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Section 3:  Getting Started

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1.1.1 How to Load the AWB Program Unless you are programmer, you probably have never encountered an Excel add-in file directly. Fortunately, there is not much to learn from the user’s point-of-view. The one helpful thing to remember is this: Excel recognizes add-in files as readily as it recognizes standard workbook files, i.e., those files that typically end in xls. This happy fact means:

1. All you need to do to load the AWB program is to open the add-in file, AWB.xla. That’s it. There is no other installation procedure.

2. You can open AWB.xla in any of the various ways you can open an Excel workbook file (xls). For example, you can open the file with the Excel FILE-OPEN command...you can click on the file in Windows Explorer...you can click on a desktop shortcut that points to the file...you can put the file in your XLStart directory...and so on.

Since you have several options for opening the AWB add-in, you may need to experiment to find the one you prefer. My suggestion for starting out would be to place a shortcut to AWB.xla on your Windows desktop. To start Excel and open the AWB add-in in one step, simply click on this shortcut.

1.1.2 What Happens When You Load the AWB Program When you open the AWB add-in file, Excel finds and starts the AWB program. The AWB program takes over from there to hook itself into Excel, to make itself an extension of Excel. Most of what the AWB program does at this point occurs behind the scenes and out of your view, by design. Among other things, the AWB program copies custom toolbars to Excel, creates a configuration file, restores toolbar properties, and restores system options. As the last act of the loading process, the AWB program creates the AWB System Menu on the Excel menu bar. Once the AWB program has finished loading itself, it settles to an inactive state and waits for you to activate it.

Figure 3.1: After the AWB program has been loaded.

Figure 3.1 shows the visible changes to the Excel environment after the AWB program has finished loading. Note the System Menu which has been added to Excel’s menu bar. The System Menu is where you activate and deactivate the AWB program, discussed below, and is your focal point for controlling the AWB program. The System Menu is available to you at all times when the AWB program is loaded. 1.1.3 Frequently Asked Questions Q. Can I open the AWB add-in file after I have started Excel, or do I have to make sure it is opened during the Excel start up process?

A. You can open the AWB add-in file at any time. That is, if Excel is already running, you can open the add-in from within Excel using FILE-OPEN, just as you might open a standard workbook. Convenience is the only reason for setting up the add-in to be opened when Excel is started.

Q. How can I tell if the AWB program has been loaded?

A. Look for the System Menu as shown in Figure 3.1 . If the AWB System Menu exists, it means the AWB program has been loaded.

Q. Can I use Excel as I normally do after the AWB program has been loaded?

A. Yes. Until you activate it, the AWB program stays out of sight and out of the way.

Q. How do I unload the AWB program?

A. By design, there is no way to unload a loaded add-in from within Excel. Therefore, to achieve the effect of unloading the AWB program, you must (1) close Excel and (2) re-open Excel without opening the add-in file, AWB.xla. Note: Under typical conditions, you should never need to unload the AWB program. If the AWB program is interfering with the normal operation of Excel on your machine, please contact me.

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Copyright © 2004 Robert S. Buckles. All rights reserved.