Outlook 2013 - What is the VBA Addin?

[char...@email.com]

In looking at the Addins in Outlook 2013, I see VBA - What is that Addin and
what is it used for? Is it necessary in running Outlook 2013?

Thanks for any insights!
charliec

[VanguardLH]

charliec wrote:

> In looking at the Addins in Outlook 2013, I see VBA - What is that
> Addin and what is it used for? Is it necessary in running Outlook
> 2013?

VBA = Visual Basic for Applications

It allows a macro to be written in VBA and added to Outlook to extend or
modify Outlook's behavior. Doesn't do anything by itself, just like a C
compiler or Python interperter don't do anything by themselves. It is
used by something else (macro) to execute commands within the
constraints of that interpreter.

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Visual+BASIC+for+Applications
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_Basic_for_Applications
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/gg264383.aspx
http://www.slipstick.com/developer/how-to-use-outlooks-vba-editor/

[char...@email.com]

Thanks - should I uncheck it in Addins - I have a problem with Outlook starting
with a blank page the first time used after startup. All other Addins are
unchecked!

[VanguardLH]

charliec wrote:

> Thanks - should I uncheck it in Addins - I have a problem with Outlook starting
> with a blank page the first time used after startup. All other Addins are
> unchecked!

You can disable some add-ins. Some you cannot disable (but may be able
to remove by re-running their installer to change the component config).
Under the Add-ins Manager in Outlook, click on the Go button. You'll
see which add-ins can be disabled (by unchecking them). VBA is not in
that list so you cannot disable it. Although listed as an add-in, it is
considered integral functionality within Outlook.

I just ran Change on MS Office 2013 Pro and there is an Add-in group for
Outlook but does not list the VBA add-in. It only lists the Sharepoint
and Outlook Social Connector. I don't have a Sharepoint server in my
home setup and I don't want a chat component in my Outlook so both of
those are marked Not Available. So it looks like you can neither
disable or uninstall the VBA add-in.

The VBA feature in Outlook is an interface to a a .dll file which has
the functions or methods that macros can call. Disabling add-ins does
not uninstall them, just remove them from the list and access by Outlook
or macros installed into Outlook. Unless Outlook pre-loads the DLL into
memory (to make fast access), a DLL won't consume any memory. I doubt
would see a smaller memory footprint if the non-disabled VBA function
were removed from Outlook.

Don't fret over the .dll file for VBA functionality within Outlook. It
is used by macros. So did you install any macros into Outlook? In
Outlook 2013, showing and managing macros is hidden by default. You
have to show the Developer tab in the ribbon: Options -> Customize,
enable the Developer tab group.

[VanguardLH]

I took another look at Change for MS Office 2013 Pro. Under the
Microsoft Shared Features group, there is Visual Basic for Applications
that you can set to Not Available. Although I don't have any macros
installed into Outlook, I will leave VBA available in case I do need it
later. So you'll have to see if changing the installation config of
Ofice 2013 to uncheck VBA will remove it from Outlook.

[VanguardLH]

VanguardLH wrote:

> I took another look at Change for MS Office 2013 Pro. Under the
> Microsoft Shared Features group, there is Visual Basic for Applications
> that you can set to Not Available. Although I don't have any macros
> installed into Outlook, I will leave VBA available in case I do need it
> later. So you'll have to see if changing the installation config of
> Ofice 2013 to uncheck VBA will remove it from Outlook.

I see when using Change that there is also a Visual Basic Script Support
option under Outlook. The above option is probably global in that VBA
support is removed from all modules of Office (Word, Excel, etc) verus
just VBA in Outlook. I don't see a VB option you can select/deslect for
Word, Excel, or Access so the global VBA option probably applies to all
Office modules. I don't know why Outlook's install config would
separately list a VB option.

[char...@email.com]

>On Sun, 15 Nov 2015 01:33:29 -0600, VanguardLH <V...@nguard.LH> wrote:

>charliec wrote:
>
>> Thanks - should I uncheck it in Addins - I have a problem with Outlook starting
>> with a blank page the first time used after startup. All other Addins are
>> unchecked!
>
>You can disable some add-ins. Some you cannot disable (but may be able
>to remove by re-running their installer to change the component config).
>Under the Add-ins Manager in Outlook, click on the Go button. You'll
>see which add-ins can be disabled (by unchecking them). VBA is not in
>that list so you cannot disable it. Although listed as an add-in, it is
>considered integral functionality within Outlook.
>
>I just ran Change on MS Office 2013 Pro and there is an Add-in group for
>Outlook but does not list the VBA add-in.

In Outlook/File/Options/Addins - under Com Add-Ins, it is listed as "Microsoft
VBA for Outlook Addin" and was checked. I unchecked it yesterday. Outlook
started correctly today at Startup, but the blank screen on Startup is not there
all the time. I need to wait a few days and see if it returns to that mode.

>It only lists the Sharepoint
>and Outlook Social Connector. I don't have a Sharepoint server in my
>home setup and I don't want a chat component in my Outlook so both of
>those are marked Not Available. So it looks like you can neither
>disable or uninstall the VBA add-in.
>
>The VBA feature in Outlook is an interface to a a .dll file which has
>the functions or methods that macros can call. Disabling add-ins does
>not uninstall them, just remove them from the list and access by Outlook
>or macros installed into Outlook. Unless Outlook pre-loads the DLL into
>memory (to make fast access), a DLL won't consume any memory. I doubt
>would see a smaller memory footprint if the non-disabled VBA function
>were removed from Outlook.
>
>Don't fret over the .dll file for VBA functionality within Outlook. It
>is used by macros. So did you install any macros into Outlook?

I have not installed any macros in Outlook.

>In
>Outlook 2013, showing and managing macros is hidden by default. You
>have to show the Developer tab in the ribbon: Options -> Customize,
>enable the Developer tab group.

Thanks
charliec