[AccessD] Using macros - good thing or bad?

All:

>
> Steve Schapel:
>
>> (Ken) This means they still don't support variables.
>>
>
> Access 2007 introduced TempVars.  These are very cool critters...
>

Thanks for the info, Steve. This feature could be enough to move me away
from VBA for fast Access app development, where I limit myself only to
global VBA functions which act as global variables. I'll look into that.


> Jim Dettman:
> ... And macros still can't call anything external (Win API, DLLs, COMs,
> etc)...
>

I would like to see the ability to extend macros by adding custom actions
written in .NET. That would allow the external functionality you want while
staying on the 'safe' macro/.NET side.


> Steve Schapel:
> I have not heard any credible suggestion of Microsoft wanting to "move away
> from VBA" for Access...


I think Microsoft would desperately like to move away from VBA, but can't.
The security concerns are valid, but the installed base of VBA code is so
huge that they will have to support it well past their original sunset
plans.

What they haven't done, at least before 2010, is provide a compelling
alternative to VBA to coax users to make the move. Access 2010 web apps may
finally be the inducement that will prompt many developers to make the
switch.

-Ken