Without getting into how Excel stores, saves and distributes the two, here's how they are USED.
"References" are libraries (usually .DLL's) that are distributed with the the Excel application. These may be "activated", or left unused. Let's say, for example, that you wish to use VBA to access a Lotus Notes Address Book. You would then "activate" the "Lotus Domino Objects" Reference. You would then have access to the methods and objects necessary for access to Lotus Notes. I have a situation in which text files are opened in Excel, but some columns are created as "text", and I need to convert them to numeric. I wrote a sub called txt2num that replaces "0" with 0, "1" with 1, "2" with 2 and so on. I don't want to have to write this every time I need it. I want it available whenever I have a workbook open. There are several ways of accomplishing this. I could create a "macros.xls" workbook and open it every time I open Excel. Or, I could place it in a specific folder, and configure Excel so that it opens all files in that folder whenever Excel is launched. Or... notice that when you open Excel, you automatically open a "hidden" workbook called Personal.xls (or Personal.xlsb in Excel 2007). You could put your macro in THIS VBA Project and it would be available whenever you launch Excel... But... what if you want to SHARE this (or these) macros? You can't share your Personal.xls file... so instead, you put the macro in a new file and save it as an .xla file. Now THIS file will open as 'hidden' (like the Personal.xls file) and you can distribute IT to others. when THEY open it, a copy is moved to their add-ins folder and will open "hidden" whenever THEY launch Excel. So... the short answer to your question is: Add-Ins are in Excel format, but hidden References are DLL's. I'm sure there are LOTS of other differences, but this works for me!!! hope this helps, Paul ________________________________ From: zheng yu <vincent2...@gmail.com> To: excel-macros@googlegroups.com Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 6:14:36 AM Subject: $$Excel-Macros$$ Excel add-in and Reference in VBA Hi All, Can anybody tell the difference between add-in in sheet and reference in VBA? cheers Vincet --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some important links for excel users: 1. Excel and VBA Tutorials(Video and Text), Free add-ins downloads at http://www.excelitems.com 2. Excel tutorials at http://www.excel-macros.blogspot.com 3. Learn VBA Macros at http://www.vbamacros.blogspot.com 4. Excel Tips and Tricks at http://exceldailytip.blogspot.com To post to this group, send email to excel-macros@googlegroups.com If you find any spam message in the group, please send an email to: Ayush Jain @ jainayus...@gmail.com or Ashish Jain @ 26may.1...@gmail.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
