Greetings, prospective Excel programmer
Unlike most programming topics, this one is written in plain English, and even normal people can understand it. Even better, it’s filled with information of the “just the facts, ma’am” variety — and not the drivel you might need once every third lifetime.
How This Topic Is Organized
I divided this topic into seven major parts, each of which contains several chapters. Although I arranged the chapters in a fairly logical sequence, you can read them in any order you choose. Here’s a quick preview of what’s in store for you.
Part I: Introducing VBA
Part I has but two chapters. I introduce the VBA language in the first chapter. In Chapter 2, I let you get your feet wet right away by taking you on a hands-on guided tour.
Part II: How VBA Works with Excel
In writing this topic, I assumed that you already know how to use Excel. The four chapters in Part II give you a better grasp on how VBA is implemented in Excel. These chapters are all important, so I don’t recommend skipping past them, okay?
Part III: Programming Concepts
The eight chapters in Part III get you into the nitty-gritty of what programming is all about. You may not need to know all this stuff, but you’ll be glad it’s there if you ever do need it.
Part IV: Developing Custom Dialog Boxes
One of the coolest parts of programming in Excel is designing custom dialog boxes (well, at least I like it). The four chapters in Part IV show you how to create dialog boxes that look like they came straight from the software lab at Microsoft.
Part V: Creating Custom Toolbars and Menus
Part V has two chapters, both of which address user interface topics. One chapter deals with creating custom menus; the other describes how to customize toolbars.
Part VI: Putting It All Together
The four chapters in Part VI pull together information from the preceding chapters. You find out how to develop custom worksheet functions, create add-ins, design user-oriented applications, and even work with other Office applications.
Part VII: The Part of Tens
Traditionally, topics in the For series contain a final part that consists of short chapters containing helpful or informative lists. Because I’m a sucker for tradition, this topic has two such chapters that you can peruse at your convenience. (If you’re like most readers, you’ll turn to this part first.)
