1. IE 8580 Module 4: DIY Monte Carlo Simulation
Lecture 4.1:
Visual Basic for Applications 101

2. Scott J. Mason, Ph.D., mason@clemson.edu
Visual Basic Editor
The Visual Basic Editor (VBE) is the environment in which you work with VBA programming code.
ALT + F11
VB Developer Tab
Add it through the Excel Options
Click Visual Basic
Scott J. Mason, Ph.D.,

3. Scott J. Mason, Ph.D., mason@clemson.edu
Visual Basic Editor
Code is saved in a .xlsm file
Clicking Save in VB Editor or Excel saves both the Excel file and the VB code
To see a missing window: View: select the window
Code Window, Project Window, Properties Window
Code window: where the code goes
Scott J. Mason, Ph.D.,

4. Scott J. Mason, Ph.D., mason@clemson.edu
Fix Security Settings
On the Developer Tab, click Macro Security
Click Disable all macros with notification
Scott J. Mason, Ph.D.,

5. When opening a .xlsm file
When you see the message below, Enable Content, assuming you know/trust the source of the file!
IE 8580,

6. Scott J. Mason, Ph.D., mason@clemson.edu
Record Your Own Macro
Developer Tab
Click Record Macro
This is how I “learned” to write code when I was kid
You can assign a hot key to run this macro (e.g., j)
Scott J. Mason, Ph.D.,

7. Relative/Absolute References
Relative References On
Relative References Off
Absolute References
Scott J. Mason, Ph.D.,

8. Example: Relative References Off
Record Macro with relative references off
Create a spreadsheet with the text entries as follows, then click Record Macro
Insert two rows below “Monday”
Move “Robert” cell below “Monday”
Move “Register” cell below “Robert”
Select the cell directly below
Click Stop Recording
Scott J. Mason, Ph.D.,

9. Example: Relative References Off
When the macro runs, two rows are inserted below “Monday” again instead of below “Tuesday”
The rows are always inserted between rows 1 and 2 and cells B1 and C1 are always moved
Scott J. Mason, Ph.D.,

10. Example: Relative References Off
The VBA code:
Scott J. Mason, Ph.D.,

11. Example: Relative References On
Record the same Macro with Use Relative References on, then click Stop Recording
Now the starting cell moves when the macro runs
Scott J. Mason, Ph.D.,

12. Example: Relative References On
The VBA code:
Notice
ActiveCell.Offset([#rows],[#cols]) vs. Range(”B1”)
Scott J. Mason, Ph.D.,

13. General Steps for Writing a Program
Get into VB Editor
Add a module
Write a sub (or copy it in this case)
Run the code from VB Editor
Optional (but useful): Add a button to the spreadsheet to run the code
We’ll revisit this later in this module!
IE 8580,