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excelcomjscripthta

Can't open Excel from JScript embed inside an HTA

Following this question, I'm trying to convert the VBScript code on this page to JScript. If I runt the below .hta code:

<HTML>
<BODY>
    <INPUT id=button1 name=button1 type=button value=Button>
    <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="VBScript">
        sub button1_onclick()
            dim app
            set app = createobject("Excel.Application")
            app.Visible = true
            dim wb
            set wb = app.workbooks.add
            end sub
    </SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

It opens an empty Excel sheet upon clicking on the button. as expected. However, if I convert the VBScript part to JScript

<HTML>
<BODY>
    <INPUT id=button1 name=button1 type=button value=Button>
    <script LANGUAGE="JScript">
        function button1_onclick() {
            // var app = WScript.CreateObject("Excel.Application");
            var app = new ActiveXObject("Excel.Application");
            app.Visible = true;
            var wb = app.Workbooks.Add();
        }
    </script>
</BODY>
</HTML>

it doesn't open Excel at all when clicking the button. I would appreciate it if you could help me know what is the problem and how I can resolve it. Thanks for your support in advance.

Solution

  • Why doesn't Object_Event syntax work?

    It's actually very simple Object_Event syntax is VBScript, to allow events to automatically bind in JScript you just need to use the correct syntax which is Object::Event, here is an example using automatically bound events.

    <html>
<body>
    <input id="button1" name="button1" type="button" value="Button">
    <script language="JScript">
        function button1::onclick() {
            var app = new ActiveXObject("Excel.Application");
            app.Visible = true;
            var wb = app.Workbooks.Add();
        }
    </script>
</body>
</html>

    Just tested this and it seems to be working, so it may just be you are missing the onclick event handler as @Teemu suggests in the comments.

    <html>
<body>
    <input id="button1" name="button1" type="button" value="Button" onclick="return button1_onclick();">
    <script language="JScript">
        function button1_onclick() {
            var app = new ActiveXObject("Excel.Application");
            app.Visible = true;
            var wb = app.Workbooks.Add();
        }
    </script>
</body>
</html>

    The only real difference is the inclusion of the onclick event handler on the <input> element.

    onclick="return button1_onclick();"

    It displays a button which when clicked opens Microsoft Excel with a new Workbook.

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