SUPBOOK: Supporting Workbook (1AEh)

This record stores data about a supporting external workbook.

Record Data — BIFF8

Offset	Name	Size	Contents

4	Ctab	2	Number of tabs in the workbook
6	StVirtPath	var	Encoded file name of the workbook, as a unicode string (see text)
var	Rgst	var	An array of strings, the sheet tab names, as unicode strings

For more information about Unicode strings, see "Unicode Strings in BIFF8" on page 264.

File name Encoding

Whenever possible, file names are encoded to make BIFF files transportable across file systems. Encoded file names are identified by the first character of the rgch field. The first character of the rgch field may be any one of the values listed in the following table.

Name	Value	Meaning

chEmpty	00	Reference to an empty workbook name (see text)
chEncode	01	File name has been encoded (see the following table)
chSelf	02	Self-referential external reference (see text)

chEmpty indicates that the file name is an external reference to an empty workbook name, as in the formula =Sheet1!$A$1.

chSelf indicates that the file name is an external reference in which the dependent and source workbooks are the same. An example of this is the workbook SALES.XLS, which contains the formula =SALES.XLS!$A$1.

A chDDE key (03h) can occur in the rgch field; it is not necessarily the first character in the field, as are chEmpty, chEncode, and chSelf. This key indicates that the external reference is a DDE or OLE link. In a DDE link, the chDDE key replaces the | (pipe) character that separates the DDE application and topic. In an OLE link, chDDE separates the classname and file name.

A chEncode at the beginning of rgch indicates that the file name of the source workbook has been encoded to a less system-dependent file name. The special keys listed in the following table are recognized in the rgch field.

Name	Value	PC file systems	Macintosh file system

chVolume	01	Represents an MS-DOS drive letter. It is followed by the drive letter. For example, the formula ='D:\SALES.XLS'!A1 generates the chVolume key when the dependent workbook is not on the D drive. UNC file names, such as \\server\share\myfile.xls, generate an @ character after the chVolume key; this replaces the initial double backslash (\\).	Represents a single-character volume name. Because single-character volume names are uncommon on the Macintosh, the chLongVolume key is used to represent volume names that are longer than a single character.
chSameVolume	02	Indicates that the source workbook is on the same drive as the dependent workbook (the drive letter is omitted). For example, the formula ='\SALES.XLS'!A1 generates the chSameVolume key when the dependent workbook is not in the root directory.	Indicates that the source workbook is in the same volume as the dependent workbook (the volume name is omitted).
ChDownDir	03	Indicates that the source workbook is in a subdirectory of the current directory. For example, the formula ='XL\SALES.XLS'!A1 generates the chDownDir key. The subdirectory name precedes the chDownDir key, and the file name follows it.	Indicates that the source workbook is in a folder in the current folder. For example, the formula =':XL:Sales1992'!A1 generates the chDownDir key. The folder name precedes the chDownDir key, and the file name follows it.
chUpDir	04	Indicates that the source workbook is in the parent directory of the current directory. For example, the formula ='..\SALES.XLS'!A1 generates the chUpDir key.	Indicates that the source workbook is in the parent folder of the current folder. For example, the formula ='::Sales1992'!A1 generates the chUpDir key.
chLongVolume	05	(Not used)	The chLongVolume key is followed by the length of the name (1 byte) and then by the volume name string.
chStartupDir	06	Indicates that the source workbook is in the startup directory (the Xlstart subdirectory of the directory that contains Excel.exe).	Indicates that the source workbook is in the Excel Startup Folder (5), which is in the System Folder.
chAltStartupDir	07	Indicates that the source workbook is in the alternate startup directory.	Indicates that the source workbook is in the alternate startup folder.
chLibDir	08	Indicates that the source workbook is in the Library directory.	Indicates that the source workbook is in the Macro Library folder.