An Introduction to Programming with Visual Basic for Applications

Programming is scientific creativity supported by study of theory. It is essential
to know how a computer works and to have the bases of logics and
mathematics, but proficiency requires knowledge of the fundamental
programming algorithms and techniques developed by the scientific
community for the most classic problems. However, learning programming
starts from knowing the language syntax and using it to describe a solution of a
problem. This is the most complex obstacle, because it requires the
development of a precise and procedural reasoning.
This book was designed to be used in a course of programming basics. It is
addressed to beginners, and therefore it only covers the basic procedural
elements of the language; these, however, constitute the basis of each type of
programming. The choice to adopt Visual Basic for Applications instead of
other more powerful and “noble” languages is essentially due to its lower
impact on beginners, together with its easiness in building visual interfaces.
Moreover, the required software is also easy to find and install: it is included in
every application of the Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word, etc.). In addition,
it may be worth noting that Visual Basic is one of the most used programming
languages in the world.
Understanding this book requires no previous programming experience and no
mathematics skill other than some high school algebra notions. Many notes,
tips, and solved exercises make it suitable for self-taught students as well.