Skip to main content

Workbook

  • 5 minutes to read

Use the SpreadsheetControl.Document property to obtain an IWorkbook object that allows you to modify a workbook loaded in the Spreadsheet control.

using DevExpress.Spreadsheet;
// ...

// Access a workbook.
IWorkbook workbook = spreadsheetControl.Document;

Workbook Content

Worksheets and Chart Sheets

A workbook consists of one or more worksheets stored in the IWorkbook.Worksheets collection. When you create a SpreadsheetControl instance, it contains a workbook with an empty worksheet. Use the WorksheetCollection members to add a new worksheet, remove an existing worksheet, rename a worksheet, select an active worksheet, and so on.

Spreadsheet_Worksheet

A workbook can also contain chart sheets that display only a chart. Use the IWorkbook.ChartSheets property to access and modify the chart sheet collection.

Spreadsheet_Chartsheet

The IWorkbook.Sheets collection stores all sheets (worksheets and chart sheets) in a workbook. Use this collection to obtain a sheet of any type.

Defined Names

The IWorkbook.DefinedNames collection includes global defined names that are available in any of the current workbook’s worksheets.

Built-in and Custom Functions

You can include functions in your formulas to perform calculations. Use the IWorkbook.Functions property to access the WorkbookFunctions object that stores all built-in functions and allows you to override any function via the WorkbookFunctions.OverrideFunction method.

See how to use functions in formulas.

You can also create a custom function. To add a custom function to a workbook, define a class that implements the ICustomFunction interface and add its instance to the IWorkbook.CustomFunctions or IWorkbook.GlobalCustomFunctions collection.

See how to create a custom function.

Note

Custom functions are not saved. To replace custom function definitions with calculated values when a workbook is saved, set the WorkbookExportOptions.CustomFunctionExportMode option to CalculatedValue.

Cell Styles

A workbook contains a collection of styles used to format cell appearance. Use the IWorkbook.Styles property to access and modify this collection.

See how to add new cell styles or modify the existing styles.

Table and Pivot Table Styles

The IWorkbook.TableStyles collection stores styles you can apply to tables and pivot tables. You can select a built-in style or create a custom style.

See how to apply a style to a table

See how to apply a style to a pivot table.

Custom XML Parts

You can embed arbitrary XML data in workbooks in Excel file formats. This data is named custom XML part and stored in the IWorkbook.CustomXmlParts collection. Use the collection’s members to create and modify custom XML parts.

Operations with Workbooks

The following table lists operations you can perform on a workbook. The commands listed below are also available in the Ribbon UI.

Task

API Members/Examples

Create a new workbook

SpreadsheetControl.CreateNewDocument

ISpreadsheetComponent.CreateNewDocument

How to: Create a New Workbook

Load a workbook

SpreadsheetControl.LoadDocument

ISpreadsheetComponent.LoadDocument

DocumentOptions.Import

How to: Load a Document into SpreadsheetControl

Supported Formats

Save a workbook

SpreadsheetControl.SaveDocument

ISpreadsheetComponent.SaveDocument

SpreadsheetControl.ExportToHtml

IWorkbook.ExportToHtml

SpreadsheetControl.ExportToPdf

IWorkbook.ExportToPdf

DocumentOptions.Export

How to: Save a Document to a File

How to: Export a Workbook to PDF

How to: Export a Document to HTML

Supported Formats

Protect a workbook

IWorkbook.Protect

IWorkbook.Unprotect

Protection

How to: Protect a Workbook

Encrypt a workbook

SpreadsheetControl.SaveDocument

ISpreadsheetComponent.SaveDocument

DocumentSettings.Encryption

How to: Open and Save a Password Encrypted File

Print a workbook

SpreadsheetControl.ShowPrintPreview

SpreadsheetControl.ShowPrintDialog

SpreadsheetControl.Print

Sheet.Print

Worksheet.PrintOptions

Printing

Undo or redo an action

IWorkbook.History

SpreadsheetHistory.Undo

SpreadsheetHistory.Redo

View and edit document properties

IWorkbook.DocumentProperties

DocumentProperties.Custom

How to: Specify Document Properties

Document Settings

Use the SpreadsheetControl.Options or IWorkbook.Options property to get access to various document options. They include:

DocumentOptions.Import

Specifies options used to import documents in different file formats.

DocumentOptions.Export

Specifies options used to export documents to different file formats.

DocumentOptions.Save

Defines the file name and file format used when a workbook is saved.

DocumentOptions.DocumentCapabilities

Allows you to disable the following document features: Formulas, Charts, Pictures, Shapes, Sparklines, and Undo.

DocumentOptions.Cells

Specifies options for worksheet cells.

DocumentOptions.Copy

Contains options that allow you to control copy operations.

DocumentOptions.Clipboard

Contains options for clipboard operations.

DocumentOptions.Events

Provides access to the WorkbookEventOptions.RaiseOnModificationsViaAPI option that enables you to raise the SpreadsheetControl’s events for changes performed via the API.

DocumentOptions.Culture

Provides culture-specific settings.

DocumentOptions.CalculationMode

Specifies the calculation mode for the Spreadsheet control.

DocumentOptions.CalculationEngineType

Specifies the computational model used to perform calculations in a workbook.

DocumentOptions.RealTimeData

Provides access to options for real-time data (RTD) function calculation.

DocumentOptions.Protection

Allows you to specify the UseStrongPasswordVerifier and SpinCount password protection options.

DocumentOptions.DataSourceLoading

Provides access to the SpreadsheetDataSourceLoadingOptions.CustomAssemblyBehavior option that specifies whether to load a custom assembly with the Entity Framework data context during mail merge.

DocumentOptions.Compatibility

Provides access to the following compatibility settings:

DocumentOptions.ZoomMode

Specifies whether to apply the WorksheetView.Zoom setting to all worksheet views or the current view only.

Other workbook settings are available from the IWorkbook.DocumentSettings property.

DocumentSettings.Calculation

Provides access to formula calculation options.

DocumentSettings.R1C1ReferenceStyle

Specifies whether a workbook should use the R1C1 reference style.

DocumentSettings.Encryption

Provides access to document encryption options.

DocumentSettings.ShowPivotTableFieldList

Specifies whether to show Field List for pivot tables in a workbook.

Workbook Extensions

The WorkbookExtensions class defines extension methods for the IWorkbook object.

WorkbookExtensions.Append

Appends all worksheets from the specified workbooks to the current workbook.

See how to merge multiple workbooks into one document.

WorkbookExtensions.Clone

Creates a workbook’s copy.

See how to clone a workbook.

To enable workbook extensions, add a reference to the DevExpress.Docs.v24.1.dll library and import the DevExpress.Spreadsheet namespace into your code with a using directive (Imports in Visual Basic).

Note

You need an active license for the DevExpress Office File API Subscription or DevExpress Universal Subscription to use these extension methods in production code.

See Also

File Operations

Work with Workbooks