en-us/odc_vsto2005_ta/html/OfficeVSTOLanguageMigrationFromVBA.asp