Any other program languages as simple as spreadsheets like excel?
- Thread starter Harry0
- Start date
Your question is a bit vague as you can even add up and do basic math on data in Tables in Word
the simplest easily available calculator is Google
At a Google search box simply type =10+5
or
=plot(sin(x))
or
z=sin(x)+cos(y)
In regards to Other spreadsheets apart from Excel have a look at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spreadsheet#Other_spreadsheets
as well as a host of online spreadsheets
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_spreadsheet
the simplest easily available calculator is Google
At a Google search box simply type =10+5
or
=plot(sin(x))
or
z=sin(x)+cos(y)
In regards to Other spreadsheets apart from Excel have a look at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spreadsheet#Other_spreadsheets
as well as a host of online spreadsheets
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_spreadsheet
Harry0
Member
I was giving the math as an example of simplicity and quickness. And I said other programming language. like unreal engine, C, binary. etc lol obviously they are not a simple as excel I assume but I was asking if anyone else thinks other programming languages are as simple as excel.
Excel is absolutely a programming language
Each cell is simply a line of code that may display text, or calculate a variable
Excel has a simple grid layout rather than line by line code you maybe used to
A simple formula in A3: =A1+A2
is no different to a programing language doing
Range("A3").value = Range("A1").value + Range("A2").value
Subsequent formulas just build a series of instructions, which are executed in order, no different to a code block
Each cell is simply a line of code that may display text, or calculate a variable
Excel has a simple grid layout rather than line by line code you maybe used to
A simple formula in A3: =A1+A2
is no different to a programing language doing
Range("A3").value = Range("A1").value + Range("A2").value
Subsequent formulas just build a series of instructions, which are executed in order, no different to a code block
VBA runs fast. Maybe not as fast as optimized and compiled C++ code, but certainly plenty fast for calculation intensive scientific and engineering work, high frequency stock trading, and analyzing workbooks. When I write VBA code to do the preceding tasks, I expect it to run at least as fast as I can type, and am seldom disappointed.
AliGW
Well-Known Member
No, it is a code compiler application, a bit like Notepad++. The underlying programming language that was used to build it and other Office applications is C++. If you want to programme using Excel, then you need to employ VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). Excel itself is NOT a programming language.
AliGW
Well-Known Member
Excel is an application - it is not any sort of language. It's a front end - an interface - between the user and its underlying code.
Here is a list of what are commonly accepted as programming languages: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programming_languages
Excel is not listed because it is not one. VBA is listed because it is one. This is not just semantics.
Here is a list of what are commonly accepted as programming languages: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programming_languages
Excel is not listed because it is not one. VBA is listed because it is one. This is not just semantics.
Marc L
Excel Ninja
No as it is not a compiled language, just an interpreted one …
And it depends also how smart is the programmer as I already met
some VBA procedures lasting several minutes but operating manually
just using some Excel inner features needing less than a minute ! …
That's not strictly true. Spreadsheets in general are considered a programming paradigm and are listed as a class of ( cell-oriented ) functional language: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_programming_languages_by_type
Excel itself is commonly considered by developers to be an IDE and the formula language is an ECMA/ISO portable standard exchangeable with numerous other spreadsheets.
Many other languages are written in C/C++ as well, like python and java and C++ compilers.
You can actually use pretty much any language to program Excel via COM API without touching VBA . For user defined functions probably the best language is C++ since this accesses the native Excel API, as you say.
AliGW
Well-Known Member
Lori - better expressed, thanks. If you click on the spreadsheet link you get this:
My issue is that Excel is not a language in itself, although there is code (programming, whatever you want to call it) going on under the bonnet.
Is Excel programmable: yes. Do you have to understand a programming language to use it: no, not at a basic level, because it's the interface between you and the programming going on behind the scenes. It's more like an interpretor: it's like Google Translate, if you will. And that's my point.
My issue is that Excel is not a language in itself, although there is code (programming, whatever you want to call it) going on under the bonnet.
Is Excel programmable: yes. Do you have to understand a programming language to use it: no, not at a basic level, because it's the interface between you and the programming going on behind the scenes. It's more like an interpretor: it's like Google Translate, if you will. And that's my point.
Excel is an interface,
The Excel Grid is an interface
Putting in A3: =A1+A2 is convenient to you the user, and the grid allows practical repetition of old column and row account journals which suits our human way of thinking, but in reality, you are simply adding 2 values from memory locations.
Even the memory locations won't be the same location from today until tomorrow.
Excel simply allows a graphical abstraction layer between you and underlying interpretor, but you are still laying out a series of instructions which when carried out in order give you the results you want, and that is programming.
Please check out: http://wiki.c2.com/?MicrosoftExcelProgrammingLanguage
The Excel Grid is an interface
Putting in A3: =A1+A2 is convenient to you the user, and the grid allows practical repetition of old column and row account journals which suits our human way of thinking, but in reality, you are simply adding 2 values from memory locations.
Even the memory locations won't be the same location from today until tomorrow.
Excel simply allows a graphical abstraction layer between you and underlying interpretor, but you are still laying out a series of instructions which when carried out in order give you the results you want, and that is programming.
Please check out: http://wiki.c2.com/?MicrosoftExcelProgrammingLanguage
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Hi Ali
I hope my responses didn't come across as too strong
I have had this argument both here and elsewhere many times
Programming by definition is the process of creating a set of instructions that tell a computer how to perform a task. It is the breaking down of a problem into small manageable units and then having a computer solve them either sequentially or in parallel where applicable.
And this is in essence what all Excel models do
The language is transparent, but it is still there.
Try and do something like this in A1: =10/"Cat"
Excel returns a #Value! error.
This is effectively a syntax error
Excel simply removes the top down, line by line structure of a conventional programming language, but hidden behind is a dependancy tree which is an optimised calculation process defining the order of calculation of cells.
Excel also removes the need to worry about variable declarations, except where you try to do something like above A1: =10/"Cat"
And in a lot of other cases Excel makes assumptions and allows cross data type use anyway
Excel does this whilst providing a reporting framework that includes tabular layout and charting etc
But thankyou for the conversation, it is always good to have a healthy conversation over these type subjects as it broadens everyones view
I hope my responses didn't come across as too strong
I have had this argument both here and elsewhere many times
Programming by definition is the process of creating a set of instructions that tell a computer how to perform a task. It is the breaking down of a problem into small manageable units and then having a computer solve them either sequentially or in parallel where applicable.
And this is in essence what all Excel models do
The language is transparent, but it is still there.
Try and do something like this in A1: =10/"Cat"
Excel returns a #Value! error.
This is effectively a syntax error
Excel simply removes the top down, line by line structure of a conventional programming language, but hidden behind is a dependancy tree which is an optimised calculation process defining the order of calculation of cells.
Excel also removes the need to worry about variable declarations, except where you try to do something like above A1: =10/"Cat"
And in a lot of other cases Excel makes assumptions and allows cross data type use anyway
Excel does this whilst providing a reporting framework that includes tabular layout and charting etc
But thankyou for the conversation, it is always good to have a healthy conversation over these type subjects as it broadens everyones view
@Hui, i don't think there's much of a debate to be had. In the same wikipedia link above, spreadsheets are classified as multiparadigm, functional and visual languages.
Excel users may not feel like they are programming as the compilation (calculation) and variable declarations (cell references) are automatic. Just as Access users may not consider themselves programmers when the query designers they use are really just ways to generate SQL.
Excel users may not feel like they are programming as the compilation (calculation) and variable declarations (cell references) are automatic. Just as Access users may not consider themselves programmers when the query designers they use are really just ways to generate SQL.