What's New in Mathematica Link for Excel 3

Mathematica Link for Excel 3 improves on all features in Version 2.x and breaks new ground by introducing Mathematica-based macros. Previously, Mathematica code had to be converted into functions that could be called from an Excel formula in order to be used in Excel. Now you can use sequences of Mathematica commands, as they typically exist in a Mathematica notebook, as Excel macros.

A new suite of over 50 Excel-related functions replaces the single ReadExcel function provided in Version 2.x. This new suite of Excel functions, among many other improvements, allows Mathematica to read and write to Excel files even when they are currently open in Excel.

• Compatibility with Mathematica 8.0
• Compatibility with Excel 2010 (including Excel 2010 64-bit version)
• ExcelShare function allows sharing a kernel between Excel and Mathematica
• VBA support routines: MathematicaSet, MathematicaRun, and MathematicaGet
• Support for reading and writing Excel comments (including writing to a range using CellLabel["my comment"])
• Shift-click the Mathematica "Evaluate" button to close link and bring up the Mathematica connection window
• Shift-right-click a range to quickly display the Mathematica Context menu without turning on Mathematica Contexts

• Updated toolbar and menu icons
• Improved Mathematica connection management (self-healing link and new connection options window)
• Improved handling of Mathematica connection exceptions and evaluation interrupts
• Improved Mathematica messaging (messages now returned in real time)
• Improved "Display Message Box" option now only applies to Print[] output
• Improved workbook initialization code evaluation and management
• Improved common multi-workbook initialization now supported using a init.m file in same directory
• Improved support for long-running Mathematica macros
• Improved automatic workbook relinking and add-in startup logic
• Other minor improvements and fixes

• Compatibility with Mathematica 7, including Mathematica 7 based icons
• ExcelOpen, ExcelSave, and ExcelDialog support for Excel 2007 .xlxs, .xlsm, and .xlsb files
• ExcelWrite support for writing Grid[{{1,2,3},{4,5},{6}}, opts] f.ex. ANOVATable output
• ExcelFormat ["A:C", "AutoFit"] to automatically adjust column width
• Support for 64-bit Windows and 64-bit Mathematica connecting to 32-bit Excel

• Improved message print format in Mathematica 6 and 7
• Fixed bug where some workbooks with macro buttons do not relink correctly
• Improved ExcelInstall[Visible -> True] method for launching visible instance of Excel
• Improved Mathematica Macros inserting of code boxes and buttons
• No "kernel connection closed" dialog if initialization code ends with Quit []
• Other minor improvements and fixes

• Compatibility with Mathematica 6
• Compatibility with Excel 2007
• Compatibility with Windows Vista
• Keyboard shortcuts for Excel toolbar commands
• Additional Excel message-related options
• Restored backwards-compatibility with Excel 2000

• Improved editing of existing functions using the Mathematica function wizard
• Improved compatibility with workbooks originally built with Version 2.x of Mathematica Link for Excel
• Improved printable PDF documentation

• Display of typesetting and formatted output in Excel
• Ability to create Mathematica-based macros
• Suite of Mathematica functions to interact with and automate Excel

• Improved set of worksheet functions allowing you to build and evaluate Mathematica expressions in Excel even more easily.
• Increased worksheet function speed. Worksheet functions now calculate up to eight times faster.
• Increased worksheet function reliability. Worksheet functions are now robust enough for the most demanding spreadsheet applications. Automated tests have performed billions of continuous evaluations without errors.
• Improved worksheet function error handling. Dependent evaluations are now suppressed through the use of native Excel error codes.
• Improved Mathematica message handling. Messages are now displayed and stored in a non-modal window. You can leave this window open, scroll through multiple messages, find the source of a message, and even save messages to a log file.
• Easier linking. If a Mathematica kernel is available on your machine it is automatically located. The Start/End Link button is now a more-powerful Evaluate button that can be used to reevaluate a workbook, interrupt current evaluations, or, by holding Shift, end a link without displaying a confirmation dialog.
• Enhanced Mathematica function wizard allows you to browse for functions by category, explore options, and edit existing formulas.
• Standard packages are now automatically declared, by default, and can be browsed directly within the function wizard. This functionality replaces the Libraries dialog.
• Improved copying and pasting is faster and more robust. View and modify your copied data directly in the new Mathematica clipboard window, which replaces the Kernel dialog. You can also type Mathematica expressions directly into the clipboard, evaluate them, and paste them wherever needed.
• Improved sharing of workbooks with others—just click Unlink in the Mathematica Options -> Workbook tab. If colleagues have Mathematica Link for Excel, they will be automatically prompted to relink formulas when they open your workbook.