Trying to view macros in a .XLS file?

[(Pete Cresswell)]

I've got a .XLS file that the client says contains various financial calculation
macros used by their spreadsheets.

I have to duplicate those functions in an MS Access environment.

Two problems:

1) I don't have a clue....

2) When I open up the .XLS and poke around, I cannot find anything like what the
user says is there. I know the names of some of the macros because I've been
through the calcs in one of the using spreadsheets - and changed the references
from some non-existant UNC to the local copy of the .XLS file.....and then they
work....So, I conclude that the macros are there in the .XLS and they're
accessible to the spreadsheet. Problem is that I cannot seem them.

Probably something really dumb on my part....but what?

 

[Don Guillett]

try alt f11

 

[Gord Dibben]

Pete

Where are you poking around?

Do you see any macro names when you go to Tools>Macro>Macros?

If you do see them select one and hit "Edit" to open to the Visual Basic
Editor.

The macros will be in a module or modules. Browse around through the Project
Explorer window.

Gord Dibben Excel MVP

 

[(Pete Cresswell)]

Per Gord Dibben:

Where are you poking around?
Do you see any macro names when you go to Tools>Macro>Macros?
If you do see them select one and hit "Edit" to open to the Visual Basic
Editor.
The macros will be in a module or modules. Browse around through the Project
Explorer window.

Thats what I expected to see: something in Project Explorer.

What I'm doing is:

1) Select the .XLA file in Windows Exporer
2) Doubleclick on it, launching Excel
3) (at this point, Excel has opened, but there is no sheet apparent - expected,
I guess if all it contains are macros)
4) Hit Alt+F11 or just Tools|Macro|Macros or Tools|Macro|Visual Basic Editor
5) At this point there are visible in Project's TreeView:
- AcrobatPDFWriter (PDFWriter.xla) - which is expected
- VBAProject (FUNCTION.XLA) - which is the same name as the document I opened
6) When I try to look under VBAProject|This Workbook, there's nothing to be
seen.


That's where I run out of things to do..... but, recalling that the spreadsheet
that uses these macros can find/execute at least one of them, it seems like they
must be there. Some security thing? Invisible? They were developed by
another vendor some years ago...since then they've been used daily, but I'd
guess nobody ever tried to look at them.

 

[Dave Peterson]

Debra Dalgleish has some pictures of the project explorer here:

http://www.contextures.com/xlfaqMac.html#NoMacros

You'll see one branch that's called "Modules".

Inside that branch are, er, modules that can hold code--including code for User
Defined Functions (well, if that code is written in VBA).

These modules can be renamed, so they don't have to match Debra's examples
exactly.

===
And now for something I know absolutely nothing about--so take it with a large
grain of salt.

Some functions can be compiled into .dll's (or .xll's??). The code would be
written in some version of C/assembler/VB (more ????). If your functions are
compiled, then you may not be able to see the code.

Maybe someone who does this (or at least understands it well enough to get it
right) can jump in and save/correct me!

 

[(Pete Cresswell)]

Per Dave Peterson:

Some functions can be compiled into .dll's (or .xll's??). The code would be
written in some version of C/assembler/VB (more ????). If your functions are
compiled, then you may not be able to see the code.

That doesn't sound like it. Reason: the .XLA is now on my home PC and it still
works. No .DLL was copied.

Anybody want to take a look at this thing? It's got to be something dumb on my
part. and it's only 44k.... Flip me an email at (e-mail address removed)
and I'll send you a reply with the .XLA and a real return address.