Creating XLA Files

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Guest

Hello,

I've been working away creating functions in my personal.xls file, but I'd
like to share these functions with my team members. Would it be best to just
send my personal.xls around and have them put it into their XLSTART folder,
or should I create an XLA.

Also, I'm assuming that you must compile an XLA, can you do this with what
comes with Office 2003 or do I need to install VisualStudio? If that's the
case, would someone please point me to the documentation? I have been looking
on MSDN, but its hard when I'm not sure what I'm looking for.

Cheers,
 
You can create an XLA file simply by changing the Save As Type to
"Microsoft Office Excel Add-In", at the very end of the Save As
Type list.
Also, I'm assuming that you must compile an XLA
Click to expand...

This is incorrect. You don't have to compile XLAs. An XLA is
simply a workbook with an extension of XLA rather than XLS and
the IsAddIn property set to True.


--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com
 
Hi Mike,

I went through the same thinking about a year ago.

Simple answer: to get an .xla, you just open your .xls file and Save As .xla.
Excel does the rest, and it will even try to put it in your local Add Ins
folder (you don't have to have it there if you don't want). No special
programs needed, just excel.

Some advice: don't delete the original .xls file, because if you need to
make updates, the easiest thing is to change the programming in the .xls and
use save as to convert it into a new .xla

What I have done: I have my .xls file which I jealously keep secret and
protected for myself. I saved it as an Add-In on my own computer.
I put the add-in file on the desktops of my team.
I went into excel on their machines and installed the add-in.
They are not scared about it because they can see the thing sitting there on
their desktops, and they know that this is the reason why they have a few
extra menu bars.

Now if I need to update it, I just ask them to close excel and overwrite the
add in on their desktops with a new one. That is a lot less hassle than
setting their personal.xls files up each time for all of them. But the
personal.xls option also works.
 
Some advice: don't delete the original .xls file, because if
you need to
make updates, the easiest thing is to change the programming in
the .xls and
use save as to convert it into a new .xla
Click to expand...

This isn't very good advice. You can edit the XLA just like you
can edit the XLS. For edits to VBA code, you can simply edit the
VBA as normal. If you need to edit anything in a worksheet,
simply change the IsAddIn property to False and the workbook will
be visible. Having both an XLS file and an XLA file only raises
the possibility of version control problems.


--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com
 
Thank you! :)

Allllen said:
Hi Mike,

I went through the same thinking about a year ago.

Simple answer: to get an .xla, you just open your .xls file and Save As .xla.
Excel does the rest, and it will even try to put it in your local Add Ins
folder (you don't have to have it there if you don't want). No special
programs needed, just excel.

Some advice: don't delete the original .xls file, because if you need to
make updates, the easiest thing is to change the programming in the .xls and
use save as to convert it into a new .xla

What I have done: I have my .xls file which I jealously keep secret and
protected for myself. I saved it as an Add-In on my own computer.
I put the add-in file on the desktops of my team.
I went into excel on their machines and installed the add-in.
They are not scared about it because they can see the thing sitting there on
their desktops, and they know that this is the reason why they have a few
extra menu bars.

Now if I need to update it, I just ask them to close excel and overwrite the
add in on their desktops with a new one. That is a lot less hassle than
setting their personal.xls files up each time for all of them. But the
personal.xls option also works.
Click to expand...
 
Thank you! :)

Chip Pearson said:
You can create an XLA file simply by changing the Save As Type to
"Microsoft Office Excel Add-In", at the very end of the Save As
Type list.


This is incorrect. You don't have to compile XLAs. An XLA is
simply a workbook with an extension of XLA rather than XLS and
the IsAddIn property set to True.


--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft MVP - Excel
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com
Click to expand...
 
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