Microsoft Excel Software Developer's Kit Features

ID: Q89305 


4.00      | 4.00
MACINTOSH | WINDOWS
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The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel Software Development Kit

SUMMARY

The Microsoft Excel Software Development Kit (SDK) is a book from Microsoft Press that documents the C language application programming interface (API) introduced in Microsoft Excel version 4.0. This article introduces the Microsoft Excel SDK and answers some questions regarding the API.

In the United States, Microsoft Consumer Sales is accepting orders for the Microsoft Excel SDK, which is scheduled to be released in early November 1992. Microsoft Consumer Sales can be reached at (800) 426-9400. Outside the United States, contact the Microsoft subsidiary or distributor that serves your country for pricing and availability information. To locate your subsidiary or distributor, go to the Microsoft Web site

http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/default.htm


MORE INFORMATION

The macro language built into Microsoft Excel is a fast, powerful, and portable tool that can be used to enhance Microsoft Excel. The Microsoft Excel macro language supports user-defined functions, new commands, scripts that control Microsoft Excel, and even entire applications that use Microsoft Excel as a platform.

However, the macro language is sometimes not sufficient for a given application. Among the possible reasons are the following three:

  • You may already have large libraries of code written in another language.


  • You may require the speed and security of a compiled high-level language.


  • You may need to interface with external libraries or databases.


The Microsoft Excel SDK, a high-level language compiler, and appropriate code libraries provide a solution to all three of the situations listed above. The Microsoft Excel SDK provides tools to:
  • Create functions and commands in a high-level language, such as C or Pascal.


  • Dynamically link to libraries and call functions in the macro language and in the chosen high-level language.


A macro can call external code written in C, Pascal, Assembler, or any other programming language that can be compiled as a dynamic-link library (DLL) for the Microsoft Windows environment or as a code resource for the Apple Macintosh. These DLLs or code resources can also interact with Microsoft Excel to perform any task that a macro can, only faster and more efficiently. You can create compiled add-ins for Microsoft Excel that call functions in code libraries you have already written or that call many of the low-level system functions that are inaccessible through the macro language. Functions on macro sheets and functions in DLLs or code resources can call each other freely.

With the Microsoft Excel SDK, a knowledge of C and of the Microsoft Excel macro language is all that is required to write add-ins in C. In most cases, translating the functions in an existing macro sheet to C is a straightforward task. It is not necessary to learn a large API to develop add-ins. As a benefit, add-ins run faster and they can access functionality available only from C. For example, if you have large code libraries written in C (or in any language that can be called from C), you can access them with the Microsoft Excel SDK.

The Microsoft Excel SDK documentation assumes a knowledge of C, Microsoft Excel, and the Microsoft Excel macro language. The "Microsoft Excel User's Guide" and "Microsoft Excel Function Reference," each provided with Microsoft Excel, completely describe the Microsoft Excel macro language.

To develop code for use with Microsoft Excel for Windows, you should be familiar with the basics of programming in the Windows environment and with the requirements for DLLs. Similarly, if you plan to develop code for use with Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, you should be familiar with programming in the Macintosh environment.

Microsoft Excel can call C code three different ways:
  • From a worksheet. You create a user-defined function that a Microsoft Excel user can enter in a worksheet. Microsoft Excel calls your function each time it evaluates that function.


  • From a macro sheet. You create a custom procedure in C that can be called from a macro.


  • From a button or other object, a menu item, an ON() function, a shortcut key, or a tool on the toolbar. You create a custom procedure in C that can be attached to any of the listed objects.


Software Requirements

The following software is required in order to develop DLLs for use with Microsoft Excel for Windows:
  • A compiler such as the following that can produce a Windows-compatible DLL file:

    • Microsoft C version 5.1 or later with the Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) version 3.0 or later. Microsoft C version 7.0 can produce a DLL without the Windows SDK.


    • Microsoft QuickC for Windows version 1.0 or later


    Note: Check with your compiler vendor for more information on its ability to produce a DLL.


  • Version 4.0 or later of Microsoft Excel for Windows


  • Microsoft Windows version 3.0 or later


  • Microsoft Excel Software Development Kit


The following software is required in order to develop code resources for use with Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh:

  • A compiler such as Symantec ThinkC that can produce a Macintosh code resource


  • Version 4.0 or later of Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh


  • Microsoft Excel Software Development Kit


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Keywords : XLSdk
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Last Reviewed: November 11, 1999
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