XL5: OLE Automation Example: Running Macro in Visual Basic 3.0

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Visual Basic version 3.0, Standard and Professional Editions

SUMMARY

The following procedure demonstrates how you can use Microsoft Visual Basic version 3.0 and OLE Automation to run a Visual Basic, Applications Edition, procedure created in Microsoft Excel.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides examples of Visual Basic for Applications procedures for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. The Visual Basic procedures in this article are provided 'as is' and Microsoft does not guarantee that they can be used in all situations. While Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular macro, they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality, nor will they help you construct macros to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to consult one of the Microsoft Solution Providers. Solution Providers offer a wide range of fee-based services, including creating custom macros. For more information about Microsoft Solution Providers, call Microsoft Customer Information Service at (800) 426-9400.

Follow the steps below to create a Visual Basic, Applications Edition, procedure and then run it from Visual Basic 3.0.

1. Type the following code into a new Microsoft Excel module sheet in a new workbook.

   ' This procedure creates a new workbook, enters some numbers in a
   ' worksheet, creates a chart, rotates the chart, and then closes
   ' Microsoft Excel.
   
         Sub SpinIt()
   
         Dim ExcelChart As Object
         Dim i As Integer
   
            'Create a new workbook, type in three numbers, create a chart,
            'and change the chart type to 3-D Column
   
            Workbooks.Add
               Range("a1").Value = 3
               Range("a2").Value = 2
               Range("a3").Value = 1
               Range("a1:a3").Select
            Set ExcelChart = Charts.Add()
            ExcelChart.Type = xl3DColumn
   
            'Rotate chart
            For i = 30 To 180 Step 10
               ExcelChart.Rotation = i
            Next
   
            'Close all open files and quit Microsoft Excel.
            Application.DisplayAlerts = False
            ActiveWorkbook.Close (False)
            Application.Quit
   
         End Sub
   
   

2. Save the workbook as VB3OLE.XLS in your root directory.

3. Start Visual Basic 3.0, and on a new form, create a button.

4. Double click the button and type the following code into the procedure window:

         Sub Command2_Click ()
             Dim ExcelApp As Object
             'Opens Excel OLE Object
             Set ExcelApp = CreateObject("excel.application")
             ExcelApp.Visible = True
             'Opens the previously saved Excel workbook and runs the macro
             ExcelApp.Workbooks.Open ("c:\vb3ole.xls")
             ExcelApp.run ("spinit")
             Set ExcelApp = Nothing
             End
         End Sub
   
   

5. Close the procedure window, and choose Start from the Run menu.