Embed Excel in Word

Targets Windows
1

I’ve created a Word document with WordApplication. Now I want to embed an Excel document (xlsx) into the Word document (docx).

It should look like this: Example of Result - You have a normal DOCX and within the text you see an Excel icon with a file name like TableXYZ.xlsx

It seems that I must do something like this: Create an Excel sheet with ExcelApplication and embed it with something like this:

oWord.Selection.InlineShapes.AddOLEObject(72,72,-1,-1,oExcel,<Name of the table>+".xlsx",Office.msoFalse)

I have a Windows 10 with Office 365 and XOJO Version 2019 Release 3.1

Does anyone have any idea how this works?

2

Hello Michael,

Here are the instructions for an example that works with Windows 10, Word 2016, and xojo 2019 Release 3.1:

  1. Create a new Excel program and do something like add 1 and 1 for an answer of 2, and save the file on the desktop of your computer with the filename Test1.xlsx.
  2. Create a desktop program in Xojo and add a button. In the button create an action event and add the following code:

[code]Sub Action() Handles Action
Dim Word as New WordApplication
Word.Documents.Add
Word.Visible = True

Word.Selection.InlineShapes.AddOLEObject(“Excel.Sheet.12”,“C:\Users\eugen\Desktop\Test1.xlsx”, False, False)
End Sub
[/code]

This worked on Microsoft Word that is installed on my computer. I am not sure if it works with Office 365 that is running in the cloud.

Happy to help.

3

Hello Eugene!

I will test your proposal later this weekend.

As a result, I need a Word document that contains the Excel document - just one file. Only the Word document should be passed on to the user.

Thanks for the proposed solution!

4

Hello Eugene,

your example works.
With

Word.Selection.InlineShapes.AddOLEObject("Excel.Sheet.12","C:\\Users\\eugen\\Desktop\\Test1.xlsx", False, False)

i get an Excel table embedded in my document.
With

Word.Selection.InlineShapes.AddOLEObject("Excel.Sheet.12","C:\\Users\\eugen\\Desktop\\Test1.xlsx", False, True)

i get only an icon with the embedded Excel sheet in my document. That’s what I need, because the Excel sheet may contain many, many columns and rows - too much for a Word document.

Now I am looking for the green icon with the Excel symbol. Actual I get an icon with an empty page like the GenericDocumentIcon in macOS.

5

Now I have the solution with the Excel-Icon and the right comment beneath the icon:

Word.Selection.InlineShapes.AddOLEObject("Excel.Sheet.12","C:\\Users\\eugen\\Desktop\\Test1.xlsx", False, True,"EXCEL.EXE",0,"MyEmbeddedExcelSheet.xlsx")

The last question for me is: Do I always have to first create an Excel file on the hard drive before embedding it in the Word file? Or is that also possible directly from the Excel object?

6

Hi Michael, I am glad that the solution is working for you.

It appears that the AddOLEObject requires a file path and name, which means it looks like a file is needed. I am not sure if the file must be located on your computer or from a public file system on the internet with an https:// prefix?

I am not sure what is means by directly from the Excel object, could you help me understand your question a little more? Thanks.

7

Normally I would create an Excel file with

var oExcel              as new ExcelApplication
var oBook               as ExcelWorkbook

oExcel.Visible = true
oBook = oExcel.Workbooks.add
oExcel.Application.DisplayAlerts = false 

<...fill the cells with values...>

oBook.SaveAs( <Path of ExcelSheet><Excel file.XLSX> )

//  Quit Excel
oExcel.Application.DisplayAlerts = true 
oExcel.Application.Quit

but I like to embed the Excel file without the “SaveAs” and use maybe the oBook object for embedding. So I can save the transfer to the hard drive and the deletion of the temporary file afterwards.

8

Hello Michael,

I tried a few modifications to the program, and I could only get the program to embed Excel in Word with a saved file. There might be a workaround, and for now it looks like the program needs an Excel file and then embed the file in Word.

Sincerely…

9

What is the function of oWord.Visible or oExcel.Visible?

I learned that I should work with

var oWord  As WordApplication
oWord = new WordApplication
oWord.Visible = true

or

var oExcel as new ExcelApplication oExcel.Visible = true .

I’ve testet it, it also works with FALSE.

10

See Application.Visible property (Excel).

This property can be used to hide an office application while working. It is useful so that a user becomes not confused from busy Excel windows while a table is created or other tasks are performed.