need advise on how to tackle an automation program using perl.

[perlynewby]

Ok, this is a new automation program, I would like to practice on but need some ideas on how to attack it.

let's see, I have a spread sheet with names, age, birthdays, addresses and phone number and relative people, if known.

Also, I have written a program that computes, the age of someone in if given the birthdate and hour born. takes into account leap year and eastern and pacific time difference

I would like to write up a program to create a GUI then ask user for inputs to get some information out from another spread sheet file and use the calculator if they opted to do

automation, is to get spreadsheet and extract info to use with another program to calculate age then to add a notice alarm to my calendar

first, I will use Tkx because I can't seem to get Tk loaded in netbeans. so that's a limitation. I could use other program to build GUI, if you think it is available for nebeans or an entirely different GUI program if it is easy to do while using perl( I can't find support on netbeands anywhere...sad coz I think netbeans is a nice IDE

Can I open a MS spread sheet using perl? haven't tried it yet coz I wouldn't know how

don't know how to add an event into MS calendar used in my PC for cases where I want to add bdate notice

read up on some automation but it all seems to be done using modules...I want to use the existing spreadsheet and calculator and use a separate program to add event into calendar

any advice will be greatly appreciated

[Corion]

Writing Excel file is "easiest" done using Excel::Writer::XLSX.

If you want to talk to the Office programs, there is little difference between doing that from Perl or doing that from within VBA, but VBA has the far superior IDE with autocompletion for doing OLE. Personally, I recommend using the macro recorder to record a VBA script that does most of your task and then rewriting the VBA either in Perl or Visual Basic to do all of your task. The macro recorder removes much of the need to learn the Office API before you start. See also Using Win32::OLE and Excel - Tips and Tricks, which applies to most of the Office Suite not only Excel.

[perlynewby]

I am now learning Visual Basic app scripting; this looks cool but will take me sometime to get there...

rewriting the VBA either in Perl

I wanted to continue to build experience in Perl and your comment seems to lead me to believe that I can write my little automation in VBA then re-write/tranlate this VBA code into Perl, right? I don't know how so I will do VBA then hit the monks to help me translate into perl.

I've created some easy quick Modules(2 so far) in perl and will like to continue to learn more.

any ideas on a quick automation ideas using modules and perhaps some GUI (want to learn how to build gui with automation)

[NetWallah]

Speaking from experience with attempting to gui-manage/automate MS Office programs in perl - I'd suggest you dont do it, unless you already have MS app automation experience.

Instead, (much as I hate M$), I'd recommend doing it in Excel's built-in VBA - which will provide much-needed object propery/method expansion , and GUI building tools (perhaps netbeans does this for you).

In perl - you will absolutely need to install modules to get this to work - and there will be a considerable learning curve.

Cheers, and good luck.

[perlynewby]

thanks, I now will look into Visual basic tutorials...

for mean while, does anyone have a suggestion on a "AUTOMATION" project using tk and perl? I can not think of one.

I seem to make thinks too difficult for a newbie

I will appreciate suggestions greatly!

[Anonymous Monk]

first, I will use Tkx because I can't seem to get Tk loaded in netbeans. so that's a limitation.

That sounds like a nonstarter -- don't let your IDE dictate what modules you use

[perlynewby]

any ideas of what would be a nice simple automation program using my new found perl scripting skills?

or any ideas where to get ideas on something like this?