Microsoft KB Archive/147732

= Records Needed to Make a BIFF5 File Microsoft Excel Can Use =

Article ID: 147732

Article Last Modified on 8/18/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel Software Development Kit 5.0
 * Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q147732



SUMMARY
This article documents which records are required in order to build a valid BIFF5 file that Microsoft Excel will recognize.



MORE INFORMATION
The records listed below must be included in order for Microsoft Excel to recognize the file as a valid BIFF5 file. Because BIFF5 files are OLE compound document files, these records must be written using OLE library functions. For information on how to output an OLE docfile, please see the OLE 2 Programmer's Reference Volume One.

Required Records
BOF - Set the 6 byte offset to 0x0005 (workbook globals)

Window1

FONT - At least five of these records must be included

XF - At least 15 Style XF records and 1 Cell XF record must be included

STYLE

BOUNDSHEET - Include one BOUNDSHEET record per worksheet

EOF

BOF - Set the 6 byte offset to 0x0010 (worksheet)

INDEX

DIMENSIONS

WINDOW2

EOF

For specific information on these records, please see Chapter 3 in the Microsoft Excel Developer's Kit Version 5.

In addition, the Microsoft Excel Developer's Kit Version 5 includes a utility called Biffview.exe, which you can use to view the records in a BIFF file. When you try to construct BIFF files programatically, you should first create the file in Microsoft Excel and then use BIFFVIEW to examine the output. This will allow you to compare the Microsoft Excel generated file with your own and should greatly aid in debugging.

