XL98: Conditional Compilation Code Lost With 5.0/95 Format

ID: Q186174

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

If you use the Save As command on the File menu to save a document in Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook format, you lose any Conditional Compilation directives in your Visual Basic for Applications code.

NOTE: When saving your document in Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 format, you are not warned that your code will be lost.

CAUSE

Conditional Compilation directives are not used in earlier versions of Visual Basic for Applications and Microsoft Excel.

RESOLUTION

If you have already saved your document in the Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook format, you must open the file in Microsoft Excel 98 and retype the Conditional Compilation directives.

If you have not saved your file in the Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook format and you want to preserve your Conditional Compilation directives, comment out the Conditional Compilation directives and save the file in the Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook format.

MORE INFORMATION

You can use Conditional Compilation directives (for example, #IF...THEN...#ELSE) to run selective blocks of code. Typically, this is used in cross-platform Sub procedures. The #IF...THEN...#ELSE directives evaluate expressions containing conditional compiler constants to determine what code to execute in the macro.

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals 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 needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/

The following macro provides an example of using conditional compilation:

1. Save and close any open workbooks, and then open a new workbook.

2. Start the Visual Basic Editor by pressing OPTION+F11.

3. On the Insert menu, click Module.

4. In the module, type the following code:

      #Const test = 1

      Sub Cond_Comp()

          #If test Then
              MsgBox "test evaluates to True"

          #Else
              MsgBox "test evaluates to False"

          #End If

      End Sub

5. Run the Cond_Comp macro.

   Because the conditional compilation constant "test" has a value of one,
   a message box will display the message "test evaluates to True".

6. Change the first line of code in the module to:

      #Const test = 0

7. Run the Cond_Comp macro.

   Because the conditional compilation constant "test" has a value of zero,
   a message box will display the message "test evaluates to False."

Conditional compilation constants can also be specified in the Project Properties dialog box instead of in a module. To use this technique in the previous example, follow these steps:

1. Comment out the first line in the module so that it looks like the

   following:

      '#Const test = 0

2. On the Tools menu, click VBAProject Properties, and click the General

   tab.

3. In the Conditional Compilation Arguments box, type the following:

      test = 1

4. Click OK.

5. Run the Cond_Comp macro.

   Because the conditional compilation constant "test" has a value of 1, a
   message box displays the message "test evaluates to True".

NOTE: If you want to specify more than one Conditional Compilation constant in the Conditional Compilation Arguments box, use a colon (:) as a separator. For example, you would type the following into the Conditional Compilation Arguments box:

   first = 1 : second = 0

REFERENCES

For more information about Conditional Compilation, from the Visual Basic Editor, click the Office Assistant, type "conditional compilation," click Search, and then click to view "Understanding Conditional Compilation."

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Microsoft Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q179216
   TITLE     : OFF98: How to Use the Microsoft Office Installer Program

Additional query words: 97 XL98

Keywords          : kbprg kbdta xlvbahowto xlvbainfo 
Version           : MACINTOSH:98
Platform          : MACINTOSH
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: May 18, 1999