#1
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Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office
I have the following question(s):
The volume of data (sets) within organisations is growing constantly. Most organisations already use 64-bit computers/laptops as a result. Before long they will be forced to upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit versions of Office as well. However, migrating Office-applications to 64-bit can pose serious challenges if VBA is applied. Issues with controls in MSComCtl and MSComCt2 aside, most problems will arise from the VBA Application Programming Interface (API). API Declare statements will have to be altered as well as the used ByRef variables. The reason is that existing API Declare statements will not compile in 64-bit VBA without using the PtrSafe attribute. Extensive rework of the VBA codebase could be the result. This is especially true if the application needs to run on both architectures (32-bit and 64-bit). In that case additional coding will have to implement conditional compilation. My applications are already 64-bit proof but I've seen a lot of applications that aren't. Especially large (traditional) organisations use dated but crucial Office-tools that often contain separate code modules with API Declares (used for File Open/Save-dialogs for instance). Are organisations aware of this impending challenge? What are your experiences in this regard? What tools does Microsoft provide to accomodate this type of migration? Microsoft only seems to refer to a website of a fellow Dutch VBA developer: http://www.jkp-ads.com/articles/apideclarations.asp. Surely I am not the only one who has experience making VBA code run on 64bit Office? |
#2
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Unless there is a particular need to use a 64-bit installation for Excel, in particular, you're more likely to find problems you could otherwise avoid, especially with 3rd-party addins that don't work with 64-bit installations. When Office 2010 was released, Microsoft specifically advised against using 64-bit installations for that very reason - unless you believed the benefits outweighed the costs. The question, therefore, is why anyone should be 'forced' to use 64-bit Office.
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Cheers, Paul Edstein [Fmr MS MVP - Word] |
#3
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I did not mean that Microsoft will force their clients to upgrade. Most organisations changed or will change to 64-bit systems at some point. I think it's a matter of time before they'll want their Office software to follow suit; I can image that IT departments don't want to maintain 32-bit software on 64-bit computers indefinitely.
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#4
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Quote:
Quote:
An IT department that forced users to switch to 64-bit Office and refused to support 32-bit applications without taking proper account of such issues and the fact that many of the organisation's own VB/VBA apps would have to be re-written would be arrogant in the extreme; I doubt the IT Dept head would have a long career in IT ahead of them.
__________________
Cheers, Paul Edstein [Fmr MS MVP - Word] |
Tags |
64-bit, api, migration |
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