| Imagine a data processing analyst who is given the | | | | functions. Imagine that one has a task of updating |
| task of producing similar reports everyday. Now what | | | | 65000 cells with formulas everyday. If one |
| if the task takes him considerable amount of time | | | | automates this function the time taken to update |
| automation would certainly help in reducing the time | | | | these formulas will become very small. Macros just |
| taken to produce these reports everyday. | | | | assist you to generate systems code in Visual basic |
| As another example let us take the case of an Excel | | | | that is required to perform automatic tasks. |
| sheet that must be updated with 65000 formulas | | | | As a test of viewing macros one may do a simple |
| everyday. This is a very time consuming task that | | | | experiment. In MS-EXCEL 97 one has to go to tools |
| can be easily automated. | | | | macros and set the recorder on. If one changes the |
| One may have heard of the term Macros very often. | | | | color of a cell after setting the recorder on, excel |
| What do these macros do? The macros capture the | | | | internally is recording its internal instructions in Visual |
| inner functions via Visual Basic. For example in Excel | | | | Basic. Now all you need to do is to switch of the |
| 97 if you go to tools /record macros will set up the | | | | recorder. Now if you go to tools/macros/vb editor |
| recorder. Applying a format to a cell and recording | | | | one can view the Visual Basic code that has been |
| this via a macro will cause expose the inner level | | | | generated. This code can be reused as an inprocess |
| COM syntax. So basically a macro is just an extension | | | | component from excel or as an out of process |
| of a COM component that access MS-EXCEL using | | | | component from an external application as well. |
| Visual Basic for Applications. So when you perform | | | | Reusing this code will in essence mimic the same user |
| excel functions having the recorder on will expose | | | | function of changing the color of the cell, but in this |
| many of the inner methods in VB. | | | | case an external program will perform the same task |
| So how can macros help in Automating excel | | | | as was done by the user. |