Compile VBA code from command line

VbaCompiler for Excel allows for the compilation of VBA code from the command line.

This is a convenient way to compile VBA code, be it VBA code that contains large amounts of Excel files in batch mode or just for registration key generation from the command line.

This feature is available in the registered version of VbaCompiler for Excel.

 

Prerequisites

The computer where you want to call VbaCompiler for Excel from the command line should have Windows 7 or higher installed, as well as Excel 2007 SP3 or higher. Microsoft Excel should have the latest service pack and updates installed.

 

Syntax for VBA compiling from the command line

 

vbaclr4e.exe  <name of the excel file with VBA code> [-switch[=value] …]

 

 

-bit – The bitness of the compiled DLL file—can be 32 or 64 bit. Available values for this switch are x86 for 32 bit, x64 for 64 bit and 32×64 for both 32 and 64 bit.  The default value is ‘x86’.
Example: -bit=x86

 

-packdll – This switch enables the single file compilation output result with the DLL embedded inside of the compiled workbook or add-in. This switch doesn’t have any value to be assigned. This option is available in the case when the product is registered with the Professional license.

 

-novm  – This switch prevents a compiled workbook or add-in from running on virtual machines. This switch doesn’t have any value to be assigned. This option is available when the product is registered with a Professional license.

 

-prepack – This switch allows you to specify the path to a command batch file that will be executed before packing the compiled DLL(s) into the compiled workbook. Please note that this switch can only be used in conjunction with the “-packdll” switch. The “<?DLLPATH?>” tag will be replaced with the path to the currently compiled DLL. This switch can be utilized to apply a digital signature to your compiled DLL file before it is embedded within the compiled workbook. This option is available in case when the product is registered with Professional license.
Example:  -prepack=”c:\MyFolder\digisign.cmd <?DLLPATH?>”

 

-tgt – The full name of the target workbook. This parameter defines the location as well as the file name of the target xls file with the compiled VBA code. Important: Make sure that output folder exists and is empty before compilation.
Example: -tgt=”c:\MyFolder\CompiledVbaCode\Sample.xls”

 

-tdll – The name of the target dll. If this switch is missed, then the default value that will be used is equal to the name of the workbook plus the defined bitness of the compilation as an additional substring. For example, in the case of the workbook with the file name of “Sample.xls” — the default dll name will be “Sample_xls_32.dll”.
Example: -tdll=”MyFileName.dll”

 

-wkpath – The work folder. This switch defines the work folder – the place on your computer disk where all temporarily and intermediate files will be created and/or stored during VBA code compilation. This option should be used to reduce the antivirus software false positive detections. To achieve this you will also need to enter the same folder path to the antivirus software exception list.
Example: -wkpath=”C:\Users\CurrentUser\Documents\VbcWork”

 

-cc – The selection of the backend C compiler. This option is available in case when the product is registered with Professional license. VbaCompiler for Excel can use 2 different backend C compilers: MinGW GCC–which is used by default and distributed with the VbaCompiler installation–, and Microsoft Visual C– which is not distributed with the VbaCompiler for Excel installation. To use Microsoft Visual C you need to download Microsoft Visual Studio and install it by yourself.  This switch may have 2 values: g, for MinGW GCC, and v, for Visual C. If Visual C is selected then you need to use the ‘-vcpath’ switch to point the Visual C location.
Example: -cc=v

 

-vcpath – The path to the Microsoft Visual C compiler if it is selected as the back-end compiler with the switch ‘-cc’.
Example: -vcpath=”c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC\Auxiliary\Build”

 

-ol – The c-compiler optimization level. Valid values of the -ol switch for MinGW GCC C compiler are: O0, O1, O2, Ofast, Os. You may find the meaning of each value in the VbaCompiler for Excel compilation options description. If the switch is excluded, then the default value ‘O1’ is used. In case if you have selected MS Visual C compiler as backend C compiler then the valid options of -ol switch are: O1, O2, Od, Oi, Os, Ot, Ox, Oy.
Example: -ol=Ofast

 

-acontact – The author contact as an email address or http web address.
Example: -acontact=support@doneex.com

 

-dll_ver – The compiled DLL file version number passed as a string value. It will be visible in the compiled DLL file Properties >> Details tab.
Example: -dll_ver=”1.2.3.456″

 

-copyright – The copyright of the DLL file. It will be visible in the compiled DLL file Properties >> Details tab.
Example: -copyright=”All Rights Reserved (c),  2024″

 

-altpath – The DLL alternative path. The DLL alternative path field defines the alternative location of the compiled DLL.
Example: -altpath=”c:\MyFolder”

 

-appname – The application name. The internal name of the application which is used for coupling the compiled VBA code and the registration key file.
Example: -appname=”My Workbook Application”

 

-rkname – The name of the registration key file. This switch enables the “Copy protection with registration key” mode.
Example: -rkname=”MyApplication.rkey”

 

-rkpath – The alternative location for the registration key. This switch allows you to set the path to an alternative location of the registration key on the customer’s computer. This location is an alternative to the default location of registration key – the folder where DLL with the compiled VBA code is located.
Example: -rkpath=”C:/RegkeyLocation”

 

-hwlock – The hardware locking flag. This switch is used when you need to enable the hardware locking option. This switch doesn’t have any value to be assigned and must be used in combination with the -rkname to take effect.
Example: -hwlock

 

-trial – The flag that determines a trial/demo version with a number of trial days as a value. This switch enables the Trial/Demo mode for a compiled workbook, and must be used with -rkname switch to be effective.
Example: -trial=3

 

-freemium – This switch enables ‘Freemium mode’ and must be used with -rkname switch to be effective.

 

-nag_once_aday – This switch enables showing trial or freemium message once day only. This switch doesn’t have any value to be assigned and should be used with -trial or
-freemium switches.

 

-trial_nag_delay – The trial nag window delay before the ‘Close’ button becomes shown, determined in seconds. This switch’s value is the time of the delay in seconds and must be used with the -trial or -freemium switch to have any effect.
Example: -trial_nag_delay=10

 

-unviewable – The flag that makes VBA code unviewable. This switch enables the unviewable VBA project mode for a workbook with compiled VBA code and doesn’t have any value to be assigned. Example: -unviewable

 

-custom_rsc – The full name of the custom resource dictionary file. This switch attaches a custom resource dictionary file to the compiled workbook.
Example: -custom_rsc=”c:\SomeFolder\MyAppEnglishDictionary.txt”

 

 

Create registration/activation key from the command line

Syntax for command line registration key generation

vbaclr4e.exe  <the full name of the compiled VBA dll file> -rkgen=<the full name of the ini-file with regkey parameters>

-rkgen – the registration key generation for VBA code compiled with the ‘Copy protection with registration key’ mode enabled. The value assigned to this switch must be the full name of the file in ini-file format containing the parameters of the registration key.
Example: -rkgen=”c:\SomeFolder\RegKeyGenParams.ini”

 

 

Example of the registration key parameters inside of the ini-file

name=Customer Name
email=CustomerName@email.com
date_from=01/22/2019
date_to=02/22/2020
compid=M5YN-J7XB-MB9M-EIMM-ZYI9D-HQTAA

The left side of each ‘=’ symbol is the key value which must be kept the same as in the example. Each key value indicates the following:

name – The customer’s name.
email – The customer’s email.
date_from – The date of the beginning of the registration key validity term.
date_to – The date of the end of the registration key validity term
compid – The customer’s computer id.

Example of a registration key command:

vbaclr4e.exe  “d:\VbaCompiledFiles\ApproxPi_xls_32.dll” -rkgen= “d:\regkey.ini”

You may find the status of the VBA code command line compilation in the build log file, which is located inside your target folder.
The name of the build log file is <name of workbook>.BuildLog.txt.

 

 

Useful practices for command line compilation

 

– Use a .bat or .cmd file to store your compilation script and run this file instead of just typing out the command line in the cmd window.

– Make sure that the target folder exists and is empty before compilation.

– Use a standard output redirection command at the end of your command, like so: >filename.txt
this file will contain the compilation output info or the error description should an error happen.
For example:

vbaclr4e.exe "C:/0/myworkbook.xlsm" -tgt="C:/0/VbaCompiled/targetWorkbook.xlsm" >output.txt

– Try to compile with the minimum amount of parameters as the first step. If this minimum parameter compilation completes successfully, then you may increase the amount of compilation parameters.