Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Another reason you should learn to code: Python for Excel

gigaom.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

1–10 of 32 posts

Re: Another reason you should learn to code: Python for Excel

#3

Post by greggman »

I've never actually scripted with VBA but I have looked at the VBA environment. Does using IronPython mean basically giving up that environment? Is that environment (easy form creation with point and click event code attachment) important for VBA devs? It has certainly always looked compelling but since I'm not a VBA dev I have no idea.

Re: Another reason you should learn to code: Python for Excel

#5

Post by gigantor »

fromhet wrote: post #2

On the front page of a website named Hacker News, there is a link saying that people should learn to code? Excuse me, but shouldn't we expect hackers to already know that (or at least be knee deep in Thinking in Java or it's like)?

It refers to the controversy started a few months ago by NYC mayor Bloomberg saying people should learn to code, and then Jeff Atwood insisting the opposite (http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2012/05/please-dont-learn-t...), and the countless follow up blog posts debating the issue

Re: Another reason you should learn to code: Python for Excel

#8

Post by fromhet »

gigantor wrote: post #5
fromhet wrote: post #2

On the front page of a website named Hacker News, there is a link saying that people should learn to code? Excuse me, but shouldn't we expect hackers to already know that (or at least be knee deep in Thinking in Java or it's like)?

It refers to the controversy started a few months ago by NYC mayor Bloomberg saying people should learn to code, and then Jeff Atwood insisting the opposite ( http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2012/05/please-dont-learn-t... ), and the countless follow up blog posts debating the issue

Ah, drama! :)

Re: Another reason you should learn to code: Python for Excel

#9

Post by lifeisstillgood »

I am fairly sure that the first oReilly python book had several chapters devoted to COM and excel/word. I know I wrote articles on it, got a job based on scripting PowerPoint. Almost every dynamic scripting language I can think of has COM automation ( or whatever it is called these days)

using IronPython to access COM components seems another unnecessary layer. And in my experience what is useful is calling from excel to python and then using vba to manipulate it. (VBA inside excel is fine. Might I suggest that if you are Reading this and thinking "great, anoter way I can program exclusively in Pythin everywhere" you have fallen victim to the yet to be named syndrome and should forcibly use any other language. I still get relapses

Post reply on HN