Excel on Mac and Macro's

[Tan]

Hi

My brother is looking to buy a Mac and has been told that Microsoft Excel: Mac can't do Macro's is this true? And if so, is there anyway around it?

Many thanks

Tan

 

[rees_A]

you could load windows on the Mac.. At least then it would be useful... Alternatively, buy a Laptop instead, Twice as fast/usable half the price.. Oh, and you can play HD films/Gams on them as well.

 

[Tan]

I use a Mac with windows on also, so that I can run my softphone and I find that the Mac side is far superior to the Windows side for the day to day computing that I do.

 

[LTD]

what sort of macros are you talking about ?

If you have MS Office for Mac then you can use macros within Excel.

 

[Spinal]

Microsoft removed macros from Office with their 2008 release of office for Mac. They promised to reinsert a limited version in 2012... but not the full set of macros.

He has 3 options if he goes down the apple route:
-ditch office for an open source alternative (or apples version) ; no idea how macros work here
-Buy & install windows on the mac
-go back to office:mac 2003; which still has macros. With a plugin he can even open .xlsx files...

M.

 

[spinaltap]

-go back to office:mac 2003; which still has macros. With a plugin he can even open .xlsx files...

Just to be pedantic; there is no Office Mac 2003 - but there is Office Mac 2004.

Even so, my copy of Mac Office 2008 (the current version 12.2.4) does have macro functionality - so I don't see what the confusion is.

 

[Spinal]

Just to be pedantic; there is no Office Mac 2003 - but there is Office Mac 2004.

Even so, my copy of Mac Office 2008 (the current version 12.2.4) does have macro functionality - so I don't see what the confusion is.

My apologies, was half asleep when I typed that! I meant 2004.

2008 does not have macro functionality. You need to port any VB macros to AppleScript, which is not compatible with anyone other than mac users. Additionally, I'm not sure if the AppleScript scripts are saved within the file or not, so when you send a document to someone, I'm not sure if the AS scripts are included.

Microsoft pulled out Visual Basic for Applications support, so your spreadsheet macros will no longer work. Period. And it doesn't support "live data" (coming in from web feeds, etc.). Office 2008 does support AppleScript, but there's no easy way to convert your macros; and it's not quite the same thing anyway. This pretty much cripples the program for serious spreadsheet users.

That said, with version 12.1.1 macros are PRESERVED - meaning if you get a document with macros, it will no longer wipe them should you ever send that on to a windows user.

From Microsoft (link below)

So what are your options for Office 2008? You could stick with Office 2004, running in Macintosh Rosetta on Intel-based Macintosh computers. However, you will miss out on all the new features of Office 2008.

Furthermore, macros found in the new "m" file formats of 2007 Office suite for Windows (.docm, .xlsm, .pptm) will not run on and can't be converted for Office 2004 (or Office 2008, or any version of Office for Mac).

The people most affected by the loss of VBA are those who need cross-platform programmability for Office. There may be some options to control Office externally. However, other possible solutions are outside the scope of this document.

You could also investigate alternative automation technologies such as AppleScript.

Source:
ACSA Certified & Microsoft.com:
Office 2008 Developers

M.

 

[Swozza]

My apologies, was half asleep when I typed that! I meant 2004.

2008 does not have macro functionality. You need to port any VB macros to AppleScript, which is not compatible with anyone other than mac users. Additionally, I'm not sure if the AppleScript scripts are saved within the file or not, so when you send a document to someone, I'm not sure if the AS scripts are included.

Microsoft pulled out Visual Basic for Applications support, so your spreadsheet macros will no longer work. Period. And it doesn't support "live data" (coming in from web feeds, etc.). Office 2008 does support AppleScript, but there's no easy way to convert your macros; and it's not quite the same thing anyway. This pretty much cripples the program for serious spreadsheet users.

That said, with version 12.1.1 macros are PRESERVED - meaning if you get a document with macros, it will no longer wipe them should you ever send that on to a windows user.

From Microsoft (link below)

Source:
ACSA Certified & Microsoft.com:
Office 2008 Developers

M.

100% correct