Understanding / Modeling formulas from Excel.

Question

I have an excel spreadsheet that performs many calculations based on 4 cells to come up with a certain figure. I have been tasked to convert this spreadsheet to a widget like component that can be embedded into a web application.

Is there an easy way to display or understand the embedded formula's in the excel spreadsheet, so that I have an easier time converting them into ActionScript?

Thanks.

Answer 1

If I understand you correctly. Tools|Options|Windows Options and then check the Formulas box. That will show the formulas instead of the values. And it should open up the Formula Audting tool bar. Those tools should give you want you want.

cheers

bob

Answer 2

Have you looked at Calc4Web? I've never used it, so I can't give a review, but the basic idea is that it generates C++ code from spreadsheet logic.

Answer 3

SpreadsheetGear for .NET will do it if you can use ASP.NET. It was good enough that Microsoft uses it to turn Excel workbooks into web pages. You can see what people say and download the free trial if you want to give it a try.

There are also live Excel calculation samples with source.

Answer 4

If you simply want to view the actual formula, not the result (the value), then when you are active on the cell which has formula you wish to see, press CTRL + (grave accent). The grave accent is usually one key to the left of the number 1 key on most keyboards. This works as a toggle, so if you press CTRK + (the grave accent key) again - the value will appear as it was prior to you pressing that keystroke combination.

Additional:

If you wish to show ALL of the forumlae for the entire workbook, then follow these steps:

1. Click the Office button on the top-left and then click the Excel Options button in the bottom right of that window that comes up..
2. Click the "Advanced" tab in the left pane.
3. Scroll down to the display pptions for "This Worksheet" section
4. Select the "Show Formulas in Cells Instead of Their Calculated Results" check box and then click OK.

Answer 5

Since there doesn’t appear to be an easy way to convert excel spreadsheets into ActionScript I suggest you view the formulas and try to solve them by hand if the amount of data isn’t to large or by writing a throw away script if a lot of data is required. This way you will understand the calculations and can implement them in ActionScript rather then relying on a wizard whose code you may or may not understand.

Answer 6

You can also toggle this setting from the keyboard by Ctrl+~ (that's the tilde, the first key in th numbers row)

So, if you want to quickly see the formula in a cell and come back to the normal view, just press Ctrl+~ twice