Supporting Multiple Versions Of Excel

[Nick Carter]

I am automating Excel 2000 using the COM interop. I have noticed that the
application doesn't run with Excel 97. I want to write just one piece of
code which will work with both Excel 2000 and Excel 97. How can I do this
when they have different type libraries ? I could dynamically load the
relevant type library (i.e. Excel 2000 or Excel 97) on the target machine
and create my necessary objects (i.e. ExcelApplicatio n and ExcelWorkbook)
using Activator.Creat eInstance but this will return a System.Object. I think
that I would be unable to cast it into something useful (like an
ExcelApplicatio n or ExcelWorkbook) because these types are dynamically
loaded from the type library.

Inpiration desired.

Nick Carter

[Howard Kaikow]

When creating an Office app that is to run on multiple versions, you have
two choices:

1. Build the app using the earliest library you wish to support.
2. Use late binding.

--
http://www.standards.com/; See Howard Kaikow's web site.
"Nick Carter" <ni***@dontspam me.com> wrote in message
news:%2******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP09.phx.gbl. ..

I am automating Excel 2000 using the COM interop. I have noticed that the
application doesn't run with Excel 97. I want to write just one piece of
code which will work with both Excel 2000 and Excel 97. How can I do this
when they have different type libraries ? I could dynamically load the
relevant type library (i.e. Excel 2000 or Excel 97) on the target machine
and create my necessary objects (i.e. ExcelApplicatio n and ExcelWorkbook)
using Activator.Creat eInstance but this will return a System.Object. I think that I would be unable to cast it into something useful (like an
ExcelApplicatio n or ExcelWorkbook) because these types are dynamically
loaded from the type library.

Inpiration desired.

Nick Carter

[Nick Carter]

Howard,

I'm using C# so option 2 is problematic but feasible.

Thanks.

Nick

"Howard Kaikow" <ka****@standar ds.com> wrote in message
news:%2******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP11.phx.gbl. ..

When creating an Office app that is to run on multiple versions, you have
two choices:

1. Build the app using the earliest library you wish to support.
2. Use late binding.

--
http://www.standards.com/; See Howard Kaikow's web site.
"Nick Carter" <ni***@dontspam me.com> wrote in message
news:%2******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP09.phx.gbl. ..

I am automating Excel 2000 using the COM interop. I have noticed that the application doesn't run with Excel 97. I want to write just one piece of
code which will work with both Excel 2000 and Excel 97. How can I do this when they have different type libraries ? I could dynamically load the
relevant type library (i.e. Excel 2000 or Excel 97) on the target machine and create my necessary objects (i.e. ExcelApplicatio n and ExcelWorkbook) using Activator.Creat eInstance but this will return a System.Object. I

think

that I would be unable to cast it into something useful (like an
ExcelApplicatio n or ExcelWorkbook) because these types are dynamically
loaded from the type library.

Inpiration desired.

Nick Carter

[Howard Kaikow]

Using the earliest library is best and is recommended by Microsoft,

--
http://www.standards.com/; See Howard Kaikow's web site.
"Nick Carter" <ni***@dontspam me.com> wrote in message
news:u$******** ******@tk2msftn gp13.phx.gbl...

Howard,

I'm using C# so option 2 is problematic but feasible.

Thanks.

Nick

"Howard Kaikow" <ka****@standar ds.com> wrote in message
news:%2******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP11.phx.gbl. ..

When creating an Office app that is to run on multiple versions, you have

two choices:

1. Build the app using the earliest library you wish to support.
2. Use late binding.

--
http://www.standards.com/; See Howard Kaikow's web site.
"Nick Carter" <ni***@dontspam me.com> wrote in message
news:%2******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP09.phx.gbl. ..

I am automating Excel 2000 using the COM interop. I have noticed that

the application doesn't run with Excel 97. I want to write just one piece of code which will work with both Excel 2000 and Excel 97. How can I do this when they have different type libraries ? I could dynamically load the
relevant type library (i.e. Excel 2000 or Excel 97) on the target machine and create my necessary objects (i.e. ExcelApplicatio n and ExcelWorkbook) using Activator.Creat eInstance but this will return a System.Object. I

think

that I would be unable to cast it into something useful (like an
ExcelApplicatio n or ExcelWorkbook) because these types are dynamically
loaded from the type library.

Inpiration desired.

Nick Carter