Charlotte Foust
cfoust at infostatsystems.com
Tue Jul 11 18:34:27 CDT 2006
Null values or Nothing? They aren't the same and I often get surprised by values that are nothing rather than an empty string or zero. Charlotte Foust -----Original Message----- From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of MartyConnelly Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 1:51 PM To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving Subject: Re: [AccessD] Demise of VBA One way around this is, you can call VB.Net code from VBA via a net wrapper class and a comclass template, then just set a reference to a .tlb to call it. I should write up a sample. The coming version VB 9 or Orcas has some interesting features. the CLR has added support for nullable types in other words you can have a null vale in a date or integer. This would make it interesting passing values to VBA. http://www.developer.com/net/vb/article.php/3618141 Charlotte Foust wrote: >Ken, > >At present VSTO is included with VS.Net but it is also a stand alone >product that includes a standard version of VB.Net. It isn't cheap, by >any means, but still cheaper than the full Visual Studio. As for the >ease of the transition, that depends on what you have done in Access. >Have you worked with classes, child classes, loosely coupled code, ADO, >frameworks? If so, you aren't going to have a lot of trouble once you >get used to the new object model. The only thing that makes VB.Net >easier to move to than C# is the lack of the pesky scope indicators and >braces, etc., that makes languages like C# hard for VB programmers to >decipher. > >I LIKE VB.Net and resist getting dragged back into VBA. I wouldn't >like to have had to make the transition on my own without a team member >who was already conversant with VB.Net on hand to help, but I could >have done it, as could most of us. I remember similar discussions when >VBA became the language of MS Office and we had to give up WordBasic, >AccessBasic, Excel Macro language, etc. > >As for alternatives, sure they're there, but if you want to keep the >familiar Access interface, they're somewhat limited because VS.Net will >be the scripting language for it. > > >Charlotte Foust > >-----Original Message----- >From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com >[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Kenneth >Ismert >Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 10:43 AM >To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com >Subject: Re: [AccessD] Demise of VBA > > >VBA is a dead language -- I've been saying that for a while now. When >Microsoft stops updating a product, it's only a matter of time before >it sunsets it. > >There are two driving reasons for this shift, as I see it: > >* VB6 and VBA have deep security issues. Microsoft is unwilling or >unable to address this. > >* The VBA environment was included in Office, and Microsoft wants to >realize extra revenue from the sale of VSTO. > >What does this mean for us? > >* Vastly more expensive entry into development. Very likely, VSTO will >require a full version of Visual Studio -- no Express edition here. > >* Vastly higher learning curve. You thought the current system was >tough? Try wrapping your head around a new language (don't believe the >bullshit that VB.NET is any easier to move to than C#), new IDE, >enormous new libraries (ADO.NET, BCL), and completely new methodologies. >Not to mention the radically new Access 2007 interface. > >My point is, if you have to re-learn everything, why limit yourself to >just Visual Studio? There is a universe of languages and development >evironments, all free, for you to explore. And, not crippled intro >product -- full-featured and free. > >You really owe it to yourself to explore the alternatives. > >-Ken >-- >AccessD mailing list >AccessD at databaseadvisors.com >http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd >Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > > -- Marty Connelly Victoria, B.C. Canada -- AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com