EasyXLS

How to export List to Excel in custom format in VB6

EasyXLS Excel library can be used to export Excel files in VB6. The library is a COM+ component that works without MS Excel installed.

Step 1: Download and install EasyXLS Excel Library for COM+

To download the trial version of EasyXLS Excel Library, press the below button:

Download EasyXLS™ Excel Library for VB6

If you already own a license key, you may login and download EasyXLS from your account.

Step 2: Verify if EasyXLS is registered

Check if EasyXLS component is present in Component Services.

Step 3: License file setup

Step required for EasyXLS v9.0 or later.

If you are using a trial, generate a trial license file from EasyXLS trials page. The trial license is valid for 30-days.

If you own a license key, you may login to the account that purchased the license and generate the license file from:
https://www.easyxls.com/my-orders

Setup the license file into your project using these guidelines.

Step 4: Add reference to EasyXLS (optionally)

Optionally, EasyXLS can be added as reference. Go to menu, select "Project" menu item, choose "References...", then check EasyXLS from the "Available References" list.

add reference vb6

Step 5: Run VB6 code that adds formula to Excel cell

Execute the following VB6 code that exports List to Excel with formatting.

'================================================================
' Tutorial 02
'
' This code sample shows how to export list to Excel file in VB6.
' The list contains data from a SQL database.
' The cells are formatted using an user-defined format.
'================================================================

VERSION 5.00
Begin VB.Form Form1 
   Caption         =   "Form1"
   ClientHeight    =   4590
   ClientLeft      =   60
   ClientTop       =   345
   ClientWidth     =   6885
   LinkTopic       =   "Form1"
   ScaleHeight     =   4590
   ScaleWidth      =   6885
   StartUpPosition =   3  'Windows Default
   Begin VB.Label Label1 
      AutoSize        =   -1  'True
      Height          =   100
      Left            =   120
      TabIndex        =   0
      Top             =   120
      Width           =   100
   End
End

Attribute VB_Name = "Form1"
Attribute VB_GlobalNameSpace = False
Attribute VB_Creatable = False
Attribute VB_PredeclaredId = True
Attribute VB_Exposed = False

Private Sub Form_Load()

    Alignment.Initialize
    Color.Initialize

    ' Constants declaration
    Dim OddRowStripesStyleColor
    OddRowStripesStyleColor = &HFFF0F7EF

    Me.Label1.Caption = "Tutorial 02" & vbCrLf & "---------------" & vbCrLf

    ' Create an instance of the class that exports Excel files
    Set workbook = CreateObject("EasyXLS.ExcelDocument")

    ' Create the database connection
    Dim objConn
    Set objConn = CreateObject("ADODB.Connection")
    objConn.ConnectionString = "Provider=SQLOLEDB;Server=(local);Database=northwind;User ID=sa;Password=;"
    objConn.Open

    ' Query the database
    Dim sQueryString
    sQueryString = "SELECT TOP 100 CAST(Month(ord.OrderDate) AS varchar) + " & _
                   "'/' + CAST(Day(ord.OrderDate) AS varchar) + " & _
                   "'/' + CAST(year(ord.OrderDate) AS varchar) AS 'Order Date', " & _
                   "P.ProductName AS 'Product Name', O.UnitPrice AS Price, " & _
                   "' ' + CAST(O.Quantity AS varchar) AS Quantity, " & _
                   "O.UnitPrice * O. Quantity AS Value " & _
                   "FROM Orders AS ord, [Order Details] AS O, Products AS P " & _
                   "WHERE  O.ProductID = P.ProductID AND O.OrderID = ord.OrderID"
    Dim objRS
    Set objRS = CreateObject("ADODB.Recordset")
    objRS.Open sQueryString, objConn

    ' Create the list that stores the query values
    Dim lstRows
    Set lstRows = CreateObject("EasyXLS.Util.List")

    ' Add the report header row to the list
    Dim lstHeaderRow
    Set lstHeaderRow = CreateObject("EasyXLS.Util.List")
    lstHeaderRow.addElement ("Order Date")
    lstHeaderRow.addElement ("Product Name")
    lstHeaderRow.addElement ("Price")
    lstHeaderRow.addElement ("Quantity")
    lstHeaderRow.addElement ("Value")
    lstRows.addElement (lstHeaderRow)

    ' Add the query values from the database to the list
    Do Until objRS.EOF = True
        Set RowList = CreateObject("EasyXLS.Util.List")
        RowList.addElement ("" & objRS("Order Date"))
        RowList.addElement ("" & objRS("Product Name"))
        RowList.addElement ("" & objRS("Price"))
        RowList.addElement ("" & objRS("Quantity"))
        RowList.addElement ("" & objRS("Value"))
        lstRows.addElement (RowList)
        objRS.MoveNext
    Loop

    ' Create an instance of the class used to format the cells in the report
    Dim xlsAutoFormat
    Set xlsAutoFormat = CreateObject("EasyXLS.ExcelAutoFormat")
    
    ' Set the formatting style of the header
    Dim xlsHeaderStyle
    Set xlsHeaderStyle = CreateObject("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle")
    xlsHeaderStyle.setBackground (CLng(Color.COLOR_LIGHTGREEN))
    xlsHeaderStyle.setFontSize (12)
    xlsAutoFormat.setHeaderRowStyle (xlsHeaderStyle)

    ' Set the formatting style of the cells (alternating style)
    Dim xlsEvenRowStripesStyle
    Set xlsEvenRowStripesStyle = CreateObject("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle")
    xlsEvenRowStripesStyle.setBackground (CLng(Color.COLOR_FLORALWHITE))
    xlsEvenRowStripesStyle.setFormat ("$0.00")
    xlsEvenRowStripesStyle.setHorizontalAlignment (Alignment.ALIGNMENT_ALIGNMENT_LEFT)
    xlsAutoFormat.setEvenRowStripesStyle (xlsEvenRowStripesStyle)
    Dim xlsOddRowStripesStyle
    Set xlsOddRowStripesStyle = CreateObject("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle")
    xlsOddRowStripesStyle.setBackground (OddRowStripesStyleColor)
    xlsOddRowStripesStyle.setFormat ("$0.00")
    xlsOddRowStripesStyle.setHorizontalAlignment (Alignment.ALIGNMENT_ALIGNMENT_LEFT)
    xlsAutoFormat.setOddRowStripesStyle (xlsOddRowStripesStyle)
    Dim xlsLeftColumnStyle
    Set xlsLeftColumnStyle = CreateObject("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle")
    xlsLeftColumnStyle.setBackground (CLng(Color.COLOR_FLORALWHITE))
    xlsLeftColumnStyle.setFormat ("mm/dd/yyyy")
    xlsLeftColumnStyle.setHorizontalAlignment (Alignment.ALIGNMENT_ALIGNMENT_LEFT)
    xlsAutoFormat.setLeftColumnStyle (xlsLeftColumnStyle)

    ' Export list to Excel file
    Me.Label1.Caption = Me.Label1.Caption & vbCrLf & _
         "Writing file C:\Samples\Tutorial02 - export List to Excel with formatting.xlsx."
    workbook.easy_WriteXLSXFile_FromList_2 _
         "c:\Samples\Tutorial02 - export List to Excel with formatting.xlsx", lstRows, xlsAutoFormat, "Sheet1"

    ' Confirm export of Excel file
    If workbook.easy_getError() = "" Then
        Me.Label1.Caption = Me.Label1.Caption & vbCrLf & "File successfully created."
    Else
        Me.Label1.Caption = Me.Label1.Caption & vbCrLf & "Error: " & workbook.easy_getError()
    End If

    ' Close the Recordset object
    objRS.Close
    Set objRS = Nothing

    ' Close database connection
    objConn.Close
    Set objConn = Nothing

    ' Dispose memory
    workbook.Dispose
End Sub

Overloaded methods
For methods with same name but different parameters, only the first method overload retains the original name. Subsequent overloads are uniquely renamed by appending to the method name '_2', '_3', etc (method, method_2, method_3), an integer that corresponds to the order of declaration that can be found in EasyXLS.h, a file that comes with EasyXLS installation.

EasyXLS Excel components:

.NET
Excel Library for VB6
full COM+ version to import, export or convert Excel files
Excel Writer for VB6
COM+ version to create and export Excel files
Express Excel Writer for VB6
limited COM+ version to create and export Excel files in predefined formats
Download EasyXLS™ Excel Component for VB6

File formats:

Office 365
MS Excel 2021 - 2024
MS Excel 2007 - 2019
MS Excel 97 - 2003
XLSXXLSMXLSBXLS
XMLHTMLCSVTXT