VBA & Macro Problems

How to Create an Excel VBA World Map Day-Night Terminator Animation

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to develop and troubleshoot an Excel VBA macro that uses charts, shapes, and UTC time to animate a day-night terminator on a world map.

Product: Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Developing a complex VBA animation that calculates UTC time to update charts and shapes on a world map.
Observed behavior: The macro needs to display the day-night terminator accurately and remain fully compatible with Excel 2007 and later versions without breaking.

Before you start

Before debugging complex VBA macros, ensure you have enabled the Developer tab in Excel and saved a backup copy of your workbook as an Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook (.xlsm).

Solution 1Recommended

Ensure Backward Compatibility in VBA Code

To make sure your day-night terminator animation works in Excel 2007 and newer versions, avoid using properties introduced in later versions and use fully qualified references.

Animations that rely on shape properties and chart objects can break if newer Excel features are referenced in legacy environments.

Test in target versions

Test your workbook directly in Excel 2007 and other target versions to identify any unsupported chart or shape properties that cause runtime errors.

Avoid newer properties

Remove or create workarounds for newer VBA methods or shape styling properties that did not exist in the Excel 2007 object model.

Use fully qualified references

Update your code to use fully qualified references, such as using `ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("WorldMap").Range(...)` instead of relying on generic `ActiveSheet` commands.

Solution 2

Seek Advanced VBA Debugging on Programming Forums

For complex mathematical calculations like calculating the day-night terminator based on UTC time, specialized programming communities can offer code-specific help.

Run and Edit VBA Macros in WPS Office

WPS Spreadsheet offers robust compatibility with Excel macros, allowing you to develop, edit, and run complex VBA scripts, including world map chart animations.

1. Download and install WPS Office: Download WPS Office from the official website and complete the installation on your device.
2. Open your macro-enabled workbook: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your .xlsm file containing the world map animation.
3. Access the Developer tab: Navigate to the 'Developer' tab on the top ribbon and click on 'Macros' or 'Visual Basic' to access your code.
4. Run your animation: Execute your macro to test the day-night terminator animation directly within the WPS environment.

High compatibility with Microsoft Excel macro formats (.xlsm, .xlsb)Built-in VBA editor for running and debugging complex macro animationsLightweight and fast rendering for heavy chart and shape calculationsSeamless migration of your existing VBA projects

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my VBA animation run slower in newer versions of Excel?

Newer versions of Excel utilize updated graphics engines which sometimes process legacy shapes and charts differently. Optimizing your code with `Application.ScreenUpdating = False` during calculations can significantly improve animation performance.

Can I use UTC time functions in Excel 2007 VBA?

Excel 2007 VBA does not have built-in native UTC functions. You will need to rely on Windows API calls or calculate the time zone offset manually from the local system time to determine the correct UTC.

How do I animate charts using VBA?

Chart animation in VBA is typically achieved by updating the underlying data range or chart shape properties within a loop. You must include the `DoEvents` command within your loop to allow the application screen to refresh and render the animation frames.

Excel & Data Problems