Beta 10: VBA license required?

[jboright]

Hello all,

In the past we have written a handful of VBA scripts which have helped us automate map production in Arc 9.3. However, when we try to open the same code in 9.4 we are informed that we need a "VBA license" to run these scripts... Is this correct and will it persist in the official release of Arc10? Do we now need an additional VBA license to run our code built in 9.3?

Thanks in advance for any pointers...

Jon B

[laurenekoman]

Please check out the information in the install guide regarding VBA, VBA is no longer installed by the main setup and a license is required to use it: (the VBA Developer Resources setup installs VBA now)

Note:To enable the VBA macro in the Desktop applications at ArcGIS 10, you must complete the following steps:

Install ArcGIS Desktop.
Install ArcGIS Desktop VBA Developer Resources. See Installing ArcGIS Desktop VBA Developer Resources for more information.
Obtain a license for VBA. For Concurrent Use products you must obtain a license for VBA. See Obtaining a license file for more information. For Single Use products your authorization file must contain the VBA feature. See Obtaining an authorization file for more information.

Installing ArcGIS Desktop Developer Resources
At ArcGIS 10, the VBA runtime is installed by the setup.exe of the ArcGIS VBA Resources setup program. Previous to ArcGIS 10, the VBA Runtime was installed by the ArcGIS Desktop setup.

To run the ArcGIS Desktop VBA Developer Resources setup, use the setup.exe located in the \SDK_VBA folder (ArcGIS Desktop VBA Developer Resources folder) on the installation media. Or select the ArcGIS Desktop VBA Resources for Developers link on the ArcGIS Desktop startup.

After installing ArcGIS Desktop VBA Developer Resources you must obtain a license for VBA. For Concurrent Use products you must obtain a license for VBA. See Obtaining a license file for more information. For Single Use products your authorization file must contain the VBA feature. See Obtaining an authorization file for more information.

[jboright]

Thanks Lauren!

Jon

[robertvw]

This isn't explained anywhere, but you have to ASK for the VBA feature to be included in your
authorization file. Call customer service, have them add it to your list of authorized software,
and then log into the Customer Care portal to get the authorization number.
Then you can authorize VBA the same way you do extensions: Open the ArcGISAdministrator tool,
launch the Authorization Wizard, select "I have already authorized the software and need to authorize additional extensions.".
Use "Authorize with ESRI now using the internet", and click "Next" until you get to the list of extensions. VBA is NOT listed, so you have to click "Other Extensions". There, you enter "VBA" as the name of the feature, and your VBA Authorization Number. Then complete the authorization steps and if all goes well, VBA will become enabled.
They've made this difficult and obscure in order to discourage use of VBA in favor of Python. However, if you have a lot of VBA scripts in ArcGIS 9, you're not just going to abandon that work and it's annoying to have to figure this out.

I hope this helps someone.

After installing ArcGIS Desktop VBA Developer Resources you must obtain a license for VBA. For Concurrent Use products you must obtain a license for VBA. See Obtaining a license file for more information. For Single Use products your authorization file must contain the VBA feature. See Obtaining an authorization file for more information.

[aschaffer]

Thanks Robert, you did help me! After asking for a license key, I received an email message with the code etc but no explanation as to what to do with it. Found your instructions here before getting support's reply.

[aesalazar]

Yes, thanks Robert. I have to say this has been one of the most confusing upgrades I have ever gone through. Nothing seems to be documented anywhere or is so scattered. I have had to run all kinds of patches and updates and searches to get this thing set up.

Now to find out that VBA is going away and no VSTA (.NET) plans? Python? Ugh. ANd why do we have to "request" licenses for VBA? Cant it just be automatic?

But, again, thanks.

Ernie

[tshindler]

Is there any bulk, easy way to determine if any of your projects contain any VBA code?

I haven't done any intentional VBA coding, but my project comes up saying it may have VBA code that won't run without the above process. Could the VBA be inherited from something I didn't do?

I don't want to go through the intentionally difficult process if I don't have to, but don't want to have a crippled system either. We periodically get projects from others, who I suppose may have VBA in their work.

[kmjohnson]

Thank you so much, this thread has been so helpful!

This has also been a frustrating installation for me, especially because I installed 10 since I was having issues writing VBA in 9.3 and then trying to open those documents in 10 at the lab at school. There were all kinds of glitches and bugs and my UI customizations were never consistent between the two versions.

Now to see that I can't open ANY of my maps in 10 now that I've upgraded because I don't have a VBA license is so frustrating. It is beyond me why they couldn't have included VBA with the installation. Not a good way to treat loyal customers.

[Roobeshmodi]

For Utility Software users, If you wish to work on ArcFM then also you need VBA license or else ArcFM 10 does not work.

[JasonJFitzsimmons]

A co-worker of mine is having a problem with VBA and Arc10. We have a concurrent license for VBA at work, but he still gets an error message saying that he does not have a VBA license when he tries to open a document containing a VBA toolbar. Any guesses why this is occuring? I don't know if the document is pre Arc10 or not...