Excel 2016 Power Programming with VBA

2 Introducing Visual Basic for Applications

In This Chapter

• Using Excel’s macro recorder
• Working with the Visual Basic Editor
• Understanding the Excel Object Model
• Diving into the Range object
• Knowing where to turn for help

Getting a Head Start with the Macro Recorder

A macro is essentially Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code that you can call to execute any number of actions. In Excel, macros can be written or recorded.

Excel programming terminology can be a bit confusing. A recorded macro is technically no different from a VBA procedure you create manually. The terms macro and VBA procedure are often used interchangeably. Many Excel users call any VBA procedure a macro. However, when most people think of macros, they think of recorded macros.

Recording a macro is like programming a phone number into your cell phone. You first manually dial and save a number. Then when you want, you can redial the number with the touch of a button. Just as on a cell phone, you can record your actions in Excel while you perform them. While you record, Excel gets busy in the background, translating and storing your keystrokes and mouse clicks to VBA code. After a macro is recorded, you can play back those actions anytime you want.

The absolute best way to become familiar with VBA, without question, is to simply turn on the macro recorder and record some of the actions that you perform in Excel. This approach is a quick way to learn the relevant VBA syntax for a task.

In this section, ...