Microsoft Excel VBA Programming for the Absolute Beginner [Paperback]

Duane Birnbaum (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1931841047 | ISBN-13: 978-8120320536 | Publication Date: April 2, 2002 | Edition: 1

Let's face it. C++, JavaScript, and ASP can be a little intimidating, even to the experienced computer user! That's why we have developed our For the Absolute Beginner series -- a fun, non-intimidating introduction to the world of programming. Each book in this series teaches the reader a specific programming language using simple games as a teaching aid. These books will give readers an understanding of basic programming concepts and enable them to apply those concepts to real-world programming situations. This series is the perfect learning tool for readers who have no previous experience in programming languages.

Visual Basic for Applications enables customers to buy off-the-shelf software and customize it to fit their specific business processes. This book not only teaches novice programmers VBA, it also teaches them the fundamental programming concepts they need to grasp in order to learn any computer language. Using game creation as a teaching tool, it provides a gentle introduction to the world of programming and gives readers a firm foundation in programming principles. The reader will be able to take the skills learned in this book and then apply them to his or her own situation.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Duane Birnbaum received a Ph.D from the University of California, Riverside in 1991 in physical chemistry. He works at Biogel Technology as a research scientist and has authored numerous scientific articles in the areas of chemical physics, biochemistry, and chemical engineering. He began teaching part-time in the computer science department of Indiana University - Purdue University at Indianapolis in 1997, focusing on an introductory course in data analysis with an emphasis on using the tools in spreadsheet applications. Duane lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Product Details

• Paperback: 424 pages
• Publisher: Premier Press; 1 edition (April 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931841047
• ISBN-13: 978-8120320536
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,460,912 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Previous review is incorrect, September 5, 2002

By 

Duane Birnbaum (Indianapolis, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft Excel VBA Programming for the Absolute Beginner (Paperback)

You do not need Visual studio installed to run the projects in this book. The errors mentioned in the previous review are caused by changes in the path to the VBA string functions when using Windows XP. You can always just enter the code as is written in the book into a new VBA project using Excel and it will run fine. But the simplest solution is this:

1.) Open the project that is giving you trouble.
2.) Select 'Move or Copy Sheet...' from the Edit menu.
3.) Choose to Move the selected sheet to a new workbook to create a copy.
4.) The new workbook should look just like the previous workbook. Only now the library paths will be updated to what's on your computer and the program will work. You will have to save the new workbook or the program will be lost when you close it and you will have to repeat the above steps.

This problem should have been caught in the reviewing process but we missed it. Sorry. Please ignore my rating. I had to put something in that field in order to respond.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars In no way is this aimed at the "absolute beginner", May 20, 2006

By 

Ty Arthur "xFiruath" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Microsoft Excel VBA Programming for the Absolute Beginner, Second Edition (Paperback)

This was my first foray into the "For the absolute beginner" series of books, and I understand now why it isn't nearly as popular as the "for dummies" or "demystified" series of instructional manuals. The main problem with this book is that it absolute is NOT intended for people with no previous experience in Excel or VBA, despite the disclaimer on the cover that states "No Experience Required!". A true beginner will be absolutely baffled by the concepts presented throughout, and will definitely walk away with a sour taste in their mouth.

The first chapter starts off solidly, displaying some of the basic things that can be done with Excel. Halfway through the chapter the author then inexplicably throws some code at the reader, without explaining ANY of the concepts behind how the code works, what it is, or how it's syntax is used. As I already had a solid grasp of programming concepts before diving into Visual Basic for Applications, I had a vague understanding of what was going on, but the target audience for this book will be left scratching their heads, wondering what the heck they just did. Each chapter onward becomes exponentially more complicated, throwing even more code at the user without any easily digestible explanations. As a guide to expanding your knowledge of VBA, this book actually does a pretty good job, if you already have a solid understanding of how VBA works. Each chapter ends with an exercise wherein the reader makes a game that utilizes all the concepts presented earlier. It's a rather odd way to teach VBA, as most people will be using Excel solely for business applications, but it does show case how Excel can create a wide range of solutions when coupled with VBA. The games themselves are actually rather fun, starting with a magic number grid and tic-tac-toe, and then eventually moving up to versions of Blackjack and even Battleship! It should also be noted that VBA is not the sole focus of this book, as there is a good deal of instruction regarding User Forms, drop down boxes, text controls, etc. and how they can interact with VBA.

Overall the book was decent and will certainly expand the user's already existing knowledge of Excel VBA. However, it really should have been titled "Excel VBA Programming for the Intermediate to Experienced User", as an absolute beginner won't get much use out of this particular tome.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not for beginners, but very good, June 23, 2006

By 

B. Gehring - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Microsoft Excel VBA Programming for the Absolute Beginner, Second Edition (Paperback)

I'd have to agree that this book is not appropriately named. I found understanding the code more difficult than several books aimed at a moderately advanced audience, such as Walkenbach's Power Programming.

That said, I found the book offered unique angles and insights not dealt with in other books, and in showing how games can be programmed in Excel, really provided a broad view of the power and flexibility inherent in VBA and the Excel Object model. It was frankly an eye opener to see what Duane was able to do, and I think taking the time to work through the code has been tremendously rewarding, if not particularly easy.