In the environment I am working, we use MS Word - customized to within a hairsbreadth of its life. Across multiple code templates that are loaded when Word starts, document/code templates that are available only when a particular document type is open, and even docm files that are documents that contain code, there is close to 100K lines of VBA code. That's a lot of code to manage.
As part of the management process, changes and/or updates are necessary. That's pretty much what we do, most of the time, and add new functionality when users dream up something new. All good. The issues I was running into was the time spent looking for a particular function or module that I could leverage as is, or repurpose with limited modifications.
The search ability built into the Visual Basic Environment is limited to open code documents and templates. And, unlike OpenOffice code, Word's code is not simple text files that can be searched via really handy tools such as GREP. It looked like I had to roll my own. No problem. VBA contains a self-referential method to examine the code itself. What I did was open all the code templates/documents, extract the contents of all the modules' subs and functions, and built a single searchable Word document, color coded and styled to identify template, subs, functions and comments.
After the initial code development and ensuring it all worked, I put it all in a portable docm, slapped an interface on the front and created a few bells and whistles to make using it easier. Now, all I need to do is open the codeoutput.docm file, and double click the start button on the document to launch the options dialog, click the appropriate generate button, and get a fresh cup of coffee while it grinds through all my templates and code documents.
There are a few options that I can select as shown in the image below. You can identify folders of code templates to include, and individual code templates/files to exclude. Both of those processes are point and click using the "+" and "-" buttons. To add, click the "=" and use the folder/file picker to make your selection. To remove, select an item in the list and click "-".
As part of the management process, changes and/or updates are necessary. That's pretty much what we do, most of the time, and add new functionality when users dream up something new. All good. The issues I was running into was the time spent looking for a particular function or module that I could leverage as is, or repurpose with limited modifications.
The search ability built into the Visual Basic Environment is limited to open code documents and templates. And, unlike OpenOffice code, Word's code is not simple text files that can be searched via really handy tools such as GREP. It looked like I had to roll my own. No problem. VBA contains a self-referential method to examine the code itself. What I did was open all the code templates/documents, extract the contents of all the modules' subs and functions, and built a single searchable Word document, color coded and styled to identify template, subs, functions and comments.
After the initial code development and ensuring it all worked, I put it all in a portable docm, slapped an interface on the front and created a few bells and whistles to make using it easier. Now, all I need to do is open the codeoutput.docm file, and double click the start button on the document to launch the options dialog, click the appropriate generate button, and get a fresh cup of coffee while it grinds through all my templates and code documents.
There are a few options that I can select as shown in the image below. You can identify folders of code templates to include, and individual code templates/files to exclude. Both of those processes are point and click using the "+" and "-" buttons. To add, click the "=" and use the folder/file picker to make your selection. To remove, select an item in the list and click "-".
Clicking the "Sub & Fcn List" button generates a three-column table list of all your subs and functions, and includes the first line past the name of the sub or function and saves the file as "Sub_Fcns<yyyymmdd>.docx" in the location where you've indicated. Why the first line past the name, you ask? I includedi t, since I usually put a comment here that indicates the purpose of the sub/function. All public subs/functions are highlighted. Snip below.
Clicking the "All Text" button generates the whole enchilada. It creates and saves the file as "Code<yyyymmdd>.docx" in the location you've indicated in the form. What I did after that is convert the document to a chm file, so I didn't have to open the document for searching if I was knee deep in Word code. Launch the .chm, and keep it open for reference.
Each module is styled as Heading1 and each sub or function is styled as Heading2. That way, you can collapse the document to an outline and speed around if you want, and, if you convert it to a .chm file, the styles can become TOC entries. What it looks like is shown below.
Each module is styled as Heading1 and each sub or function is styled as Heading2. That way, you can collapse the document to an outline and speed around if you want, and, if you convert it to a .chm file, the styles can become TOC entries. What it looks like is shown below.
Click the "Save Settings" button to save the folders to include, files to exclude and file types for the next time you need it.
If you want to download the docm that does it and modify it for your own purposes, click below and have at it. I'm sure many can improve it. The code has a digital signature verified by Verisign. I'm legit!
If you want to download the docm that does it and modify it for your own purposes, click below and have at it. I'm sure many can improve it. The code has a digital signature verified by Verisign. I'm legit!
| codeoutput.dotm |
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