Change .xla File with MSBuild

Question

I'm trying to create a build script for my current project, which includes an Excel Add-in. The Add-in contains a VBProject with a file modGlobal with a variable version_Number. This number needs to be changed for every build. The exact steps:

1. Open XLA document with Excel.
2. Switch to VBEditor mode. (Alt+F11)
3. Open VBProject, entering a password.
4. Open modGlobal file.
5. Change variable's default value to the current date.
6. Close & save the project.

I'm at a loss for how to automate the process. The best I can come up with is an excel macro or Auto-IT script. I could also write a custom MSBuild task, but that might get... tricky. Does anyone else have any other suggestions?

Answer 1

An alternative way of handling versioning of an XLA file is to use a custom property in Document Properties. You can access and manipulate using COM as described here: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=224351.

Advantages of this are:

• You can examine the version number without opening the XLA file

• You don't need Excel on your build machine - only the DsoFile.dll component

Another alternative would be to store the version number (possibly other configuration data too) on a worksheet in the XLA file. The worksheet would not be visible to users of the XLA. One technique I have used in the past is to store the add-in as an XLS file in source control, then as part of the build process (e.g. in a Post-Build event) run the script below to convert it to an XLA in the output directory. This script could be easily extended to update a version number in a worksheet before saving. In my case I did this because my Excel Add-in used VSTO, and Visual Studio doesn't support XLA files directly.

'
'   ConvertToXla.vbs
'
'   VBScript to convert an Excel spreadsheet (.xls) into an Excel Add-In (.xla)
'
'   The script takes two arguments:
'
'   - the name of the input XLS file.
'
'   - the name of the output XLA file.
'
Option Explicit
Dim nResult
On Error Resume Next
nResult = DoAction
If Err.Number <> 0 Then 
    Wscript.Echo Err.Description
    Wscript.Quit 1
End If
Wscript.Quit nResult

Private Function DoAction()

    Dim sInputFile, sOutputFile

    Dim argNum, argCount: argCount = Wscript.Arguments.Count

    If argCount < 2 Then
        Err.Raise 1, "ConvertToXla.vbs", "Missing argument"
    End If

    sInputFile = WScript.Arguments(0)
    sOutputFile = WScript.Arguments(1)

    Dim xlApplication

    Set xlApplication = WScript.CreateObject("Excel.Application")
    On Error Resume Next 
    ConvertFileToXla xlApplication, sInputFile, sOutputFile
    If Err.Number <> 0 Then 
        Dim nErrNumber
        Dim sErrSource
        Dim sErrDescription
        nErrNumber = Err.Number
        sErrSource = Err.Source
        sErrDescription = Err.Description
        xlApplication.Quit
        Err.Raise nErrNumber, sErrSource, sErrDescription
    Else
        xlApplication.Quit
    End If

End Function

Public Sub ConvertFileToXla(xlApplication, sInputFile, sOutputFile)

    Dim xlAddIn
    xlAddIn = 18 ' XlFileFormat.xlAddIn

    Dim w
    Set w = xlApplication.Workbooks.Open(sInputFile,,,,,,,,,True)
    w.IsAddIn = True
    w.SaveAs sOutputFile, xlAddIn
    w.Close False
End Sub