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Wait just a moment. Libreoffice had python for years, but nobody cared and instead complained about needing 100% compatible VBA for "real work". Where are those people now?


Right here. It's also not about 100% compatible VBA, it's about learning an entirely new API in order to write VBA-backed Excel spreadsheets that won't run in Excel. If Libreoffice VBA were compatible with Office VBA, I'd have no reason to always keep an outdated Windows system in the closet somewhere.

The reason we're doing this is to make money, and nobody wants to buy Excel spreadsheets that don't run in Excel.


Not offended that Excel can do more, but potentially still inconvenienced by Libreoffice not having the thing they are familiar with or are forced to work with?


I would happily use Libreoffice if any of my clients did. But nobody does. Compatibility would be nice so I can write stuff in Libreoffice Calc on Linux (Excel has 0 Linux support) and ship it to clients without issues, but this even close to be possible.


If it sucks, people won't use it.

If people don't know about it, people won't use it.

If people are accustomed to something different, people will ask for it.


The problem with Libreoffice was that the python support was purely documented.


I wrote some new docs on this recently:

* https://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Macros/Python_Guide/Call...

By having Python in Basic, it becomes available to cells too, since Basic macros are callable from cells.

Note that you may need to reduce the security level to 'medium' in the drop down Tools->Options->Libre Office->Security->Macro Security. When LibreOffice opens, it will ask you whether you want to enable macros or not.


finding another straw-man?




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