How to use an Excel Add In Function in MATLAB?

I have an Excel Add In function that I would like to use in MATLAB. I'm not sure if there's a way to import it or would I have to hard code what the add in function does into MATLAB?

Answer 1

[Kay Baumann]

Hi Vivian,

unfortunately I can only give you a couple of hints on how to possibly do this but maybe you can use them as a starting off point.

1. Try using a COM object:

It is possible to create an Excel object via a COM Server

ExcelApp = actxserver('Excel.Application')

After that you can access methods and attributes of the object. For example to create new workbooks.

There is also an AddIns method which returns a collection object of Add-Ins in the excel dialog box.

To display paths in the collection to the Command Window use following code:

ExcelApp = actxserver('Excel.Application');
AddIns = ExcelApp.AddIns();

for i = 1:AddIns.Count
    CurrAddIn = AddIns.Item(i);
    disp(CurrAddIn.FullName)
end

ExcelApp.delete

For documentation on the excel objects visit: object-model-excel-vba-reference

Maybe you can figure out a way from that.

2. Employ MATLAB Production Server:

You can have a look at the MATLAB Production Server which includes Excel integration and has a subpage on how to install excel addins. Take this with a grain of salt though cause I have no experience with this product cause it needs its own license. So I only can assume this is capable of what you asked, from a glance over the documentation.

3. Re-implement the functionality in MATLAB:

Like you already said it could be, that depending on the complexity of the AddIns functionality, that writing it in MATLAB Code could be faster and/or cheaper for you. I for example find it sometimes hard to efficiently figure out how to use excel objects in MATLAB correctly and it can yield its own unexpected quirks.

[Guillaume]

A few clarifications:

There is no way to use an excel add-in directly from matlab. The only way to use that add-in would be with option 1 in Kay's answer but you would be in effect using matlab to control excel in order to use the add-in in excel. Data transmission to/from the add-in would most likely be by writing/reading to spreadsheets from matlab. This is all doable and not particularly complicated if you are familiar with excel VBA. If not, you'll have a stiff learning curve.

As far as I understand, Matlab Production Server enables you to write excel add-ins that can interact with matlab code running on the server. It does not enable you to use excel add-ins within matlab.