Nik, 1) No, you can't store images in Excel cells. You can store the path to an image though, which could reference an Images folder somewhere on your CD.
2) If the Excel files are saved as .xls then you will need to use something like zinc or swfstudio, as mentioned by Derek. If your excel file is saved as .xml though, you can access it directly from Flash without the wrapper (if there is any vba code in your excel file this gets ignored when you save to xml though). Same applies for the printing, if you need to keep formatting in the Excel file then you have to use a wrapper and keep it in its native .xls format. If it were up to me, I would ditch the Excel part altogether (or follow Shang's suggestion of exporting the excel data to xml from within the workbook using vba). You can then keep the xls files in-house, and put the resulting xml onto the CD. You need to make a clear distinction between data and UI, and the Excel bit seems to be clouding the issue. Store the data as xml, report and print from swf. Hope this helps, Nick -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of nik crosina Sent: 23 November 2006 00:19 To: Flashcoders mailing list Subject: Re: [Flashcoders] connecting excel spread sheet to Flash HI Nick, I havcen't fully spec'ed the app yet, but as it is a re-work of an existing rather cumbersome thing, we are thinking of having a 'zinc'ed' swf, that accesses various excel files for information as and when this is needed for display in the app (the data will consist of prices, model numbers, are images possible here? I know Excel too little to know if you can store images in teh cells as well theses days ... must look it up). I am planning to use the same excel files to be printed out as a brochure sheets of the products. In other words if the user clicks on a print button, the swf sends the respective .xls to the printer. In teh past we had 2 documents for each product: one for display on screen (powerpoint), and the same - with slightly differnet design - as a PDF that could be printed. Pretty ambitous rject I am beginning to realise! Thaks, Nik On 11/22/06, Nick Weekes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Just out of interest, whats the architecture of your Excel/Flash app? > Is it Excel for data and Flash for reporting? Do you need the Excel > file to be an Excel file (i.e. xls) or can it be 'dumb' xml (i.e. an > xml file with Excel attributes)? Are all the files stored in the same > folder (i.e. xls + swf)? > > Is your app code stored in the swf or swf + xls? > > Easier to point you in the right direction if you answer some of these > questions! > > Cheers, > > Nick > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > Merrill, Jason > Sent: 22 November 2006 16:26 > To: Flashcoders mailing list > Subject: RE: [Flashcoders] connecting excel spread sheet to Flash > > OK for CD then. So For the XML idea Nick suggested, that's not going > to be easy if it's on CD. It would be to have the user save as XML > from Excel (File > Save As > save as XML data) to their local drive, > and then use a third party projector like Zinc or mProjector to browse > to the file they saved and then load that XML into flash (not sure > about what security restrictions you would encounter with a third > party and loading XML in the project at that point). If you also need > help loading and getting data from XML, that's another topic altogether. Hope that helps. > > Jason Merrill > Bank of America > Learning & Organizational Effectiveness > > > > > > > >>-----Original Message----- > >>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:flashcoders- > >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of nik crosina > >>Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 11:18 AM > >>To: Flashcoders mailing list > >>Subject: Re: [Flashcoders] connecting excel spread sheet to Flash > >> > >>Thanks, Jason, > >> > >>I should have explained better, this is going to be for a CD based > >>app, so it'll need to work without any server side scripts or use of > >>database. > >> > >>But what you suggest is certainly something to consider for any > >>future on-line brochures / pricelists - especially since it seem to > >>requrie NO special saving of the spread shets frmo the sales peoples > >>point of view (to explain to them even the most basic of XML will be futile... > >>;) > >> > >>Thanks, > >>Nik > >> > >>On 11/22/06, Merrill, Jason <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >>> You can also use server-side apps to convert an uploaded Excel doc > to > >>> XML and then do whatever with it - run SQL statements, other > >>> server > side > >>> scripts, or back into Flash - no manual save as XML required, but > >>> it does require some savy backend stuff and/or third party components. > >>> > >>> Jason Merrill > >>> Bank of America > >>> Learning & Organizational Effectiveness > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> > >>> >>-----Original Message----- > >>> >>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:flashcoders- > >>> >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nick Weekes > >>> >>Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 11:09 AM > >>> >>To: 'Flashcoders mailing list' > >>> >>Subject: RE: [Flashcoders] connecting excel spread sheet to > >>> >>Flash > >>> >> > >>> >>Look into the possibilities of using xml with Excel (by either > saving > >>> the > >>> >>file as xml or exporting sheets/ranges as xml). > >>> >> > >>> >>This can then be used as the data source for Flash. > >>> >> > >>> >>-----Original Message----- > >>> >>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >>> >>[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > nik > >>> crosina > >>> >>Sent: 22 November 2006 15:56 > >>> >>To: Flashcoders mailing list > >>> >>Subject: [Flashcoders] connecting excel spread sheet to Flash > >>> >> > >>> >>Hi guys, > >>> >> > >>> >>For a flexible sales presenter we need to connect a spread sheet > >>> >>(excel) to Flash and selectively display the content of various > cells > >>> of it. > >>> >> > >>> >>The spreadsheets themselves will be designed to be printable > versions > >>> of the > >>> >>corresponding screens in Flash. > >>> >> > >>> >>Is this possible, or are we barking up the wrong ttree so to > speak? > >>> >> > >>> >>Thanks for your help!! > >>> >> > >>> >>-- > >>> >>Nik C > >>> >>_______________________________________________ > >>> >>Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com > >>> >>To change your subscription options or search the archive: > >>> >>http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders > >>> >> > >>> >>Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software Premier Authorized Adobe > >>> >>Consulting and Training > >>> http://www.figleaf.com > >>> >>http://training.figleaf.com > >>> >> > >>> >> > >>> >>_______________________________________________ > >>> >>Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com > >>> >>To change your subscription options or search the archive: > >>> >>http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders > >>> >> > >>> >>Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software Premier Authorized Adobe > >>> >>Consulting and Training http://www.figleaf.com > >>> >>http://training.figleaf.com > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com > >>> To change your subscription options or search the archive: > >>> http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders > >>> > >>> Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software Premier Authorized Adobe > >>> Consulting and Training http://www.figleaf.com > >>> http://training.figleaf.com > >>> > >> > >> > >>-- > >>Nik C > >>_______________________________________________ > >>Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com > >>To change your subscription options or search the archive: > >>http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders > >> > >>Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software > >>Premier Authorized Adobe Consulting and Training > >>http://www.figleaf.com http://training.figleaf.com > _______________________________________________ > Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com > To change your subscription options or search the archive: > http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders > > Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software > Premier Authorized Adobe Consulting and Training > http://www.figleaf.com http://training.figleaf.com > > > _______________________________________________ > Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com > To change your subscription options or search the archive: > http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders > > Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software > Premier Authorized Adobe Consulting and Training > http://www.figleaf.com http://training.figleaf.com > -- Nik C _______________________________________________ Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com To change your subscription options or search the archive: http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software Premier Authorized Adobe Consulting and Training http://www.figleaf.com http://training.figleaf.com _______________________________________________ Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com To change your subscription options or search the archive: http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software Premier Authorized Adobe Consulting and Training http://www.figleaf.com http://training.figleaf.com
