Use Excel Template to Create Excel File in VS - Questions

[cmsmith81]

Hi,
Below is what I am wanting to do. I am wondering if it is easy to do and how I should get started. Any info will be greatly appreciated!

1) Take an existing Excel template file (or an existing Excel Workbook)
2) Add/Change some of the cells' values, but none of the formatting
3) Create an excel file (workbook or worksheet) from this

It seems like it wouldn't be too big of a task, but what I have found in this forum and other help sites has been kind of confusing.

I creating a Windows application, using VS 2005, CF2, and am coding in VB.

Any advice, particularly on how to get started will be greatly appreciated! (ie. what references I need, what objects, etc. I should be working with, etc.)

Thank you,
Corey

[cmsmith81]

Also, another very important question I have is: does the computer running my application have to have excel installed for my program to work?
Thanks!
-Corey

[cmsmith81]

Well, I partially answered my question...

First, you have to download the office interop files:


Then add a com reference to the Microsoft Excel 11.0 Object Library

Then add Imports Microsoft.Office.Interop

The following code will open an excel file, Book1.xls, change cell A1 to "YAY!", save it as Book2.xls and close excel:

Dim oExcel As Excel.Application = New Excel.Application
Dim oBook As Excel.Workbook = oExcel.Workbooks.Open("C:\Book1.xls")
Dim oSheet As Excel.Worksheet = oBook.Worksheets.Item(1)

'change a value in the sheet        
oSheet.Range("A1").Value = "YAY!"

'Save the Workbook and quit Excel.
oBook.SaveAs("C:\" & "Book2.xls")
oSheet = Nothing
oBook = Nothing
oExcel.Quit()
oExcel = Nothing
GC.Collect()
MsgBox("done")

I'm still wondering if the user has to have excel installed on his or her computer. My guess is no...