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This utility converts Excel files from original XL format to EXE format (convert XLS to EXE, convert XLA to EXE, convert Excel to EXE). Like XL files, the EXE files created are not independent of Excel, but they allow you to define Excel's properties before opening, and improve the portability and functionality of your workbooks with or without macros and without macro alert. The conversion, moreover to maintain the original format features, inclusive for editing thru the Excel, adds others functionalities where the autocompression and the control over the Excel highlight. So, by be specialized in Excel and VBA, can be more advantageous than ZIP files, ZIP autoextracts and program installation utilities. See the EXE format features and then some applying examples. EXE format features:- Can be read and write (Changes done in an EXE file opening in the Excel to write are saved in the proper EXE file) - When saving changes, backups are created. Optionally, you can specify whether to overwrite or not overwrite previous backups (This makes possible more restoration levels than using XL format) - Can be read-only, very read-only, doesn’t permit ‘Save’ and ‘Save as’ too - Changes can be saved to a new XL file, leaving the EXE unaltered (Good to be used like a template) - Changes can be saved to multiple XL files with an incrementing number (Good to be used like an invoice template) - Can be opened in the Excel without macro alert or with a custom alert (Good to work with known files containing macros using the Excel in medium or high security level) - Can show, without text size limit, an alert before opening in the Excel (Good to installation alerts, copyright, guidance etc.) - Can require password-to-open so safe that only can be cracked by attempts (brute force) same knowing the converter source code. Then, if you put a password and forget it, no-one, neither this utility author, can help you - There are four levels of autocompression: none, normal (faster), medium (slower), and high (slower). Normal is equivalent to a normal zip file. This makes large files more portable, mainly when they need protection, because protected files in XL format are of low compression. In a test with a simple workbook of 5 Mb, the ZIP compressed only 14% and this got 74% because the cryptography is done after the compression - Can be attached one or more text or binary files (Good to be used as installer file) - All attached XL files can be opened too at start and controlled as one whole like a 'workbook' of workbooks - Can be opened in an exclusive Excel window (exclusive Excel instance) refusing, while open, any try to share with other strange workbook - Can be forced the closure of running Excel instances at start up. This is helpful to use the EXE as an installer for a COM add-in - When opened in a separate instance, it can start Excel in automation mode, very automation mode; Excel will run totally clean without XLSTARTs, add-Ins, and COM add-ins too. This is better than /automation Excel command line option that doesn’t avoid COM add-ins - When opened in a separate instance, it can control the Excel window style (maximize, minimize, normal, or hidden). These four last features are good to be used when your workbook is a dictator application - You can avoid the original converted EXE file from being renamed - All the above features can be configured when you convert - The conversion can be done thru the utility interface or by command line - The command line can contain all of the options, alert text, and file names and paths to attach. You can generate long and complex command lines from the user interface and send them to the clipboard to be pasted anywhere, such as in an argument of VB or VBA Shell function or in the Windows Run dialog box - You can convert back to XL format using Excel's Save As command if not read-only - It provides for the VBA project the exe file properties as name, path, size and dates - When convert, it creates a backup of the original XL format file without overwriting previous one - Files in this format can function as EXE in CD Autorun - The conversion only adds about 150Kb which, depending on the file size, can be regained during autocompression - The converter and any converted files are standalone in the presence of the Office library, no extra library is necessary and neither changes in your Excel or Windows setting. Tested in the Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 97 (See Note), 2000, 2002(XP), 2003, 2007 and 2010.
See also DBtoEXE for Microsoft® Access®, PPtoEXE for Microsoft® PowerPoint®, and DOCtoEXE for Microsoft® Word. And see also Excel Free which has some similar features, but with different approach and targets. Applying ExamplesYou can see below three applying examples. The first is related with VBA developers, the second, with Excel interface users and, the last, with Autorun CD: 1 – Some VBA developers have your proper utilities in XL to install and uninstall their add-Ins and COM add-ins totally developed in VBA like all in my site. These XLSs can be converted to EXEs to open directly on the Excel. They open without macro alert regardless security level and still carry together the XLA, the DLL and any other necessary file. All in a single and compressed file. All add-ins and COM add-ins for Excel available on the site have their installers and uninstallers fully programmed in VBA in XLS files that are converted to EXE by XLtoEXE, packaging still other necessary files: Active Teach Ribbon for Microsoft® Excel® Popup Spell Number for Microsoft® Excel® Popup Calendar for Microsoft® Excel® Popup Calculator for Microsoft® Excel® Printed Watermark for Microsoft® Excel® Cell Easy Entry for Microsoft® Excel®, and some others that you can see from a complete index here.
2 – In the link below the XLtoEXE was used to convert in EXE a common Excel file, Book1.xls, where an Excel user interface made a confidential report with links to some pictures files (bmp, gif, jpg etc.) and referring others Excel workbooks that he/she would like to distribute jointly with Book1.xls without embedding in it but that is in a single, compressed, and protected file and with an opening alert. Downloading this EXE format file and clicking in it, it’ll be open directly on the Excel and you can change anything on it and save in the same way you’d do in a XLS format file: Some advantages of the conversion in this example: opening alert, only links don’t become the Excel workbook heavy, very well compressed although password protected, editable with all possible restoration levels, attached files are editable too, and exclusive Excel instance in maximized window.
3 - Suppose that you want to mount a CD that opens automatically your Excel file of name MyApp.xla (The extension could be too XLS or XLT). Follow these three steps: 3.1 – Use XLtoEXE to converter MyApp.xla to MyApp.EXE defining how you want the Excel starting and attaching any necessary file 3.2 - On Windows Notepad, create and save a text file of name AUTORUN.INF with these two lines: [autorun] OPEN=MyApp.EXE 3.3 – Burn the CD with these files on the root: MyApp.EXE AUTORUN.INF Note: Optionally, to display on the Windows Explorer an own icon of your application, when the CD is inserted, add the following line at the AUTORUN.INF: ICON=MyApp.ico . The file MyApp.ico that can be created by an icon application like Microangelo (www.impactsoft.com) must be present too on the CD root.
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CONVERTER FROM XL TO EXE
