HOWTO: Automate Excel 97 Using MFC and Worksheet Functions

ID: Q178781


The information in this article applies to:


SUMMARY

This article shows how to automate Microsoft Excel 97 using the Microsoft Foundation Class (MFC) library, version 4.2 (installed with Microsoft Visual C++ versions 5.0 and 6.0). Specifically, this article illustrates how to use worksheet functions provided by an add-in such as the Analysis ToolPak (ATP) and how to use the worksheet formula functions that are built- in to Microsoft Excel 97.


MORE INFORMATION

You can copy the code in this article to the message handler function of an event defined in an MFC .cpp file. However, the purpose of the code is to illustrate the process of using the IDispatch interfaces and member functions defined in the Excel8.olb type library. The primary benefit comes from reading and understanding the code in the example, so that you can modify the example or write code from scratch to automate a worksheet function in Microsoft Excel 97 using MFC.

Steps to Create the Project

  1. Follow steps 1 through 12 in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article to create a sample project that uses the IDispatch interfaces and member functions defined in the Excel8.olb type library:
    Q178749 HOWTO: Create an Automation Project Using MFC and a Type Library


  2. At the top of the AutoProjectDlg.cpp, add the following line:
    
          #include "excel8.h" 


  3. Add the following code to CAutoProjectDlg::OnRun() in the AutoProjectDLG.cpp file.

    Sample Code

    
          try
          {
          _Application app;     // app is an _Application object.
          _Workbook book;       // More object declarations.
          _Worksheet sheet;
          Workbooks books;
          Worksheets sheets;
          Range range;          // Used for Microsoft Excel 97 components.
          LPDISPATCH lpDisp;    // Often reused variable.
    
          // Common OLE variants. Easy variants to use for calling arguments.
          COleVariant
            covTrue((short)TRUE),
            covFalse((short)FALSE),
            covOptional((long)DISP_E_PARAMNOTFOUND, VT_ERROR);
    
    
          // Start Microsoft Excel, get _Application object,
          // and attach to app object.
          if(!app.CreateDispatch("Excel.Application"))
           {
            AfxMessageBox("Couldn't CreateDispatch() for Excel");
            return;
           }
    
          // Set visible.
          app.SetVisible(TRUE);
    
          // Register the Analysis ToolPak.
          CString sAppPath;
          sAppPath.Format ("%s\\Analysis\\Analys32.xll", app.GetLibraryPath());
    
          if(!app.RegisterXLL(sAppPath))
            AfxMessageBox("Didn't register the Analys32.xll");
    
          // Get the Workbooks collection.
          lpDisp = app.GetWorkbooks();     // Get an IDispatch pointer.
          ASSERT(lpDisp);
          books.AttachDispatch(lpDisp);    // Attach the IDispatch pointer
                                           // to the books object.
    
          // Open a new workbook and attach that IDispatch pointer to the
          // Workbook object.
          lpDisp = books.Add( covOptional );
          ASSERT(lpDisp);
          book.AttachDispatch( lpDisp );
    
          // To open an existing workbook, you need to provide all
          // 13 arguments for the Open member function.
          // The code below opens a workbook and adds it to the Workbook’s
          // Collection object.
          // You need to modify the path and file name for your own
          // workbook.
          // 
          // lpDisp = books.Open("C:\\Test",     // Test.xls is a workbook.
          // covOptional, covOptional, covOptional, covOptional, covOptional,
          // covOptional, covOptional, covOptional, covOptional, covOptional,
          // covOptional, covOptional );   // Return Workbook's IDispatch
          // pointer.
    
    
          // Get the Sheets collection and attach the IDispatch pointer to your
          // sheets object.
          lpDisp = book.GetSheets();
          ASSERT(lpDisp);
          sheets.AttachDispatch(lpDisp);
    
          // Get sheet #1 and attach the IDispatch pointer to your sheet
          // object.
          lpDisp = sheets.GetItem( COleVariant((short)(1)) );
                                            //GetItem(const VARIANT &index)
          ASSERT(lpDisp);
          sheet.AttachDispatch(lpDisp);
    
          // Fill range A1 with "1/25/98", the settlement date.
          lpDisp = sheet.GetRange(COleVariant("A1"), COleVariant("A1"));
          ASSERT(lpDisp);
          range.AttachDispatch(lpDisp);
          range.SetValue(COleVariant("1/25/98"));
    
          // Fill range A2 with "11/15/99", the maturity date.
          lpDisp = sheet.GetRange(COleVariant("A2"), COleVariant("A2"));
          ASSERT(lpDisp);
          range.AttachDispatch(lpDisp);
          range.SetValue(COleVariant("11/15/99"));
    
          // Fill range A3 with "2", the frequency for semi-annual interest
          // payments.
          lpDisp = sheet.GetRange(COleVariant("A3"), COleVariant("A3"));
          ASSERT(lpDisp);
          range.AttachDispatch(lpDisp);
          range.SetValue(COleVariant("2"));
    
          // Fill range A4 with 1, the basis (actual/actual).
          lpDisp = sheet.GetRange(COleVariant("A4"), COleVariant("A4"));
          ASSERT(lpDisp);
          range.AttachDispatch(lpDisp);
          range.SetValue(COleVariant("1"));
    
          // Fill range C1 with the formula "=COUPNCD(A1, A2, A3, A4)" and
          // format the cell with a Date type of the Number format.
          lpDisp = sheet.GetRange(COleVariant("C1"), COleVariant("C1"));
          ASSERT(lpDisp);
          range.AttachDispatch(lpDisp);
          range.SetNumberFormat(COleVariant("mm/dd/yy"));
          range.SetFormula(COleVariant("=COUPNCD(A1, A2, A3, A4)"));
    
          /* This is an alternative that works without placing variables on
          // the worksheet.
          // The values are arguments contained in the SetFormula() call.
          // range.SetFormula(COleVariant(
                           "=COUPNCD(\"09/15/96\",\"11/15/99\",2,1)"));
          */ 
    
          // *** The example in this block uses a built-in Microsoft Excel
          // function.
    
          // You do not have to register any add-in to use the built-in
          // Microsoft Excel worksheet functions.
          lpDisp = sheet.GetRange(COleVariant("C3"), COleVariant("C3"));
          ASSERT(lpDisp);
          range.AttachDispatch(lpDisp);
          range.SetFormula(COleVariant("=SUM(A3, A4)"));
          // or use:
          // range.SetFormula(COleVariant("=SUM(2,1)"));
    
          // *** End of example for built-in function usage.
    
          // Release dispatch pointers.
          range.ReleaseDispatch();
          sheet.ReleaseDispatch();
          // This is not really necessary because
          // the default second parameter of AttachDispatch releases
          // when the current scope is lost.
    
          } // End of processing.
    
            catch(COleException *e)
          {
            char buf[1024];     // For the Try...Catch error message.
            sprintf(buf, "COleException. SCODE: %08lx.", (long)e->m_sc);
            ::MessageBox(NULL, buf, "COleException", MB_SETFOREGROUND | MB_OK);
          }
    
          catch(COleDispatchException *e)
          {
            char buf[1024];     // For the Try...Catch error message.
            sprintf(buf,
                   "COleDispatchException. SCODE: %08lx, Description: \"%s\".",
                   (long)e->m_wCode,(LPSTR)e->m_strDescription.GetBuffer(512));
            ::MessageBox(NULL, buf, "COleDispatchException",
                               MB_SETFOREGROUND | MB_OK);
          }
    
          catch(...)
          {
            ::MessageBox(NULL, "General Exception caught.", "Catch-All",
                               MB_SETFOREGROUND | MB_OK);
          } 


Additional query words: MFC VC++ Automation typelib IDispatch ATP toolpack


Keywords          : kbcode kbinterop kbole kbAutomation kbExcel kbMFC kbVC500 kbVC600 
Version           : Win95:5.0; WINNT:5.0,6.0
Platform          : Win95 winnt 
Issue type        : kbhowto 

Last Reviewed: July 16, 1999