When I tried to insert a new sheet, I was given multiple options which I could choose from. One is obviously "Worksheet", another is called "MS Excel 4.0 Macro". So I chose "MS Excel 4.0 Macro", and it looks exactly the same as a new worksheet. I'm just curious what is the difference between a regular worksheet and MS Excel 4.0 Macro sheet?
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2 Answers
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History
From its first version Excel supported end-user programming of macros (automation of repetitive tasks) and user-defined functions (extension of Excel's built-in function library). In early versions of Excel, these programs were written in a macro language whose statements had formula syntax and resided in the cells of special-purpose macro sheets (stored with file extension .XLM in Windows.) XLM was the default macro language for Excel through Excel 4.0. Beginning with version 5.0 Excel recorded macros in VBA by default but with version 5.0 XLM recording was still allowed as an option. After version 5.0 that option was discontinued. All versions of Excel, including Excel 2010 are capable of running an XLM macro, though Microsoft discourages their use.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Excel
The purpose of MS Excel 4.0 Macro sheets is to run legacy Excel 4.0 macros. Microsoft replaced Excel 4.0 Macros with VBA in 1993, but they can still be run. Now (almost 30 years later), this is most extensively used by malicious parties (hackers).
For example, you can enter the following into A1:A2:
=EXEC("calc.exe")
=HALT()
Then, to run it (to open the Calculator) you would need to right click A1 and choose Run... -> Run. All the formulas downwards from the clicked cell will be evaluated.
PDF containing the complete Excel 4.0 macro functions reference
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Answer.
The old way was to record a macro as a chain of events, without VBA.
My story.
I made heavy use of old-style macros and I have had hundreds of them. When Microsoft shifted macros to VBA they offered no way to convert the old ones, and so I lost all of them at a glance. One of my macros was highly complex and ran like a dream on Mac SE. I regarded it as highly precious in scientific value as it worked using Tritium observations in ground-water aquifers with a huge input function data sheet. It calculated the residence time of ground-water using several mathematical models as well as updating five charts that plotted the output data using introduced by the user for the used models. I saved this macro file to a Windows PC using a complex procedure via the EMU emulations hardware, a modern Mac, and a modern Windows PC, however the file will not run as it was written before the introduction of VBA. It is such a sad loss, and would go as far as considering the loss as criminal.
Please don't delete this story until I have backed it up somewhere. When I have posted it somewhere more appropriate, I promise to delete it.
