VB application not working on machines not having MS-Office

[tkalyan]

Hi
I could use a little help from you guys on a problem I am having.
My problem is that I have created a VB6 Application that generates /
formats excels. However I am not able to use the application on machines
that dont have MS-Office or even MS-Excel installed on them.
Could creating packages work?
Thanks
Kalyan

[salvelinus]

I think you can use the database capabilities of Access w/o Access being installed if the user has the Jet engine installed (not positive), although of course you couldn't use Access forms, macros, etc. I don't know how you'd do that with Excel, though. Do the users have a different spreadsheet program (Lotus, Quattro, etc)? If so, there may be some conversion routine. I don't know how you'd generate/format an Excel sheet if you don't have Excel.

[billhuard]

I had the same problem a little while ago.
I've found this to resolve the problem where Excel isn't on the machine and create an Excel file from scrapt.
http://www.vbforums.com/showthread.php?t=354814&highlight=Excel

But if you need all Excel fonctionnalties, you're defenitively need to install Excel on that machine.

[si_the_geek]

You are correct about Access salvelinus.

For Excel, there are two options:

1) If you are using automation (Excel.Application etc), then Excel must be installed.

2) If you are using it as a database (via ADO etc) then Excel is not needed, however you can only work with data, not formatting. The data must also be in a table format.

[RobDog888]

To add to Sis post, #2 note that you will not be able to view the Excel data in Excel since its not installed. No print previews, etc.