Customizing Visual Basic Editor
If you are serious about becoming a Macro programmer, you will spend a lot of time with VBA modules on your screen. To make things as comfortable as possible the VBE provides quite a few customization options.When the VBE is active, choose “Tool ⇨ Options”. You will see a dialog box with four tabs:
- Editor
- Editor Format
- General
- Docking
Editor tab
Below figure shows the options by clicking the Editor tab of the Options dialog box. Use the options in the Editor tab to control how certain things work in the VBE.
Auto Syntax Check option
The Auto Syntax Check setting determines whether the VBE pops up a dialog box if it discovers a syntax error while you’re entering your VBA code. The dialog box tells roughly what the problem is. If you don’t choose this setting, VBE flags syntax errors by displaying them in a different color from the rest of the code, and you don’t have to deal with any dialog boxes popping up on your screen.Require Variable Declaration option
If Require Variable Declaration option is set, VBE inserts the following statement at the beginning of each new VBA module you insert:Example
Option Explicit
Auto List Members option
If the Auto List Members option is set, VBE provides some help when you’re entering your VBA code. It displays a list that would logically complete the statement you’re typing. This bit of magic is sometimes called “IntelliSense.”This is one of the best features of the VBE, and I always keep it turned on. Below figure shows an example, how it makes easy writing your code.
Auto Quick Info option
If the Auto Quick Info option is set, VBE displays information about functions and their arguments as you type. This can be very helpful. Above figure shows this feature in action, telling us about the arguments for the “MsgBox” function.Auto Data Tips option
If the Auto Data Tips option is set, VBE displays the value of the variable over which your cursor is placed when you’re debugging code. When you enter the wonderful world of debugging, you’ll appreciate this option.Auto Indent setting
The Auto Indent setting determines whether VBE automatically indents each new line of code the same as the previous line. I use indentations in my code, so I keep this option on.Use the Tab key to “indent” your code, not the spacebar. Also, you can use “Shift+Tab” to “un-indent” a line of code. If you want to indent more than just one line, select all the lines you want to indent. Then press the Tab key.
The VBE’s Edit toolbar (which is hidden by default) contains two useful buttons: Indent and Outdent. These buttons let you quickly indent or “unindent” a block of code. Select the code and click one of these buttons to change the block’s indenting.
Drag-and-Drop Text Editing option
The Drag-and-Drop Text Editing option, when enabled, lets you copy and move text by dragging and dropping with your mouse. I keep this option turned on, but I never use it. I prefer to copy and move by using the keyboard.Default to Full Module View option
The Default to Full Module View option sets the default state for new modules. (It doesn’t affect existing modules.) If set, procedures in the Code window appear as a single scrollable list. If this option is turned off, you can see only one procedure at a time. I keep this option turned on.Procedure Separator option
When the Procedure Separator option is turned on, separator bars appear at the end of each procedure in a Code window. I keep this option turned on.Editor Format tab
Below figure shows the Editor Format tab of the Options dialog box. With this tab, you can customize the way the VBE looks.
Code Colors option
The Code Colors option lets you set the text color and background color displayed for various elements of VBA code. This is largely a matter of personal preference. Personally, I find the default colors to be just fine.Font option
The Font option lets you select the font that’s used in your VBA modules. For best results, stick with a fixed-width font such as Courier New. In a fixed-width font, all characters are exactly the same width. This makes your code more readable because the characters are nicely aligned vertically, and you can easily distinguish multiple spaces (which is sometimes useful).Size setting
The Size setting specifies the point size of the font in the VBA modules. This setting is a matter of personal preference determined by your video display resolution.Margin Indicator Bar option
This option controls the display of the vertical margin indicator bar in your modules. You should keep this turned on; otherwise, you won’t be able to see the helpful graphical indicators when you’re debugging your code.Using the General tab
Below figure shows the options available under the General tab in the Options dialog box. In almost every case, the default settings are just fine.The most important setting is Error Trapping. I strongly suggest that you use the Break-On Unhandled Errors setting (which is the default). If you use a different setting, your error-handling code won’t work.
Using the Docking tab
Below figure shows the Docking tab. These options determine how the various windows in the VBE behave. When a window is docked, it is fixed in place along one of the edges of the VBE program window. This makes it much easier to identify and locate a particular window. If you turn off all docking, you have a big, confusing mess of windows. Generally, the default settings work fine.
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