+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 7 of 7

Creating XLA Files

  1. #1
    Mike
    Guest

    Creating XLA Files

    Hello,

    I've been working away creating functions in my personal.xls file, but I'd
    like to share these functions with my team members. Would it be best to just
    send my personal.xls around and have them put it into their XLSTART folder,
    or should I create an XLA.

    Also, I'm assuming that you must compile an XLA, can you do this with what
    comes with Office 2003 or do I need to install VisualStudio? If that's the
    case, would someone please point me to the documentation? I have been looking
    on MSDN, but its hard when I'm not sure what I'm looking for.

    Cheers,

  2. #2
    Chip Pearson
    Guest

    Re: Creating XLA Files

    You can create an XLA file simply by changing the Save As Type to
    "Microsoft Office Excel Add-In", at the very end of the Save As
    Type list.

    > Also, I'm assuming that you must compile an XLA


    This is incorrect. You don't have to compile XLAs. An XLA is
    simply a workbook with an extension of XLA rather than XLS and
    the IsAddIn property set to True.


    --
    Cordially,
    Chip Pearson
    Microsoft MVP - Excel
    Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
    www.cpearson.com



    "Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > Hello,
    >
    > I've been working away creating functions in my personal.xls
    > file, but I'd
    > like to share these functions with my team members. Would it be
    > best to just
    > send my personal.xls around and have them put it into their
    > XLSTART folder,
    > or should I create an XLA.
    >
    > Also, I'm assuming that you must compile an XLA, can you do
    > this with what
    > comes with Office 2003 or do I need to install VisualStudio? If
    > that's the
    > case, would someone please point me to the documentation? I
    > have been looking
    > on MSDN, but its hard when I'm not sure what I'm looking for.
    >
    > Cheers,




  3. #3
    Allllen
    Guest

    RE: Creating XLA Files

    Hi Mike,

    I went through the same thinking about a year ago.

    Simple answer: to get an .xla, you just open your .xls file and Save As .xla.
    Excel does the rest, and it will even try to put it in your local Add Ins
    folder (you don't have to have it there if you don't want). No special
    programs needed, just excel.

    Some advice: don't delete the original .xls file, because if you need to
    make updates, the easiest thing is to change the programming in the .xls and
    use save as to convert it into a new .xla

    What I have done: I have my .xls file which I jealously keep secret and
    protected for myself. I saved it as an Add-In on my own computer.
    I put the add-in file on the desktops of my team.
    I went into excel on their machines and installed the add-in.
    They are not scared about it because they can see the thing sitting there on
    their desktops, and they know that this is the reason why they have a few
    extra menu bars.

    Now if I need to update it, I just ask them to close excel and overwrite the
    add in on their desktops with a new one. That is a lot less hassle than
    setting their personal.xls files up each time for all of them. But the
    personal.xls option also works.

    --
    Allllen


    "Mike" wrote:

    > Hello,
    >
    > I've been working away creating functions in my personal.xls file, but I'd
    > like to share these functions with my team members. Would it be best to just
    > send my personal.xls around and have them put it into their XLSTART folder,
    > or should I create an XLA.
    >
    > Also, I'm assuming that you must compile an XLA, can you do this with what
    > comes with Office 2003 or do I need to install VisualStudio? If that's the
    > case, would someone please point me to the documentation? I have been looking
    > on MSDN, but its hard when I'm not sure what I'm looking for.
    >
    > Cheers,


  4. #4
    Chip Pearson
    Guest

    Re: Creating XLA Files

    > Some advice: don't delete the original .xls file, because if
    > you need to
    > make updates, the easiest thing is to change the programming in
    > the .xls and
    > use save as to convert it into a new .xla


    This isn't very good advice. You can edit the XLA just like you
    can edit the XLS. For edits to VBA code, you can simply edit the
    VBA as normal. If you need to edit anything in a worksheet,
    simply change the IsAddIn property to False and the workbook will
    be visible. Having both an XLS file and an XLA file only raises
    the possibility of version control problems.


    --
    Cordially,
    Chip Pearson
    Microsoft MVP - Excel
    Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
    www.cpearson.com



    "Allllen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    news:[email protected]...
    > Hi Mike,
    >
    > I went through the same thinking about a year ago.
    >
    > Simple answer: to get an .xla, you just open your .xls file
    > and Save As .xla.
    > Excel does the rest, and it will even try to put it in your
    > local Add Ins
    > folder (you don't have to have it there if you don't want). No
    > special
    > programs needed, just excel.
    >
    > Some advice: don't delete the original .xls file, because if
    > you need to
    > make updates, the easiest thing is to change the programming in
    > the .xls and
    > use save as to convert it into a new .xla
    >
    > What I have done: I have my .xls file which I jealously keep
    > secret and
    > protected for myself. I saved it as an Add-In on my own
    > computer.
    > I put the add-in file on the desktops of my team.
    > I went into excel on their machines and installed the add-in.
    > They are not scared about it because they can see the thing
    > sitting there on
    > their desktops, and they know that this is the reason why they
    > have a few
    > extra menu bars.
    >
    > Now if I need to update it, I just ask them to close excel and
    > overwrite the
    > add in on their desktops with a new one. That is a lot less
    > hassle than
    > setting their personal.xls files up each time for all of them.
    > But the
    > personal.xls option also works.
    >
    > --
    > Allllen
    >
    >
    > "Mike" wrote:
    >
    >> Hello,
    >>
    >> I've been working away creating functions in my personal.xls
    >> file, but I'd
    >> like to share these functions with my team members. Would it
    >> be best to just
    >> send my personal.xls around and have them put it into their
    >> XLSTART folder,
    >> or should I create an XLA.
    >>
    >> Also, I'm assuming that you must compile an XLA, can you do
    >> this with what
    >> comes with Office 2003 or do I need to install VisualStudio?
    >> If that's the
    >> case, would someone please point me to the documentation? I
    >> have been looking
    >> on MSDN, but its hard when I'm not sure what I'm looking for.
    >>
    >> Cheers,




  5. #5
    Allllen
    Guest

    Re: Creating XLA Files

    Cool, I learned something too.
    I will use that IsAddIn property instead.
    --
    Allllen


    "Chip Pearson" wrote:

    > > Some advice: don't delete the original .xls file, because if
    > > you need to
    > > make updates, the easiest thing is to change the programming in
    > > the .xls and
    > > use save as to convert it into a new .xla

    >
    > This isn't very good advice. You can edit the XLA just like you
    > can edit the XLS. For edits to VBA code, you can simply edit the
    > VBA as normal. If you need to edit anything in a worksheet,
    > simply change the IsAddIn property to False and the workbook will
    > be visible. Having both an XLS file and an XLA file only raises
    > the possibility of version control problems.
    >
    >
    > --
    > Cordially,
    > Chip Pearson
    > Microsoft MVP - Excel
    > Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
    > www.cpearson.com
    >
    >
    >
    > "Allllen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Hi Mike,
    > >
    > > I went through the same thinking about a year ago.
    > >
    > > Simple answer: to get an .xla, you just open your .xls file
    > > and Save As .xla.
    > > Excel does the rest, and it will even try to put it in your
    > > local Add Ins
    > > folder (you don't have to have it there if you don't want). No
    > > special
    > > programs needed, just excel.
    > >
    > > Some advice: don't delete the original .xls file, because if
    > > you need to
    > > make updates, the easiest thing is to change the programming in
    > > the .xls and
    > > use save as to convert it into a new .xla
    > >
    > > What I have done: I have my .xls file which I jealously keep
    > > secret and
    > > protected for myself. I saved it as an Add-In on my own
    > > computer.
    > > I put the add-in file on the desktops of my team.
    > > I went into excel on their machines and installed the add-in.
    > > They are not scared about it because they can see the thing
    > > sitting there on
    > > their desktops, and they know that this is the reason why they
    > > have a few
    > > extra menu bars.
    > >
    > > Now if I need to update it, I just ask them to close excel and
    > > overwrite the
    > > add in on their desktops with a new one. That is a lot less
    > > hassle than
    > > setting their personal.xls files up each time for all of them.
    > > But the
    > > personal.xls option also works.
    > >
    > > --
    > > Allllen
    > >
    > >
    > > "Mike" wrote:
    > >
    > >> Hello,
    > >>
    > >> I've been working away creating functions in my personal.xls
    > >> file, but I'd
    > >> like to share these functions with my team members. Would it
    > >> be best to just
    > >> send my personal.xls around and have them put it into their
    > >> XLSTART folder,
    > >> or should I create an XLA.
    > >>
    > >> Also, I'm assuming that you must compile an XLA, can you do
    > >> this with what
    > >> comes with Office 2003 or do I need to install VisualStudio?
    > >> If that's the
    > >> case, would someone please point me to the documentation? I
    > >> have been looking
    > >> on MSDN, but its hard when I'm not sure what I'm looking for.
    > >>
    > >> Cheers,

    >
    >
    >


  6. #6
    Mike
    Guest

    RE: Creating XLA Files

    Thank you!

    "Allllen" wrote:

    > Hi Mike,
    >
    > I went through the same thinking about a year ago.
    >
    > Simple answer: to get an .xla, you just open your .xls file and Save As .xla.
    > Excel does the rest, and it will even try to put it in your local Add Ins
    > folder (you don't have to have it there if you don't want). No special
    > programs needed, just excel.
    >
    > Some advice: don't delete the original .xls file, because if you need to
    > make updates, the easiest thing is to change the programming in the .xls and
    > use save as to convert it into a new .xla
    >
    > What I have done: I have my .xls file which I jealously keep secret and
    > protected for myself. I saved it as an Add-In on my own computer.
    > I put the add-in file on the desktops of my team.
    > I went into excel on their machines and installed the add-in.
    > They are not scared about it because they can see the thing sitting there on
    > their desktops, and they know that this is the reason why they have a few
    > extra menu bars.
    >
    > Now if I need to update it, I just ask them to close excel and overwrite the
    > add in on their desktops with a new one. That is a lot less hassle than
    > setting their personal.xls files up each time for all of them. But the
    > personal.xls option also works.
    >
    > --
    > Allllen
    >
    >
    > "Mike" wrote:
    >
    > > Hello,
    > >
    > > I've been working away creating functions in my personal.xls file, but I'd
    > > like to share these functions with my team members. Would it be best to just
    > > send my personal.xls around and have them put it into their XLSTART folder,
    > > or should I create an XLA.
    > >
    > > Also, I'm assuming that you must compile an XLA, can you do this with what
    > > comes with Office 2003 or do I need to install VisualStudio? If that's the
    > > case, would someone please point me to the documentation? I have been looking
    > > on MSDN, but its hard when I'm not sure what I'm looking for.
    > >
    > > Cheers,


  7. #7
    Mike
    Guest

    Re: Creating XLA Files

    Thank you!

    "Chip Pearson" wrote:

    > You can create an XLA file simply by changing the Save As Type to
    > "Microsoft Office Excel Add-In", at the very end of the Save As
    > Type list.
    >
    > > Also, I'm assuming that you must compile an XLA

    >
    > This is incorrect. You don't have to compile XLAs. An XLA is
    > simply a workbook with an extension of XLA rather than XLS and
    > the IsAddIn property set to True.
    >
    >
    > --
    > Cordially,
    > Chip Pearson
    > Microsoft MVP - Excel
    > Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
    > www.cpearson.com
    >
    >
    >
    > "Mike" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > Hello,
    > >
    > > I've been working away creating functions in my personal.xls
    > > file, but I'd
    > > like to share these functions with my team members. Would it be
    > > best to just
    > > send my personal.xls around and have them put it into their
    > > XLSTART folder,
    > > or should I create an XLA.
    > >
    > > Also, I'm assuming that you must compile an XLA, can you do
    > > this with what
    > > comes with Office 2003 or do I need to install VisualStudio? If
    > > that's the
    > > case, would someone please point me to the documentation? I
    > > have been looking
    > > on MSDN, but its hard when I'm not sure what I'm looking for.
    > >
    > > Cheers,

    >
    >
    >


+ Reply to Thread

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts

Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0 RC 1