SAMPLE: FRMWRK32.EXE: Updated Generic.xll Template for Excel

MORE INFORMATION

Creating Stand-alone DLLs (XLLs)

Microsoft Excel supports stand-alone DLLs. These are DLLs (or code resources) that the user opens by choosing Open from the File menu and selecting a DLL file or by using the Microsoft Excel Add-In Manager. The user can also put DLL files in the Microsoft Excel Startup directory so that they are opened at run time. By convention, stand-alone DLLs are called XLLs. After the DLL is built, the DLL should be given a filename with the extension .XLL. When using an XLL, the user never sees a macro sheet or Add-In sheet. Therefore, an XLL must be able to do everything an XLA (Add-In) can do. In particular, XLLs need a way to provide functions that run automatically at open time, close time, and so on. When developing an XLL, you need to:

• Define the interface to Microsoft Excel. An XLL should export a few functions that are called by Microsoft Excel and the Microsoft Excel Add-In Manager.
• Define the user interface to the XLL. Does the XLL use pull-down menus, toolbars, or shortcut keys? Or does it only provide additional functions for use on worksheets?

The Generic Template for XLLs

The sample code provided contains a template you can use for writing your own 32-bit Microsoft Excel XLLs. This code demonstrates many of the features of the Microsoft Excel C API. To see the generic Add-In code, open GENERIC.C from the sample. When the compiled generic Add-In, GENERIC.XLL, is opened in Microsoft Excel, it creates a new Generic menu with the four Commands listed in the following table:

   Command            Action
   -------------------------------------------------------------------

   Dialog             Displays a Microsoft Excel dialog box
   Dance              Moves the selection around until you press ESC
   Native Dialog      Displays a Windows dialog box that was created
                      using the Windows API
   Exit               Closes GENERIC.XLL and removes the menu
				

The generic Add-In also provides two functions, Func1 and FuncSum, that can be used whenever the generic Add-In is open. These functions appear in the Generic Add-In category in the Function Wizard. Also, these functions can be registered without loading all of the generic Add-In. To do this, use the following formulas:

   =REGISTER("GENERIC.XLL","FUNC1")
   =REGISTER("GENERIC.XLL","FUNCSUM")
				

To Build

This project must be built as a 32-bit application. NMAKE can be used with the attached makefile to build this project.