ExcelWriter 5.5.1 Readme
Features & Benefits		The Power of Microsoft® Excel on the Web October 2004
ExcelWriter Editions
System Requirements
Installation
Release Notes
New in Version 5.5.1
Version Differences
ExcelWriter Documentation and Samples

Features & Benefits

• Generates full function, native Microsoft Excel from a Web form, an existing Excel workbook, or any data source.
  
  
• Built for the most demanding sites, ExcelWriter easily generates thousands of workbooks per day.
  
  
• Code-based or template-driven development.
  
  
• Server-side solution—does not require Microsoft Excel on the user's computer or on the server.
  
  
• Enables easy spreadsheet generation from a database.
  
  
• HotCell Technology allows you to update a server-side data source directly from client-side Microsoft Excel.
  
  
• Produces editable Excel spreadsheets (BIFF8 or BIFF7).
  
  
• Supports virtually all Excel formatting, functions, and charts.
  
  
• Supports advanced Excel features such as pivot tables, VBA, and macros.
  
  
• Creates pictures from existing image files.
  
  
• Allows you to save the generated workbook to disk or stream it to a Web browser.
  
  
• ExcelWriter is a high performance, multithreaded, single dynamic link library (DLL).
  
  
• Reads existing Excel spreadsheets and allows you to modify existing spreadsheets.
  
  
• Can be used from ASP, ASP.NET, or Visual Basic.
  
  

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ExcelWriter Editions

SoftArtisans offers several editions of ExcelWriter:

• ExcelWriterEE for enterprise class web sites requiring maximum functionality and volume.
  
  
• ExcelWriterSE is the standard edition of ExcelWriter for high-volume Web applications with minimal Excel formatting, functions, and charting. There is no limit to the number of spreadsheets ExcelWriterSE can generate.
  
  
• ExcelWriterLE is the limited edition of ExcelWriter for Web applications with minimal Excel formatting, functions, and charting. Limited to 200 workbooks per day.
  
  
• ExcelWriter Desktop
for generating Excel format spreadsheets from your desktop applications.


• ExcelWriterFree is a 30-day evaluation editon of ExcelWriterLE. Every spreadsheet generated by ExcelWriterFree contains a worksheet that advertises the paid versions and has a limit of 500 rows per worksheet.
  
  

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System Requirements

Server Requirements

To use ExcelWriter in ASP, you will need:

• Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows 2003 Server.
  
  
• IIS 4 or higher.
  
  
• ASP 5.0 or higher.

To use ExcelWriter in ASP.NET, you will need:

• Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows 2003 Server.
  
  
• IIS 5 or higher.
  
  
• Microsoft .NET Framework Redistributable version 1.0 or later. The .NET Framework version number must be the same as the J# version number - use .NET Framework 1.0 with J# 1.0, or use .NET Framework 1.1 with J# 1.1.
  
  
• J# Redistributable Package version 1.0 or later. The .NET Framework version number must be the same as the J# version number - use .NET Framework 1.0 with J# 1.0, or use .NET Framework 1.1 with J# 1.1.

Microsoft Excel is not required on the server. This prevents the performance penalties and instability associated with instantiating multiple copies of the Excel object on a Web server.

If you intend to create spreadsheets from databases, install the latest Microsoft drivers. The driver package is available for free for all versions of IIS at http://www.microsoft.com/data. Choose to download MDAC 2.0 or later. MDAC includes updates to ADO, OLEDB, and related ODBC drivers.

Client Requirements

No software is required on the client to download and save an Excel Spreadsheet. To enable opening of Excel spreadsheets, one of the following must be installed on the client.

• Microsoft Excel 95, 97, 2000, 2002 (XP), 2003.
• Microsoft's free Excel Viewer. The Excel Viewer allows the user to view and print an Excel spreadsheet, but not to modify it.
  • Note: All formulas will appear as "0" when using the Excel Viewer.
• Another application that supports the Excel format, such as, Quattro Pro or Gnome.
• To enable full functionality of HotCell Technology, the OfficeWriter Assistant cab file (OWAssis.cab) must be downloaded and installed on the client. ExcelWriter Enterprise Edition includes OfficeWriter Assistant. OfficeWriter Assistant is not included with ExcelWriterLE, ExcelWriterSE, or ExcelWriterFree.

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Installation

If you are upgrading to a new version of ExcelWriter, before installing the new version, remove the old version.

During the automatic installation process you will be asked to enter the ExcelWriter license key that you received with your order confirmation. There is only one installer for all editions of ExcelWriter. Depending on which license key is entered during installation (or updated later with the license utility), different functionality will be unlocked for the product. For example, if you enter a key for the LE edition, only the functionality of ExcelWriterLE will be available (see ExcelWriter Editions). If you leave the key field blank during installation, you will get the free 30-day edition of ExcelWriter.

If you received two keys - one for ExcelWriter and one for WordWriter - enter either during the installation process. After installing, run LicenseManager.exe (in \OfficeWriter) and add the second key.

When you update a license key, the Web server must be restarted before the new license will take effect.

Automatic Installation

To run the automatic installation, double-click OfficeWriter-2.x.x-Win.exe and follow the instructions. By default, the automatic installation will save ExcelWriter's dll files, samples, and documentation in the directory C:\Program Files\SoftArtisans\OfficeWriter\ExcelWriter. You can select a different directory during the installation process. The automatic installation will:

• Unpack ExcelWriter files to C:\Program Files\SoftArtisans\OfficeWriter\ExcelWriter, or a location you selected during installation,
• Install the .NET assembly SAXW5NET.dll in OfficeWriter\ExcelWriter\Samples\bin,
• Register SAXW5COM.dll with regsvr32, and
• Create a virtual directory called OfficeWriter\ExcelWriter, containing documentation and samples.

During the automatic installation process you will be asked to enter the ExcelWriter license key that you received with your order confirmation. To see all OfficeWriter license keys installed in the registry, or to add or remove a key (for example, when upgrading) run LicenseManager.exe (included with ExcelWriter).

When you update a license key, IIS must be reset before the new license will take effect.

Manual Installation for ASP

To install ExcelWriter the first time, run the automatic installation. Once InstallShield has unpacked the dll files that contain ExcelWriter, you can re-install ExcelWriter manually (if, for example, you are moving ExcelWriter to a different server):

1. Open a command prompt window and move to the directory OfficeWriter\ExcelWriter.
   For example, enter cd Program Files\SoftArtisans\OfficeWriter\ExcelWriter.



2. Enter regsvr32 SAXW5COM.dll. A dialog box will inform you that SAXW5COM.dll registered successfully; click Ok.



3. Enter iisreset to reset IIS.

Manual Installation for ASP.NET: Installing ExcelWriter at the Application Level

After running the automatic installation, ExcelWriter's assemblies will be available to the ExcelWriter samples. To make ExcelWriter available to another application, include a directory called bin at the application's top level, and save a copy of SAXW5NET.dll in this directory:

1. At the top level of your application, create a directory called bin.
   
   
2. Copy SAXW5NET.dll OfficeWriter\ExcelWriter\Samples\bin to your application's bin directory.

Manual Installation for ASP.NET: Installing ExcelWriter in the GAC

To make ExcelWriter available to all ASP.NET applications on your machine, install ExcelWriter in the Global Assembly Cache (GAC):

1. Open a command prompt window and move to the directory OfficeWriter\ExcelWriter\Samples\bin.
   
   
2. Enter gacutil /i SAXW5NET.dll.



3. Open the file machine.config (in [Windows directory]\Microsoft.NET\Framework\[.NET version directory]\CONFIG).



4. Add the following line to the assemblies node of machine.config:
   
   

   <add assembly="SAXW5NET, Version=x.x.x.x, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=f593502af6ee46ae"/>

   OR

   Create a text file containing the following lines, and save it as web.config. Save web.config at the top level of your application.

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
   <configuration>
   <system.web>
   <compilation>
   <compilers>
   </compilers>
   <assemblies>
   <add assembly="SAXW5NET, Version=x.x.x.x, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=f593502af6ee46ae"/>
   <add assembly="*" />
   </assemblies>
   </compilation>          
   </system.web>
   </configuration>

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Release Notes

• If you are upgrading from a version prior to 3.1, and used 0-based datmarker positioning, update your datamarker positioning to 1-based.
  
  
• When opening or reading an existing Excel file, you can not modify at run-time existing charts, pictures, hyperlinks, and outlines, or the property Cell.Formula (unless you overwrite it).
  
  
• You cannot add a new chart or image to an Excel 97/2000/XP spreadsheet that already contains a chart, an image, or any MSO drawing object. MSO drawing objects include intrinsic form elements (checkboxes, radio buttons, etc.), embedded objects (Word documents, PowerPoint slides, etc.), AutoFilter/advanced filter, AutoShapes, organization charts/diagrams, and WordArt. If you use ExcelWriter to add a chart or image to a spreadsheet that already contains a chart, an image, or an MSO drawing object, the generated spreadsheet will cause Excel to crash on the user's machine.
  
  
• The ExcelTemplate object generates a file from a template spreadsheet and a data source. ExcelTemplate enters data source values in template fields and preserves all content and features included in the template, but ExcelTemplate cannot change the template's structure, formatting, or static content.



• The ExcelTemplate object supports Excel 97/2000/XP format only; ExcelTemplate does not support Excel 95 format templates, and will not generate BIFF7 format files.
  
  
• ExcelWriter inserts data source values in the spreadsheet vertically. ExcelWriter cannot insert data horizontally.



• The ExcelTemplate object cannot insert data into a non-cell object such as a sheet name, a print title, a cell comment, or a hyperlink.



• ExcelWriter does not calculate formula values. These are calculated by the client-side spreadsheet application in which the file is opened.
• ExcelWriter cannot create a hyperlink to a different workbook.
  
  
• When a worksheet is referenced by a formula, this worksheet must not start with a digit number character. Normal Excel worksheet names are limited to 31 characters.




• Different editions of ExcelWriter include different features. Consult the following table for a summary of features supported by different editions.

* ExcelWriterLE and ExcelWriterFree will fail when generating more than 200 spreadsheets within 24 hours. Generated spreadsheets can be streamed to the browser or saved in static files on the hard disk. Static spreadsheets can be served an unlimited number of times. Only the generation of new spreadsheets is limited.

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New in Version 5.5.1

New in Version 5

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Version Differences

New in Version 5.0.2

• Issues Resolved:
  
  • Handling of the dbNull fields
    
  • Formula that has pre-calculated areas is causing an exception.
    
  • Improved error messages.
  • ExcelWriterFree generated a corrupted file from template with only one sheet.
    
  • Stretching of the data range in Pivot table
  • Application to Template sample. Free version generated corrupted output file.
  • Exception processing template files with auto calculation turned off

New in Version 5.0.3

• Issues Resolved:
  
  • In some cases a range of cells for the Pivot Table hasn't been stretched correctly
    
  • Improved error messages
  • Minor changes to the documentation and samples.
• New Features:
  
  • Added Cell.Copy method to ExcelWriter.Application object
  • Added ShrinkToFit and Indent  properties to SAStyle object

New in Version 5.0.4

• Issues Resolved:
  
  • Data range for pivot tables was not updated correclty
  • Free version of Application to Template sample generates corrupted output file.
  • Exception thrown processing template file with auto calculation turned off

New in Version 5.1.1

• New Features:
  
  • Added full character formatting support (cell format-runs). Cells can contain text with multiple fonts.
  • Added Worksheets.Remove(sheet) method, where sheet is either the name or the 1-based index.
  • Added "Office 97/2000 Compatible" Encryption/Decription to both the Application and Template objects. This is the default encryption used by Excel 97+. Two new properties were added to enable this.
    • obj.DecryptPassword = "password" --must be set before the Open method
    • obj.EncryptPassword = "password" --must be set before the Save and Process methods
  • Added EMF image support to the picture object.
  • Added new properties to the picture object, which enable the retrieval of an inserted image's dimensions relative to its lower-right row and column when using the Pictures.CreateFromFile2().
  • Added serveral additional text orientation enumeration values used with the Style.Orientation property. There is now one for every 15 degrees.


• Issues Resolved:
  
  • Picture was distorted and stretched when calling Pictures.CreateFromFile2() and the columns and rows under the picture were not the regular dimentions.
  • ColumnWidth values set between 0 and 1 didn't work as expected.
  • Very heavy server load was causing IIS to intermittenly crash or hang
  • AutoFitWidth incorrectly calculated column widths if the string value contained line breaks and wrap text was set to true.
  • GetDataFromExcelSheet did not always import strings correctly.

New in Version 5.1.2

• New Features:
  • The ExcelWriter COM Application and Template objects are now marked "safe for scripting." This allows for the objects to be used within Internet Explorer.


• Issues Resolved:
  
  • When opening (with either the Template and Application object) a spreadsheet that was encrypted, had workbook-level protection enabled and contained data validation fields, the generated spreadsheet caused Excel to crash.
  • The COM interface definitions between the Desktop Edition and the Server Editions were not the same.
  • COM Interop wrapper referenced an earlier version of the COM Application object. This resulted in various errors when using the Application object from .NET.
  • Improved performance of the Template object for SQL MONEY fields

New in Version 5.1.3

• Issues Resolved:
  
  • Assigning non-standard colors to Chart object and cell backgrounds produces unexpected results
  • In some cases Free edition of the product generated corrupted output files
  • Minor changes in the documentation

New in Version 5.5.1

• Integration with Microsoft Reporting Services
• Code-based PivotTable report generation

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Documentation and Samples

ExcelWriter includes comprehensive documentation and many sample applications. You can run all samples and view sample code from the documentation. You can also run the samples separately. ExcelWriter's automatic installation process will create virtual directories for the documentation and samples.

To run the integrated documentation and samples, open a browser window and enter the URL "http://localhost/officewriter/excelwriter".

To run the samples separately, open a browser window and enter the URL "http://localhost/officewriter/excelwriter/samples".

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