Communicating with Excel

When a Silverlight 4 application is running with Elevated Permissions you can access COM objects which can be quite handy.  For example you may want to open Outlook and send an email, or as in the example presented here open Excel and create a new worksheet.

Silverlight and Excel

It is important to include the following namespace when wanting to use these features:

using System.Windows.Interop;

You will also need to add a reference to the Microsoft.CSharp.dll which can be found in:

Program Files/Microsoft SDKs/Silverlight/V4.0/Libraries/Client/

<UserControl x:Class="SilverlightExcel.MainPage"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
    xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
    mc:Ignorable="d"
    d:DesignHeight="300" d:DesignWidth="400">

    <Grid x:Name="LayoutRoot" Background="White">
        <Button Content="Create XLS" Width="100" Height="30" Click="Button_Click" />
    </Grid>
</UserControl>


using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Net;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Documents;
using System.Windows.Input;
using System.Windows.Media;
using System.Windows.Media.Animation;
using System.Windows.Shapes;
using System.Windows.Interop;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices.Automation;

namespace SilverlightExcel
{
    public partial class MainPage : UserControl
    {
        public MainPage()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
        {
            dynamic excel = AutomationFactory.CreateObject("Excel.Application");
            excel.Visible = true;

            dynamic workbook = excel.workbooks;
            workbook.Add();
            dynamic sheet = excel.ActiveSheet;

            dynamic range;

            range = sheet.Range("A1");
            range.Value = "Hello from Silverlight";
            range = sheet.Range("A2");
            range.Value = "100";
            range = sheet.Range("A3");
            range.Value = "50";
            range = sheet.Range("A4");
            range.Formula = "=@Sum(A2..A3)";
            range.Calculate();
        }
    }
}


Here we use the new C# 4.0 dynamic keyword to create and hold the Excel application object.  The following causes Excel to actually load and display:

excel.Visible = true;

Next we add a new Workbook and get a reference to the current Worksheet.  When we have our worksheet we are ready to populate the worksheet cells, for this example we set values in column A.  First we set the column header, then two values and the final cell is a formula to add the two values together.

Raymond wrote:

Hi,


It looks simple so I tried it in vb.net. Didn't work.

I duplicated all the imports (using) but no luck.

Can anyone point me out in the right direction?


I appreciate any help.


Gr,

Raymond.

Aladin wrote:

http://ebayvietnam.net

I need Export SilverLight Chart to Pdf or Excell, any everyone help me?

Chinmay wrote:

I am getting this error while calling to

 dynamic excel = AutomationFactory.CreateObject("Excel.Application");

Please help.

rhysjo wrote:

Hi,


This is a great example.  Does anyone have an example of getting a reference to the current selection?  What I'm trying to do is allow the user to select some cells in Excel and have the silverlight app perform an operatoin of the current selection.


Thanks!

Corsariovasco wrote:

Hi,


How data is entered in another Worksheet?


Thanks!

dan wrote:

Hi Jerry,


Yes, to access COM you must be in OOB and with Elevated Permissions.


Thanks!

jerry wrote:

if i want to use the API  for  COM, is it must be in oob?

Post your Comments

Raymond wrote:

Hi,


It looks simple so I tried it in vb.net. Didn't work.

I duplicated all the imports (using) but no luck.

Can anyone point me out in the right direction?


I appreciate any help.


Gr,

Raymond.

Aladin wrote:

http://ebayvietnam.net

I need Export SilverLight Chart to Pdf or Excell, any everyone help me?

Chinmay wrote:

I am getting this error while calling to

 dynamic excel = AutomationFactory.CreateObject("Excel.Application");

Please help.

rhysjo wrote:

Hi,


This is a great example.  Does anyone have an example of getting a reference to the current selection?  What I'm trying to do is allow the user to select some cells in Excel and have the silverlight app perform an operatoin of the current selection.


Thanks!

Corsariovasco wrote:

Hi,


How data is entered in another Worksheet?


Thanks!

dan wrote:

Hi Jerry,


Yes, to access COM you must be in OOB and with Elevated Permissions.


Thanks!

jerry wrote:

if i want to use the API  for  COM, is it must be in oob?

Post your Comments

 
 
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