Working with VBA Macros

Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) for Microsoft Word is a simple but powerful programming language that can be used to extend the functionality. Aspose.Words API provides three classes to get access to the VBA project source code:

  • The VBAProject class provides access to VBA project information
  • The VBAModuleCollection class returns the collection of VBA project modules
  • The VbaModule class provides access to the VBA project module
  • The VbaModuleType enumeration defines the types of a model in a VBA project. The module can be a procedural module, document module, class module, or designer module

Create a VBA Project

Aspose.Words API provides the vba_project property to get or set VbaProject in the document.

The following code example demonstrates how to create a VBA project and VBA Module along with basic properties e.g. name and type:

# For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-words/Aspose.Words-for-Python-via-.NET
doc = aw.Document()
project = aw.vba.VbaProject()
project.name = "AsposeProject"
doc.vba_project = project
# Create a new module and specify a macro source code.
module = aw.vba.VbaModule()
module.name = "AsposeModule"
module.type = aw.vba.VbaModuleType.PROCEDURAL_MODULE
module.source_code = "New source code"
# Add module to the VBA project.
doc.vba_project.modules.add(module)
doc.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithVba.create_vba_project.docm")

Read Macros

Aspose.Words also provides users with the ability to read VBA macros.

The following code example shows how to read VBA Macros from the document:

# For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-words/Aspose.Words-for-Python-via-.NET
doc = aw.Document(docs_base.my_dir + "VBA project.docm")
if (doc.vba_project != None) :
for module in doc.vba_project.modules :
print(module.source_code)

Write or Modify Macros

Using Aspose.Words, users can modify VBA macros.

The following code example shows how to modify VBA Macros using the source_code property:

# For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-words/Aspose.Words-for-Python-via-.NET
doc = aw.Document(docs_base.my_dir + "VBA project.docm")
project = doc.vba_project
newSourceCode = "Test change source code"
project.modules[0].source_code = newSourceCode
doc.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithVba.modify_vba_macros.docm")

Clone VBA Project

With Aspose.Words it is also possible to clone VBA projects.

The following code example shows how to clone the VBA Project using the clone property which creates a copy of the existing project:

# For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-words/Aspose.Words-for-Python-via-.NET
doc = aw.Document(docs_base.my_dir + "VBA project.docm")
destDoc = aw.Document()
destDoc.vba_project = doc.vba_project.clone()
destDoc.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithVba.clone_vba_project.docm")

Clone VBA Module

You can also clone VBA modules if needed.

The following code example shows how to clone the VBA Module using the clone property which creates a copy of the existing project:

# For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-words/Aspose.Words-for-Python-via-.NET
doc = aw.Document(docs_base.my_dir + "VBA project.docm")
destDoc = aw.Document()
destDoc.vba_project = aw.vba.VbaProject()
copyModule = doc.vba_project.modules.get_by_name("Module1").clone()
destDoc.vba_project.modules.add(copyModule)
destDoc.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithVba.clone_vba_module.docm")

Work with the VBA Project References

Aspose.Words API provides VbaReferenceCollection class to work with VBA Project References representing a collection of VBA project references.

The following code example shows how to remove some references from the collection of references from a VBA project:

# For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-words/Aspose.Words-for-Python-via-.NET
doc = aw.Document(docs_base.my_dir + "VBA project.docm")
# Find and remove the reference with some LibId path.
brokenPath = "brokenPath.dll"
references = doc.vba_project.references
for i in range(references.count - 1, 0) :
reference = doc.vba_project.references.element_at(i)
path = get_lib_id_path(reference)
if (path == brokenPath) :
references.remove_at(i)
doc.save(docs_base.artifacts_dir + "WorkingWithVba.remove_broken_ref.docm")
# For complete examples and data files, please go to https://github.com/aspose-words/Aspose.Words-for-Python-via-.NET
# <summary>
# Returns string representing LibId path of a specified reference.
# </summary>
def get_lib_id_path(self, reference) :
if reference.type == aw.vba.VbaReferenceType.REGISTERED or reference.type == aw.vba.VbaReferenceType.ORIGINAL or reference.type == aw.vba.VbaReferenceType.CONTROL :
return self.get_lib_id_reference_path(reference.lib_id)
elif reference.type == aw.vba.VbaReferenceType.PROJECT :
return self.get_lib_id_project_path(reference.lib_id)
else :
raise RuntimeError()
# <summary>
# Returns path from a specified identifier of an Automation type library.
# </summary>
# <remarks>
# Please see details for the syntax at [MS-OVBA], 2.1.1.8 LibidReference.
# </remarks>
@staticmethod
def get_lib_id_reference_path(libIdReference : str) :
if (libIdReference != None) :
refParts = libIdReference.split('#')
if (refParts.length > 3) :
return refParts[3]
return ""
# <summary>
# Returns path from a specified identifier of an Automation type library.
# </summary>
# <remarks>
# Please see details for the syntax at [MS-OVBA], 2.1.1.12 ProjectReference.
# </remarks>
@staticmethod
def get_lib_id_project_path(libIdProject : str) :
if (libIdProject != None) :
return libIdProject.substring(3)
return ""