How to Use VBA Microsoft Scripting Runtime in 3 Minutes (Excel)

Written by Kasper Langmann

The Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) Microsoft Scripting Runtime is a powerful tool that can enhance your Excel experience. This library allows you to automate tasks, manipulate files, and interact with system files, among other things. In this guide, we will explore how to use this tool effectively in just three minutes.

Understanding VBA Microsoft Scripting Runtime

The VBA Microsoft Scripting Runtime is a component of the Microsoft Windows Script Technologies. It’s a library that provides objects, methods, and properties that allow you to control and manipulate the environment in which your scripts run. This includes tasks like reading and writing to text files, creating new folders, and moving files around.

Before you can use the Microsoft Scripting Runtime, you need to enable it in your VBA environment. This is a straightforward process that only takes a few seconds. Once you’ve enabled it, you can start using its features to enhance your Excel experience.

Enabling the VBA Microsoft Scripting Runtime

The first step to using the VBA Microsoft Scripting Runtime is to enable it in your VBA environment. Here’s how you do it:

  1. Open the VBA editor by pressing ALT + F11.
  2. Select Tools from the menu, then References.
  3. In the References dialog box, scroll down until you find Microsoft Scripting Runtime.
  4. Check the box next to Microsoft Scripting Runtime, then click OK.

With these steps, you’ve enabled the Microsoft Scripting Runtime in your VBA environment. Now, you can start using its features to automate tasks and manipulate files.

Using the VBA Microsoft Scripting Runtime

Now that you’ve enabled the Microsoft Scripting Runtime, you can start using it to automate tasks and manipulate files. Here are some examples of what you can do:

Reading and Writing to Text Files

One of the most common uses of the Microsoft Scripting Runtime is to read and write to text files. This can be useful for tasks like logging data, generating reports, or importing data from other sources.

To read from a text file, you can use the OpenTextFile method of the FileSystemObject object. This method returns a TextStream object that you can use to read from the file. Here’s an example:

Dim fso As New FileSystemObject
Dim ts As TextStream
Set ts = fso.OpenTextFile("C:tempmyfile.txt", ForReading)
Debug.Print ts.ReadAll
ts.Close

To write to a text file, you can use the CreateTextFile method of the FileSystemObject object. This method returns a TextStream object that you can use to write to the file. Here’s an example:

Dim fso As New FileSystemObject
Dim ts As TextStream
Set ts = fso.CreateTextFile("C:tempmyfile.txt", True)
ts.Write "Hello, world!"
ts.Close

Creating and Manipulating Folders

Another common use of the Microsoft Scripting Runtime is to create and manipulate folders. This can be useful for tasks like organizing files, creating backup copies of data, or generating reports.

To create a new folder, you can use the CreateFolder method of the FileSystemObject object. Here’s an example:

Dim fso As New FileSystemObject
fso.CreateFolder "C:tempmyfolder"

To move a folder, you can use the MoveFolder method of the FileSystemObject object. Here’s an example:

Dim fso As New FileSystemObject
fso.MoveFolder "C:tempmyfolder", "C:tempmyfolder2"

Conclusion

The VBA Microsoft Scripting Runtime is a powerful tool that can enhance your Excel experience. By enabling it in your VBA environment, you can automate tasks, manipulate files, and interact with system files. Whether you’re a seasoned VBA developer or a beginner, the Microsoft Scripting Runtime can help you get more out of Excel.

Remember, the examples provided in this guide are just the tip of the iceberg. The Microsoft Scripting Runtime offers many more features and capabilities that you can explore. So don’t be afraid to experiment and see what you can do!