Getting Started with sylk.sqc

The only two things you have to do to create a spreadsheet with these routines is call 

Sylk-Initialize-File($FileName, #FileNumber)
and
Sylk-Close-File(#FileNumber)

The good news is that this is easy.  The bad news is that the spreadsheet will be empty.


To populate the spreadsheet, information must be placed in each cell.  (I hope this does not come as too big a surprise to you:)  It may also be desirable to format individual cells, rows, or columns.  This can be done by using the procedures in the list at the end of this document.

It may be necessary to consult the sylk.sqc include file to determine legal values for the parameters.  Dates, for example, may be formatted a number of ways, but not every possibility is handled by these routines.  An attempt has been made to report the use of illegal parameters in the log file.  

The bold among you may want to add formats or alter existing ones to suit your needs.  The purpose of these routines has always been to provide a method of producing attractively formatted spreadsheets using SQR.  It by no means includes everything you can do in SYLK files.

So, to create and populate a spreadsheet, first call
Sylk-Initialize-File($FileName, #FileNumber)
to initialize the file.  (Several spreadsheets can be opened at the same time)

Then, in any order, call routines that set fonts, set formats, and place data in the cells.  Just remember that when formatting and setting fonts by rows, columns, and cells that the LAST routine called that affects a cell is the one that will be applied,

Finally, close the file by calling
Sylk-Close-File(#FileNumber)

Please notice that some of the procedures have parameters whose names are preceded with colons.  In these cases, the procedures are really functions provided for your convenience.  The value that is returned will be in the variable with the preceding colon.  When calling these procedures, there should NOT be any colons in the call.

For example, a call to
Sylk-Get-Safe-Division-Formula($Dividend, $Divisor, :$Formula)
should look something like this:
Sylk-Get-Safe-Division-Formula($Dividend, $Divisor, $Formula)


 
The Procedures:

Sylk-Format-Cell-To-Date(#FileNumber, #Row, #Col, $DateFormat, $Justification)
Sylk-Format-Cell-To-General(#FileNumber, #Row, #Col, $Justification)
Sylk-Format-Cell-To-Number(#FileNumber, #Row, #Col, #Decimals, $CommasYN, $DollarsYN, $Justification)
Sylk-Format-Cell-To-Percentage(#FileNumber, #Row, #Col, #Decimals, $Justification)
Sylk-Format-Cell-To-Text(#FileNumber, #Row, #Col, $Justification)

Sylk-Format-Column-To-Date(#FileNumber, #Col, $DateFormat, $Justification)
Sylk-Format-Column-To-General(#FileNumber, #Col, $Justification)
Sylk-Format-Column-To-Number(#FileNumber, #Col, #Decimals, $CommasYN, $DollarsYN, $Justification)
Sylk-Format-Column-To-Percentage(#FileNumber, #Col, #Decimals, $Justification)
Sylk-Format-Column-To-Text(#FileNumber, #Col, $Justification)

Sylk-Format-Row-To-Date(#FileNumber, #Row, $DateFormat, $Justification)
Sylk-Format-Row-To-General(#FileNumber, #Row, $Justification)
Sylk-Format-Row-To-Number(#FileNumber, #Row, #Decimals, $CommasYN, $DollarsYN, $Justification)
Sylk-Format-Row-To-Percentage(#FileNumber, #Row, #Decimals, $Justification)
Sylk-Format-Row-To-Text(#FileNumber, #Row, $Justification)

Sylk-Set-Cell-Font(#FileNumber, #Row, #Col, #Size, $BoldItalic)
Sylk-Set-Column-Font(#FileNumber, #Col, #Size, $BoldItalic)
Sylk-Set-Column-Width(#FileNumber, #Col, #Width)    

Sylk-Set-Row-Font(#FileNumber, #Row, #Size, $BoldItalic)              

Sylk-Write-Date(#FileNumber, #Row, #Col, $Date)
Sylk-Write-Formula(#FileNumber, #Row, #Col, $Formula)
Sylk-Write-Month-Year-Column-Headings(#FileNumber, #Row, #StartCol, #RepeatCols, $StartDate, $EndDate, $Format, :#NextCol)
Sylk-Write-Number-Suppress-Zero(#FileNumber, #Row, #Col, #Number)
Sylk-Write-Number(#FileNumber, #Row, #Col, #Number)
Sylk-Write-Text(#FileNumber, #Row, #Col, $Text)        

Sylk-Column-Number-To-Alpha(#ColumnIn, $YNColAbsolute, :$ColumnOut)
Sylk-Get-Margin-Formula($CostCell, $PriceCell, :$Formula)
Sylk-Get-Margin(#Cost, #Price, :#Margin)
Sylk-Get-Safe-Division-Formula($Dividend, $Divisor, :$Formula)
Sylk-Get-Worksheet-Filename($BaseFileName, #ProcessInstance, #WorksheetNumber, :$WorksheetFileName)
Sylk-Row-Number-Column-Number-To-Alpha(#RowIn, $YNRowAbsolute, #ColumnIn, $YNColAbsolute, :$RowColumnOut)