VBA Limitations

VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) is tightly integrated with the host application in which it runs (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint).

• Dependency on the Host Application: VBA cannot function independently. It requires a host application to be open because the VBA environment is part of that application. For example, to run VBA code written for Excel, you must have Excel open.
• No Stand-Alone Applications: You cannot create a stand-alone executable (.exe) application with VBA. However, you can mimic a stand-alone application by hiding the host application (e.g., Excel or Word) while displaying user forms created in VBA. This gives the appearance of a separate application, but the host application is still running in the background.
• VBA Environment Installation: The VBA environment is installed along with the host application (e.g., when you install Microsoft Office). The environment is loaded from your computer's hard disk when you open the host application.
• Closure of VBA Environment: Since VBA is tied to the host application, closing the host application will also terminate the VBA environment and any running VBA code.

In summary, VBA is not a general-purpose programming platform. It is designed to extend and automate tasks within its host applications, and its functionality ends when the host application is closed.