Macros

[SRF]

Hi,

I'm eagerly awaiting the release of the XLOOKUP and FILTER commands in Planmaker. Question: are there any plans to offer macros for the Linux version of this software? That's also important for serious work.

Thanks,


Steve

[SuperTech]

Thank you for your query.

At this time, there are no plans to implement macro support for the Linux version of SoftMaker Office.

[SRF]

Thanks for the reply. That's a shame, but I understand. Roll on XLOOKUP and FILTER!

[SRF]

Genuine question - can you briefly explain why Linux users won't get macros, but Windows users do? Is that a commercial decision (i.e. there are more Windows users, so you invest more development in their version of Softmaker Office) or something technical about Linux?

[SuperTech]

something technical about Linux?

Yes, you're right. Due to technical constraints on Linux and other non-Windows OSes, BasicMaker (which is similar to VBA macros) is not implemented. Currently, there are no plans to add them outside Windows.

[SRF]

Thanks. Just to help me understand... How is it that LibreOffice and OnlyOffice both offer macros for the Linux versions of their suites? Is there something different about your approach to macros that makes it more difficult under Linux? It's a real shame, because this is a big "gap".

[lgsl]

LibreOffice is mostly a java application and for macros, I think, in part it relies on python plus some very limited support of MS old basic macros. OnlyOffice is an electron app so it probably goes for a solution based on js similar to that offered by MS on their web version of office. Probably Softmaker wants to avoid creating a macros mess as MS currently have, where the old "classic" way only works on a desktop and the newer solution isn't backwards compatible and support can be spotty.

[SRF]

Thanks - I understand that, but I'm not sure that explains why Softmaker offers macro support to Windows users, but not Linux users?

[lgsl]

Supertech answered that for you: «Due to technical constraints on Linux and other non-Windows OSes, BasicMaker (which is similar to VBA macros) is not implemented.»

[SRF]

... and I replied, respectfully asking why LibreOffice and OnlyOffice can offer macros on Linux - despite the technical constraints - but Softmaker can't.

I'm not trying to be difficult. I'm just trying to find a Linux spreadsheet to which I can fully migrate, finally leaving Microsoft behind. I'm using LibreOffice at the moment, and while I find some aspects of the software less than perfect - such as its archaic interface and occasional instability - its macro support is good. Right now, it's the nearest thing to Excel that I've found.

OnlyOffice macros are less good in my limited experience so far. I don't mind that they use Javascript at all - it works well enough - but they cache the value of cells until the macro is complete, making it impossible to recalculate mid-macro and record the results. That limits their usefulness for what I need to do.

Planmaker offers the best interface of all the Linux spreadsheets and is very fast in operation. Its development team are responsive and I like its commitment to privacy. It will get a lot more useful to me when modern Excel functions like XLOOKUP and FILTER arrive (promised in the next major release... can't wait to see it!). BUT the lack of macro support is a huge gap and it's frustrating to discover that Windows users can have it, but Linux users cannot. We pay the same subscription price after all.

Please note: I'm not asking for macros that are compatible with Microsoft's VBA. I don't care about that. I'm just asking for a way of automating spreadsheet tasks.