Excel Format Xlsx

broken image


A common technique for exporting data to Excel is to utilize the DoCmd.OutputTo Method.

Now, previously (pre Office 2007), the basic format to export a query to Excel format was simply:

BUT, once you port such a database to a post Office 2007 computer, you start to get it exported as a 'Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook (*.xls)' format and such a file will thus open Excel in compatibility mode possibly given the user compatibility errors/messages when they go to save the file after working with it.

Aug 13, 2018 XLSX The default extension of the excel file is XLSX and it is the most commonly used format nowadays. This is a popular choice among the users because it is safe to use as it cannot store malicious code. It will even have a maximum number of columns and rows. XLSX is well-known format for Microsoft Excel documents that was introduced by Microsoft with the release of Microsoft Office 2007. Based on structure organized according to the Open Packaging Conventions as outlined in Part 2 of the OOXML standard ECMA-376, the new format is a zip package that contains a number of XML files.

So unless you have to ensure legacy compatibility, it is strongly advisable to update your code to export the data in 'Excel Workbook (*.xlsx)' format, the new Excel file format thus eliminating any compatibility issues. Hence, we simply need to change the OutputFormat format variable to a more appropriate format (acFormatXLS -> acFormatXLSX). So your code would thus become:

Alternately, you could also use:

Looking to export to a different format?

Nothing could be easier! In the VBA Object browser, go to the Access Contants library and look over the various acFormat**** available to you. Such as:

  • acFormatHTML
  • acFormatPDF
  • acFormatRTF
  • acFormatSNP
  • acFormatTXT
  • acFormatXLS
  • acFormatXLSB
  • acFormatXLSX
  • acFormatPS

Taking Things a Little Further

It wouldn't be very difficult to create a custom DoCmd.OutputTo function which could determine the version of MS Excel installed and the utilize the more appropriate OutputFormat variable. Then you code would be 100% compatible regardless of what your users have installed!

Are There Any Alternatives

Another approach available to us is simply automate Excel. This is the approach I have adopted. In my early development days, I used the built-in DoCmd.OutputTo command, but have long since abandoned it for my own custom export function: Export2XLS. Why? The custom function approach is fully compatible with whichever version of Excel a user has installed, and gives the programmer far more control over what the final export looks like. You can format Cells/Ranges, apply colors, fonts, …

File extensions indicate what format the file is in and which programs can be used to open the files. XLSX is the default format used in Microsoft Excel and is a popular spreadsheet program that is part of the Microsoft 365 package.

  1. How to open an XLSX file

The IONOS HiDrive Cloud Storage enables you to store, edit, and share your Office documents centrally and securely. Whether for private or professional purposes, you can work flexibly on any device with the HiDrive app and other interfaces. IONOS' state-of-the-art US data centers ensure your data is optimally protected.

What is an XLSX file?

The XLSX file has been the default format to save spreadsheets without macros in Microsoft Excel since 2007. It is, thus, the standard spreadsheet format. These types of spreadsheets can be used to perform calculations or create diagrams, for example.

Before Office 2007, Excel used to save spreadsheets as XLS files using the .xls extension. Since the publication of Office 2007, Excel has used the XML-based file format XLSX by default. Unlike XLS, XLSX is a kind of archive. The individual parts of a document are saved separately and bundled together in the file.

Free Excel Download

How to open an XLSX file

The easiest way to open a file with the XLSX extension is to use a relatively recent version of Microsoft Excel. You will have no trouble opening files in the XLSX format if you use version2007 or higher.

The latest version of the Excel spreadsheet program is included in Microsoft 365. The Office solution offers you all the advantages of the popular Windows tools Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Step 1: Double click on the XLSX file

To open XLSX files in Excel, simply double click on the file. If you have a compatible version of Excel installed on your computer (i.e. 2007 or higher), the file will automatically open.

Step 2: Drag and drop the XLSX file onto an Excel window to open it

Excel Vba File Format Xlsx

If Excel is already open, you can use your mouse to drag the XLSX file onto the open spreadsheet. To do so, click on the XLSX file, keep the mouse button held down, drag the file onto the open Excel spreadsheet and then release the button. This will also open the XLSX file.

Step 3: 'Open with' – open the XLSX file in Excel using the right-click menu

Get XLSX Viewer Free - Microsoft Store

If the XLSX file does not automatically open in Excel despite there being a compatible version of Excel installed on your computer, the pop-up menu can help. Use your mouse to right-click on the XLSX file and select the 'Open with' option. A window will open recommending programs that could open the file. From there, click on Excel and the software will open the file. If you do not see Excel on the list, you probably have not installed it.

How to open an XLSX file if you have an older version of Excel

For older versions, such as Excel 2003, you used to be able to download a compatibility pack from theMicrosoft homepage. However, this download is no longer officially available. The free-to-use Excel Viewer, which was used by many to open the new file format, is also no longer officially provided by the publisher. That means it is no longer possible to open and work with the new format in older versions of Excel.

However, you do not necessarily need to buy a new version of Excel to open XLSX files. There are free-to-usealternatives. Microsoft itself offers a solution through Excel Online which you can use directly in your browser. All you need is a user account. Programs from other publishers can also handle XLSX files. For example, the open source software LibreOffice is compatible with Microsoft's current file extensions. However, sometimes the content may not match the original exactly, especially in terms of the format.

Xlsx

On the other hand, you can still save a file in the oldXLS format in all new versions of Excel. To do so, use the 'Save as' option and select the 'Excel 97-2003 Workbook (*.xls)' option under 'File type'. This will allow all Excel versions published since 1997 to open the file. However, some functions of the XLSX file may not be available in the XLS file, or the formatting may look slightly different. Therefore, this option is only recommended if you know that the recipient of the file does not have any of the newer Excel versions.

Xlsx

On the other hand, you can still save a file in the oldXLS format in all new versions of Excel. To do so, use the 'Save as' option and select the 'Excel 97-2003 Workbook (*.xls)' option under 'File type'. This will allow all Excel versions published since 1997 to open the file. However, some functions of the XLSX file may not be available in the XLS file, or the formatting may look slightly different. Therefore, this option is only recommended if you know that the recipient of the file does not have any of the newer Excel versions.

There are other ways to convert an XLSX file to XLS so that you can open it in older versions of Excel.

Microsoft Excel Xlsx Converter

HiDrive Cloud Storage with IONOS

Your data is stored securely in data centers in the US and Europe. Access HiDrive from any device, any time, from the office or on the go.

Shared access
Related articles



broken image