Article ID: 176412
Article Last Modified on 6/17/2005
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh
This article was previously published under Q176412
SYMPTOMS
If you click any of the tools on the Drawing toolbar while recording an AppleScript script, the results of clicking the tools are not recorded into the script.
CAUSE
This problem occurs because the drawing system in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition does not support AppleScript.
WORKAROUND
Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements. AppleScript is manufactured by Apple Computer, Inc., a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability.
If you need an AppleScript script to be able to insert a drawing object into a worksheet or chart, record or write a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro that performs the required actions. Then, while you are recording the script, run the macro in Microsoft Excel. The command to run the macro will be correctly recorded into the script.
For example, if the macro in Microsoft Excel resembles the following:
Sub InsertRectangle()
ActiveSheet.Shapes.AddShape(msoShapeRectangle, 103#, 80#, _
114#, 66#).Select
End Sub
and is contained in Workbook1, the recorded script should resemble the following:
tell application "Microsoft Excel"
activate
Evaluate "Workbook1!InsertRectangle()"
end tell
You can use other Visual Basic macros to perform other drawing-related actions, such as moving drawing objects.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.
MORE INFORMATION
You can use the AppleScript Script Editor to record scripts that interact with many programs, including Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh. When you record such a script, every action you perform in Microsoft Excel is recorded into the script. You can then run the script, and Microsoft Excel performs the recorded actions.
The exception to this rule involves the drawing tools in Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition. Because of the design of the drawing system, it does not respond at all to AppleScript scripts. It is not possible to modify an existing script to use the drawing tools, unless you use the workaround shown above.
REFERENCES
For additional information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
163435 VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for Applications
Additional query words: XL98 AutoShape
Keywords: kbmacro kbprogramming kbprb kbcode KB176412
