Need help getting started

[phreud]

One of our clients have requested a way to generate reports from dat
exported into Excel by a program they're using.

The exported data will reside in an Excel file as raw data in a coupl
of cells. One row of cells is supposed to be one row of text in th
report. So the mapping should be easy.

The thing I'm not sure about is how users should activate the "repor
generator". I know enough VBA, so that's not the problem. What I don'
know is where to implement it. It needs to be really simple for them t
use. Should I write a template? a macro? Can they install a new butto
on their Excel toolbar? Is it called a module? I'm totally lost.

Ideally, I would like for them to open up the raw data Excel file an
then just push a button in Excel to generate the report. I don't wan
to have them first open up "my program" and then import the raw data.
Does this make sense?

Thanks in advance

 

[Tom Ogilvy]

Sound like you want an addin that creates a menu item when it is loaded:


http://www.microsoft.com/officedev/index/apps.htm#distribute
Distributing Microsoft Excel 97, Word 97, and PowerPoint 97 Solutions (March
3, 1997)

http://www.microsoft.com/exceldev/tips/addins.htm
Protecting the Code in an Add-in


http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/techart/XLCrAddns.htm
Creating Add-ins in Microsoft Excel 97

Here is another article or two you might find useful:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/backgrnd/html/msdn_addins97.htm
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/officedev/odeopg/deovrcreatingexceladdin.htm


Here is an article about creating commandbars with code:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/techart/ofcmdbar.htm

 

[PM]

Sound like you want an addin that creates a menu item when it is loaded:


http://www.microsoft.com/officedev/index/apps.htm#distribute
Distributing Microsoft Excel 97, Word 97, and PowerPoint 97 Solutions
(March
3, 1997)

http://www.microsoft.com/exceldev/tips/addins.htm
Protecting the Code in an Add-in

I'VE HEARD ON THESE FORUMS THAT SUCH PROTECTION IS ILLUSORY BEING BROKEN IN
"TWO SECONDS". THE ONLY SOLUTION I'VE HEARD OF IS DEPORTING THE CODE IN A
DLL. aNY IDEA ABOUT THIS TOM?

THANKS. PAT

 

[Tom Ogilvy]

The question didn't ask about/wasn't about protecting code - so I wasn't
suggesting this as a code protection scheme. But you are correct; there is
very little solid protection offered inherently by Excel. Then again,
Excel is an end user tool - not a development environment.