Formatting outputted Excel files from Access using VBA? - excel

Question

Here I have some VBA code that outputs a ton of files into Excel files. My question is, from this, is there anyway for it to Format the excel file a bit? What I would like to do is make the Columns bold and make the columns fit the size of the header as well.
Sub OutPutXL()
Dim qdf As QueryDef
Dim rs As DAO.Recordset
Set qdf = CurrentDb.QueryDefs("OutputStudents")
Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset("Teachers")
Do While Not rs.EOF
qdf.SQL = "SELECT * FROM Students WHERE contact='" & rs!contact & "'"
''Output to Excel
DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet acExport, acSpreadsheetTypeExcel8, _
qdf.Name, "C:\Users\chrisjones\Documents\ProjectionsFY14\Teachers\" _
& rs!contact & ".xls", True
rs.MoveNext
Loop
End Sub

Answer 1

this is a quick and dirty combination of Phil.Wheeler's Code and my previous input, for me this is working. Don't forget to add Excel's Object Library in your Access-Macro.
Sub doWhatIWantTheDirtyWay()
pathToFolder = "C:\Users\Dirk\Desktop\myOutputFolder\"
scaleFactor = 0.9
Set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
objExcel.Visible = False
objExcel.DisplayAlerts = False
Set objFso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objFolder = objFso.GetFolder(pathToFolder)
For Each objFile In objFolder.Files
If objFso.GetExtensionName(objFile.path) = "xls" Then
Set objWorkbook = objExcel.Workbooks.Open(objFile.path)
For Each sh In objWorkbook.Worksheets
If sh.UsedRange.Address <> "$A$1" Or sh.Range("A1") <> "" Then
With sh
columncount = .Cells(1, 256).End(xlToLeft).Column
For j = 1 To columncount
With .Cells(1, j)
i = Len(.Value)
.ColumnWidth = i * scaleFactor
.Font.Bold = True
End With
Next
End With
End If
Next
objWorkbook.Close True
End If
Next
objExcel.Quit
End Sub

Answer 2

Yes it is possible! This is hacked together from one of my codes, might need a bit of editing before it works...
'This deals with Excel already being open or not
On Error Resume Next
Set xl = GetObject(, "Excel.Application")
On Error GoTo 0
If xl Is Nothing Then
Set xl = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
End If
Set XlBook = GetObject(filename)
'filename is the string with the link to the file ("C:/....blahblah.xls")
'Make sure excel is visible on the screen
xl.Visible = True
XlBook.Windows(1).Visible = True
'xl.ActiveWindow.Zoom = 75
'Define the sheet in the Workbook as XlSheet
Set xlsheet1 = XlBook.Worksheets(1)
'Then have some fun!
with xlsheet1
.range("A1") = "some data here"
.columns("A:A").HorizontalAlignment = xlRight
.rows("1:1").font.bold = True
end with
'And so on...

Answer 3

I have come across this problem a couple of times as well. As #Remou said, you will need to open excel to format xls files, this modification of your code silently opens Excel and that should get you in the right direction. Remember to add a reference to the Microsoft Excel Object Library in your VBA project.
Sub OutPutXL()
Dim qdf As QueryDef
Dim rs As DAO.Recordset
Dim xl as Excel.Application
Dim wb as Object
Dim strFile as string
Set qdf = CurrentDb.QueryDefs("OutputStudents")
Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset("Teachers")
Set xl = New Excel.Application
xl.DisplayAlerts = False
Do While Not rs.EOF
qdf.SQL = "SELECT * FROM Students WHERE contact='" & rs!contact & "'"
'Output to Excel
strFile = "C:\Users\chrisjones\Documents\ProjectionsFY14\Teachers\" & rs!contact & ".xls"
DoCmd.TransferSpreadsheet acExport, acSpreadsheetTypeExcel8, qdf.Name, strFile, True
'Start formatting'
Set wb = xl.Workbooks.Open(strFile)
With wb.Sheets(qdf.name)
'Starting with a blank excel file, turn on the record macro function'
'Format away to hearts delight and save macro'
'Past code here and resolve references'
End With
wb.save
wb.close
set wb = Nothing
rs.MoveNext
Loop
xl.quit
set xl = Nothing
End Sub

Answer 4

You could (depending on the number of files) make a template for each file you are outputting. In the long run if someone needs to change the formatting they can change the template which is going to be easier on you now that you don't have to sift through a bunch of excel formatting garbage. You could even let a qualified end user do it.
It's one of the biggest problems I have with excel sheets if I wrote the VBA I am responsible until I die for it. This way (in theory) they should be able to change a column, without changing how the data is outputted, just presented without you.
+1 To open the excel file itself and format it using that automation though.