Help with programming Excel User Forms

[nikhil.kavimandan]

Hey all!

I am somewhat new to the world of excel programming, so wanted to
get some help from you guys on a problem I am working on. I am trying
to create a utility for users which uses multiple worksheets in a
workbook and I also have a menu at the start to guide the user to the
excel sheet he wants to use. However, I am not too happy with the
'look and feel' of the utility I have developed (for instance, a user
has to scroll down within a worksheet to see what all is in there). I
feel that I can do this better if I design a userform and have the
user form interact with the user. So, specifically, what I want to do
is:

1. When the user opens the excel workbook, a user form pops up, and
that is the only thing the user sees
2. Based on the options the user selects (different tabs within the
same userform) the userform itself pulls out relevant information from
different sheets without ever showing that sheet itself

Bottom line, I want to be able to avoid direct interaction of the user
with the worksheets. I would like the user to be able to interact only
with the userform. Is this possible?

I hope I am clear enough, most times I can not translate thoughts in
my mind clearly!

Nikhil

 

[Ray]

Sounds like you'd better off with Access, rather than Excel ......

 

[Jim Rech]

The spreadsheet metaphor is generally thought to be relatively easy for
people to understand. Your desire to protect users from it is a bit of a
mystery to me. Adding a protective userform will be hard work for you and,
at best, frustrating for users. I don't know what the problem is with
having users 'scroll down' but it may be that adding a summary sheet, with
key figures on it, while the underlying data available on detail sheets for
those that need it, is an alternative way to go.

--
Jim
| Hey all!
|
| I am somewhat new to the world of excel programming, so wanted to
| get some help from you guys on a problem I am working on. I am trying
| to create a utility for users which uses multiple worksheets in a
| workbook and I also have a menu at the start to guide the user to the
| excel sheet he wants to use. However, I am not too happy with the
| 'look and feel' of the utility I have developed (for instance, a user
| has to scroll down within a worksheet to see what all is in there). I
| feel that I can do this better if I design a userform and have the
| user form interact with the user. So, specifically, what I want to do
| is:
|
| 1. When the user opens the excel workbook, a user form pops up, and
| that is the only thing the user sees
| 2. Based on the options the user selects (different tabs within the
| same userform) the userform itself pulls out relevant information from
| different sheets without ever showing that sheet itself
|
| Bottom line, I want to be able to avoid direct interaction of the user
| with the worksheets. I would like the user to be able to interact only
| with the userform. Is this possible?
|
| I hope I am clear enough, most times I can not translate thoughts in
| my mind clearly!
|
| Nikhil
|

 

[nikhil.kavimandan]

Hey all,

Thanks for the response. Jim, it's hard for me to put this into
words, I wish I could somehow attach a screenshot to my message or
something. But I am really not too pleased with the way the excel
spreadsheet looks.

Along these lines, from what (very little) I know, I guess VBA needs
a 'platform' such as excel to work with (I can't have a userform run
on its own, without having to open excel). But, isn't there a VB
editor that you can use independent of excel? Again, pardon my
ignorance, I am still very early into learning VB.

Nikhil

 

[Jim Rech]

But I am really not too pleased with the way the excel spreadsheet looks.

Okay but building an alternative UI that does what you need and does what
users need is no small undertaking. 'Beautifying' your worksheet is a lot
easier.<g>

VBA is Visual Basic for Applications and the application in this case is
Excel. But there is a standalone Visual Basic that is part of Visual
Studio. You could build a windows app with at that pulls data from Excel
workbook via ADO (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/257819) but, again, pretty
big undertaking.


--
Jim
| Hey all,
|
| Thanks for the response. Jim, it's hard for me to put this into
| words, I wish I could somehow attach a screenshot to my message or
| something. But I am really not too pleased with the way the excel
| spreadsheet looks.
|
| Along these lines, from what (very little) I know, I guess VBA needs
| a 'platform' such as excel to work with (I can't have a userform run
| on its own, without having to open excel). But, isn't there a VB
| editor that you can use independent of excel? Again, pardon my
| ignorance, I am still very early into learning VB.
|
| Nikhil
|
| > The spreadsheet metaphor is generally thought to be relatively easy for
| > people to understand. Your desire to protect users from it is a bit of
a
| > mystery to me. Adding a protective userform will be hard work for you
and,
| > at best, frustrating for users. I don't know what the problem is with
| > having users 'scroll down' but it may be that adding a summary sheet,
with
| > key figures on it, while the underlying data available on detail sheets
for
| > those that need it, is an alternative way to go.
| >
| > --
| >
| > | > | Hey all!
| > |
| > | I am somewhat new to the world of excel programming, so wanted to
| > | get some help from you guys on a problem I am working on. I am trying
| > | to create a utility for users which uses multiple worksheets in a
| > | workbook and I also have a menu at the start to guide the user to the
| > | excel sheet he wants to use. However, I am not too happy with the
| > | 'look and feel' of the utility I have developed (for instance, a user
| > | has to scroll down within a worksheet to see what all is in there). I
| > | feel that I can do this better if I design a userform and have the
| > | user form interact with the user. So, specifically, what I want to do
| > | is:
| > |
| > | 1. When the user opens the excel workbook, a user form pops up, and
| > | that is the only thing the user sees
| > | 2. Based on the options the user selects (different tabs within the
| > | same userform) the userform itself pulls out relevant information from
| > | different sheets without ever showing that sheet itself
| > |
| > | Bottom line, I want to be able to avoid direct interaction of the user
| > | with the worksheets. I would like the user to be able to interact only
| > | with the userform. Is this possible?
| > |
| > | I hope I am clear enough, most times I can not translate thoughts in
| > | my mind clearly!
| > |
| > | Nikhil
| > |
|
|