An example of converting WordBasic to VBA

When you open a Word 6/7 template in Word 8, or later version, Word attempts to automatically convert the WordBasic macros to VBA macros. Much of this is done by using the WordBasic object to run the WordBasic commands. I discuss this further in WordBasic is broken in VBA.

Converting to pure VBA has at least the following advantages:

• WordBasic does not support the new capabilities in the Word object model.
• Some WordBasic statements do not work properly via the WordBasic objects and must be recoded in VBA.
• There are very superior programming techniques that may be used with "pure" VBA. VBA likely has lower programming and support costs than WordBasic.

Let us start with the following WordBasic macro.

Sub MAIN()
ScreenUpdating 0
WaitCursor 1
StartOfDocument
While Not AtEndOfDocument()
        WordRight 1, 1
        If ChangeCase() = 1 Then
                Bold 1
        Else
                Italic 1
        End If
        WordRight
Wend
WaitCursor 0
ScreenUpdating 1
End Sub

When imported into VBA, the code gets automatically converted to (I've added a comment to indicate a module name modWordsImportedWordBasic):

'modWordsImportedWordBasic
Option Explicit
Public Sub MAIN()
WordBasic.ScreenUpdating 0
WordBasic.WaitCursor 1
WordBasic.StartOfDocument
While Not WordBasic.AtEndOfDocument()
    WordBasic.WordRight 1, 1
    If WordBasic.ChangeCase() = 1 Then
        WordBasic.Bold 1
    Else
        WordBasic.Italic 1
    End If
    WordBasic.WordRight
Wend
WordBasic.WaitCursor 0
WordBasic.ScreenUpdating 1
End Sub

As I indicated in WordBasic is broken in VBA, not all WordBasic statements work in VBA. For example, note the effect of the ScreenUpdating and WaitCursor statements. Those statements might not work in your version of VBA. In more complex WordBasic macros, it is likely that some statements, though syntactically converted, will produce unexpected results. But let's ignore that problem for now.

Let us now make a simple change to the macro:

'modWordsWordBasicObject
Option Explicit
Public Sub MAIN()
    With WordBasic
        .ScreenUpdating 0
        .WaitCursor 1
        .StartOfDocument
        While Not .AtEndOfDocument()
            .WordRight 1, 1
            If .ChangeCase() = 1 Then
                .Bold 1
            Else
                .Italic 1
            End If
            .CharRight
        Wend
        .WaitCursor 0
        .ScreenUpdating 1
    End With
End Sub

modWordsWordBasicObject is a lot easier to read, even though we are still using the WordBasic object.

OK, feeling couragous, now let us convert the macro to pure VBA, eliminating all use of the WordBasic object.

'modWordsUseCountLoop
Option Explicit
Public Sub WordsUseCountLoop()
    Dim lngIndex As Long
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    System.Cursor = wdCursorWait
    With ActiveDocument
        For lngIndex = 1 To .Words.Count
            With .Words(lngIndex)
                If .Case = wdUpperCase Then
                    .Bold = True
                Else
                    .Italic = True
                End If
            End With
        Next
    End With
    System.Cursor = wdCursorNormal
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

Here's another way to code the macro in VBA.

'modWordsUseWordsObject
Option Explicit
Public Sub WordsUseWordsObject()
    Dim objMyWord As Object
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    System.Cursor = wdCursorWait
    With ActiveDocument
        For Each objMyWord In .Words
            With objMyWord
                If .Case = wdUpperCase Then
                    .Bold = True
                Else
                    .Italic = True
                End If
            End With
        Next
    End With
    System.Cursor = wdCursorNormal
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

We are not done yet, here's another way to code the macro in VBA.

'modWordsUseExpand
Option Explicit
Public Sub WordsUseExpand()
    Dim lngCount As Long
    Dim lngIndex As Long
    Dim rngCurrentRange As Range
    Application.ScreenUpdating = False
    System.Cursor = wdCursorWait
    With ActiveDocument
        Set rngCurrentRange = .Content
        lngCount = .Words.Count
    End With
    rngCurrentRange.Collapse Direction:=wdCollapseStart
    With rngCurrentRange
        For lngIndex = 1 To lngCount
            .Expand unit:=wdWord
            If .Case = wdUpperCase Then
                .Bold = True
            Else
                .Italic = True
            End If
            .Collapse Direction:=wdCollapseEnd
        Next
    End With
    System.Cursor = wdCursorNormal
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub