XL2000: How to Convert an Add-in File into a Workbook

ID: q211561

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, you can convert an add-in (.xla) file into a normal workbook (.xls) file that you can view and edit. This article contains detailed information about converting an add-in file.


MORE INFORMATION

To convert an add-in file back into a normal workbook, follow these steps:

  1. On the File menu, click Open. In the Open dialog box, select the add-in file that you want to convert (for example, Test.xla), and click Open.


  2. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Visual Basic Editor (or press ALT+F11).

    In the Project Explorer window in the Visual Basic Editor, entries similar to the following appear: 
    
<Project name> (<Add-in file name>)
    where <Project name> is the name of the Visual Basic project, and <Add-in file name> is the name of an add-in file.

    For example, entries similar to the following appear:


    3. 
   MyAddIn (Test)
  3. Click the plus sign (+) to the left of the entry for the add-in file.


  4. If you are prompted for a password, type the password and click OK. Otherwise, skip to step 5.

    NOTE: If you do not know the password for the add-in file, you cannot convert it into a normal workbook. If you know who created the add-in file, ask the creator for the password. Otherwise, you cannot continue.

    Entries similar to the following appear in the Project Explorer window:


    5. 
   MyAddIn (Test)
      Microsoft Excel Objects
      Modules
  5. Click the plus sign (+) to the left of Microsoft Excel Objects.

    The tree should look similar to the following:


    6. 
   MyAddIn (Test)
      Microsoft Excel Objects
         Sheet1 (Sheet1)
         Sheet2 (Sheet2)
         Sheet3 (Sheet3)
         ThisWorkbook
      Modules
  6. Click ThisWorkbook.


  7. On the Tools menu, click <Project name> Properties.


  8. Click the Protection tab. Click to clear (uncheck) the Lock project for viewing check box. Clear both the Password and Confirm password boxes. Then, click OK.


  9. In the Properties window of the Visual Basic Editor, click IsAddin. In the box to the right of IsAddin, change the value from True to False.


  10. On the File menu, click Close and Return to Microsoft Excel.

    The worksheets and chart sheets in the add-in file (if it contains any) should be visible.


  11. On the File menu, click Save As.


  12. In the Save As dialog box, click Microsoft Excel Workbook in the Save as type list. Type a new name for the workbook (for example, Test.xls) in the File name box. Click Save to save the add-in file as a normal workbook.


  13. After you save the workbook, click Close on the File menu.


The add-file is converted to a workbook that can be opened, viewed, modified, and saved, just like any other workbook. Note that the add-in file is not modified by this process.


REFERENCES

For more information about how to create add-in files in Excel, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q211563 XL2000: How to Create an Add-in File

Additional query words: addin vba macro 9.0 XL2000 make making add in 


Keywords          : kbprg kbdta xlloadsave xlui xlvbahowto xlvbainfo 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: June 14, 1999