Microsoft Office Forums

Go Back   Microsoft Office Forums > >

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 10-12-2016, 07:43 AM
enijhuis enijhuis is offline Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office Windows 7 64bit Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office Office 2013
Novice
Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Holland
Posts: 2
enijhuis is on a distinguished road
Default 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?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-17-2016, 05:41 AM
macropod's Avatar
macropod macropod is offline Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office Windows 7 64bit Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office Office 2010 32bit
Administrator
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posts: 21,956
macropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond repute
Default

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.
__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-19-2016, 01:47 AM
enijhuis enijhuis is offline Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office Windows 7 64bit Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office Office 2013
Novice
Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Holland
Posts: 2
enijhuis is on a distinguished road
Default

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.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-19-2016, 02:40 PM
macropod's Avatar
macropod macropod is offline Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office Windows 7 64bit Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office Office 2010 32bit
Administrator
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Canberra, Australia
Posts: 21,956
macropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond reputemacropod has a reputation beyond repute
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by enijhuis View Post
I did not mean that Microsoft will force their clients to upgrade.
I wasn't referring to Microsoft either, but to your IT department.
Quote:
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.
There is a little practical difference between 32-bit Office and 64-bit Office, except that 64-bit Excel can work better with huge workbooks than 32-bit Excel and many Office addins are not available in 64-bit versions. There is also a vast array of other 32-bit software in use for which 64-bit replacements are simply not available. There is also little practical difference between supporting 32-bit software and 64-bit software on a 64-bit system; Windows has been designed that way.

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]
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
64-bit, api, migration

Thread Tools
Display Modes


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office Office 365 Upgrade nikwak Office 4 10-23-2014 01:56 AM
Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office What version should I upgrade to? tonycraig Office 5 11-06-2013 08:20 PM
Office upgrade of 344 MB?? Nancy Freeman Office 0 09-22-2013 03:49 PM
Challenges loading the Office 365 Portal page Mr Davo Misc 0 07-18-2012 04:36 PM
Expected challenges regarding upgrade to 64-bit version of MS Office Will Microsoft Office 2010 Offer an Upgrade Version? benjo Office 4 06-08-2010 04:06 PM

Other Forums: Access Forums

All times are GMT -7. The time now is 07:46 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Search Engine Optimisation provided by DragonByte SEO (Lite) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.
MSOfficeForums.com is not affiliated with Microsoft