in Macros

Getting Help with Macros

By Jack Lyon, the Editorium

While messing about with macros, I sometimes find myself up against a problem for which I have no solution. Time to get some help!

My usual approach is to use Google to search for "microsoft word vba [whatever problem I'm having]".

That turns up lots of interesting stuff, but the best answers are usually found in just a handful of places:

All of those have "Search" bars of their own, so you can search directly within those places for what you need.

The most reliable answers in those forums are usually given by the ever-helpful Microsoft MVPs, past and present. In particular, watch for answers from these folks:

  • Suzanne S. Barnhill
  • Paul Edstein
  • Terry Farrell
  • John McGhie
  • Charles Kenyon
  • Greg Maxey
  • Graham Mayor

And don't forget to say "Thank you!"


Readers Write

After reading last week's article, "Writing Down the Chaos," which discussed writing with notecard-based software, Kirsten Janene-Nelson wrote:

I use Scrivener. You can organize by cards with their "Corkboard" feature as well as seamlessly switch to manuscript view. There's a bit of a learning curve, but it's pretty painless and they have several helpful videos. My favorite feature is that you can keep all the moving parts of what you're writing close at hand without their being in your face. It's a virtual writing desk plus bulletin board plus project binder—all in one.

It's $59 after 30 days' trial—not 30 calendar days from when you start, but 30 actual days that you use Scrivener, regardless of when you start. https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener

Thanks to Kirsten for this information. If you're serious about writing, Scrivener may be the very program you need to produce your masterpiece.