Excel Program Order of Priority

[graenbrain]

Dear MVPs, Ninjas and Community:

Generally speaking does the 2013 Excel Program have a general, regular, or even specific order of priority to the different functions available within it? To be helpful, when a user opens a blank worksheet is there already a certain performance order set for the variety of program functions and items to be addressed? In other words, does the program contain a certain prioritized function order like you would find within a css, java, or html script and as the Excel program would naturally read and perform those scripts working from top left to bottom right across the programing script?

While I hope this "order" is not protected knowledge by Microsoft, it would not surprise me. Nevertheless, when recently working on a spreadsheet using foreign language and English I noticed inconsistency within several Excel functions. When attempting workarounds to the inconsistencies it did not seem possible to combine two worksheets into one workbook when the worksheets were produced by two different Office language packs. Thus, if this perception is true, would knowing the "priority" assist in the creation of workarounds to this limitation and greatly increase productivity?

Finally, would knowing the "priority" (even a general priority scripted functions within the Excel program - without giving away copyright secrets) help with formula workarounds when creating spreadsheets containing no VBA (assumption = VBA is the major workaround to most conflicts within the program because the post Excel 4.0 program architecture seems to have been built on VBA when Microsoft bought Fox Technologies in 1992 (FoxPro) and change the name to include "Visual")?

Thank you for some discussion and answers, if obtainable.

graenbrain

 

[NARAYANK991]

Hi ,

I have not understood whether you are asking about worksheet functionality or VBA functionality , and even if it is the one or the other , what exactly you mean.

It would help if you could give a practical example of where you would apply this knowledge.

You make a statement such as the following :

I noticed inconsistency within several Excel functions.

Can you explain this in detail , since I for one cannot even imagine what this can mean , leave alone understand and contribute something.

Narayan

 

[graenbrain]

Thanks for answering Narayank991. You want an example that is more specific than expressed above? Okay, this just happened.

I built a small database and to simplify the data entry/search "criteria" process, I used the Excel program "Data Form" dialog box feature. I locked the data worksheet and the workbook (structure). Subsequently, the Excel "Data Form" dialog box shows empty fields and a "criteria" command button shows nothing regardless of the search criteria typed in available fields.

AFTER choosing/changing several row and sort actions within the worksheet security choices the "Data Form" still showed empty fields. Only AFTER I fully removed the worksheet security did the "Data Form" dialog box show the information within the worksheet and allow me to perform a "criteria" button search.

Thus, the general program order or function order of commands places worksheet security preference over and before allowing dialog box entry because Excel was written that way. Further, I noticed worksheet security must also be written into the program script before the workbook structure security because dialog boxes still function with the workbook structure locked while the worksheet remains unlocked.

Here is another way to say this....I am looking for a list of order in which Excel actually runs or the command order which indicates a preference of one command over another (a.k.a the program's systematic logic)....such as:

1) Worksheet Security then
2) Dialog Box Entry then
3) Page Layout then
4) Cell format then
5) Workbook Security then
6) Formulas then
7) Calculation then
8) Print and so forth....

Yes, this is a macro type question about the micro way Excel was written. But, this knowledge will help developers to determine the appropriateness of using Excel formats for productive solutions to various professional needs.

Having this knowledge would also speed-up development time (such as - yep, need to use VBA v. straight formula because the formula will not function properly with the other program requests coming before it). I have never seen such a list even though the WORLD is all about that DATA and Excel is the logical choice to BE the solution to "all about that DATA."

Does this help without creating a small sample? Thanks.

 

[graenbrain]

Dear MVPs, Ninjas and Community:

At the Microsoft Developers site: How to: Create a Custom Dialog Box the instructions state:

"You can initialize controls in a procedure before you show a form, or you can add code to the Initialize event of the form." (underline is for emphises)

This tells me a logical order of function for the program Excel exists. Does anyone know this step by step order? Thank you.

 

[NARAYANK991]

Hi ,

Sorry , but I think your thread got pushed down , out of sight , over the last few days , since otherwise I would have replied sooner.

I am still not clear on what your real requirement is ; for me , the facts are quite simple and straightforward.

An Excel worksheet can have security put in , or it can be totally unlocked. Either way , I do not know why formulas should come into the scheme of things ; formulas occupy cells and their results are totally dependent on whether the recalculation method is Manual or Automatic. They do not have anything to do with whether a worksheet tab is locked or not.

Security is primarily for the user ; either it allows the user to interact with the worksheet or it prevents the user from interacting with the worksheet to varying degrees , depending on the options selected when the worksheet is locked.

A similar system applies to the VBA project , which is totally independent of the worksheet security ; you can have the worksheet fully unlocked , but the VBA project fully locked. Forms are a part of the VBA project , and locking the VBA project means the forms and their code are also locked except that the user can execute the code , and interact with the forms in the manner that the code allows.

All of this is quite apart from the fact that the Initialize event procedure runs before a form is displayed ; event procedures are a subject by themselves.

I think you should go through a book on Excel and VBA rather than expect detailed answers from any forum. A good list of books is here :

http://www.rickgrantham.com/excel-resources/books/

Narayan

 

[graenbrain]

Hello Narayan:

First, thank you very much for the reply. Second, thank you for the link (I have noticed Rick's books at other forums but had not visited his web site). Third, you did suggest "go through a book", and I do like the "subject" approach Rick uses....so thank you for that idea.

The "real requirement" is a macro (general) description of the order in which the Excel program works. In my research and work with Excel, I have noticed the primary developer focus to be micro not macro. No matter the forum source - Here is the problem, Here is the solution - which most of the time never considers ALL of the general perimeters. Thus, I see confusion from even the best code writers as folks attempt solutions or workarounds.

I thought my question might help improve "the whole." Again, thanks.