Best way to learn VBA.

[Kazodev]

Originally Posted by Brad Gile

I had similar uses. Did you use copulas?

Brad

People actually use copulas? I thought it was just what stats Phds wrote about when they ran out of ideas...

[Brad Gile]

Originally Posted by Kazodev

People actually use copulas? I thought it was just what stats Phds wrote about when they ran out of ideas...

DFA. Very useful for several lines or benefits that have correlated random variables. Shaun Wang, FCAS wrote a superb (and practical) paper on copulas a few years ago that should be mandatory reading for anyone planning to model correlated risks:
http://www.casact.org/dare/index.cfm...w&abstrID=3400

Brad

[JMO]

Originally Posted by Kazodev

People actually use copulas? I thought it was just what stats Phds wrote about when they ran out of ideas...

:ctm:
My thoughts exactly!

[MNBridge]

Originally Posted by Brad Gile

I had similar uses. Did you use copulas?

Brad

I have programmed them, never used them in practice.

I find they are to hard to fit.

And Shaun Wang's papers in general are a must read IMO.

(Though I have never seen this one, thanks!)

[Doc Holiday]

I'm in the process of learning VBA right now. I have bought an online self-paced bundle of desktop applications that include Access, Excel, VBA, and others.

The lesson format gives you the choice of full tutotiral, guided, or let me try. The let me try has the option of a hint button if you get stuck. After the main lesson, a multiple choice quiz is given at the end.

After using Excel in an internship without any formal training, I love these tutorials.

[DaveyDo]

Originally Posted by Bama Gambler

I'll rank my choices.

1. Good book. Any of the VBA books by Walkebach will do. This will help you write clean, readable code.

2. VBA Help files. Type what you want to do in help. They have some good examples.

3. Internet. Google it or post your question on a discussion board.

Avoid the macro recorder until you have honed your skills. It writes sloppy code and there is no macro recorder in Access.

I looked at the Walkebach link and the books are for Excel. Am I correct to assume that a lot will carryover into Access?

[atomic]

I am learning how to use Excel VBA. So far, it seems, well,...rudimentary--in comparsion to what I know how to do with Mathematica. But it's clear that you can create non-mathematical programs in VBA, and if the industry is expecting it as part of my skill set, then so be it.

Some time ago I wrote a Mathematica program that solved Sudoku puzzles through recursive application of rule-based manipulation and process of elimination, much in the way that humans do--rather than by brute force guessing. Mathematica also has better handling of numerical error--years ago, I once tried to do a nonlinear fit in Excel that resulted in a numerically unstable result, whereas Mathematica did it perfectly. I should hope Excel has evolved since then to handle such situations better.

I wonder why Mathematica is not used in the actuarial field...? Is it the price? Is it the lack of relevance? Is it because Excel is used by non-actuarial sectors to visually organize and manipulate data?

[Kazodev]

For things like nonlinear fits, I would recommend using SAS or something similar. I think of using Excel in actuarial field as mostly a nice way to present / summarize data. Just like I would use access for database manipulation and SAS (or something similar) for heavy duty statistics. I think Mathematica is expensive (probably on par with SAS so that's not really a good argument) but I don't know of any statistical task that SAS can't do but Mathematica can (not sure about vice versa).

[Phil]

I just discovered that if I put the cursor on a word in my VBA program (e.g. GetFileName) and press F1, the help screen regarding that method/function/object/whatever comes up.

This is much faster than digging through the help for language reference | methods | G | GetFileName.

Or, just type a keyword temporarily and backspace and hit F1 to quickly get help about it.

[Brad Gile]

Originally Posted by Phil

I just discovered that if I put the cursor on a word in my VBA program (e.g. GetFileName) and press F1, the help screen regarding that method/function/object/whatever comes up.

This is much faster than digging through the help for language reference | methods | G | GetFileName.

Or, just type a keyword temporarily and backspace and hit F1 to quickly get help about it.

Yup, that's indispensable. Get all VBA shortcut keys at http://www.cpearson.com/excel/VBAShortcutKeys.htm

Brad