Template-based Companion files with EXE

Our EXE file is an Algorithm file that must import data from Input Excel files and output results to another set of Excel files. Using a given Template of Input file, different Clients put in different amount of input data and generate Input files of varied number & indexing. Thus, we do not know a priori exact names & number of Companion files that Clients might use along with our Algorithm EXE file.

We noticed that, from version 2.3.0, unless Companion files are properly defined during Padlocking, the EXE crashes without alert. It proved inadequate to add just the Input Template file during EXE creation.

Please suggest a way around this problem.

Have you tried the new release version 2.4? And how does your compiled workbook access external workbook files? With VBA code?

(Apologies for delay in replying.)

1. Our compiled Algorithm workbook accesses external workbook files through VBA code.
   a) These files could be in varied number and name; some used to import data into compiled EXE and some used to export data out. We intended to protect analysis part in the EXE workbook.
   b) We used conventional “Workbooks.Open(sFilePath)” and “objWorkbook.Close()” commands to operate on external workbook files.
2. We tried the new release 2.4 version and did test runs for past 2 days. So far so good; no crashes reported. Will keep you posted soon again…

With the latest 2.4 release, we noticed that Save operation was failing for external workbooks on random occasions. These external workbook files were programmatically modified by the compiled Workbook. When the Save operation failed, a temporary file copy was created for them (without file extension or type indication). As mentioned earlier, we could not specify the external files as “Companion files” during compilation.

Do you get any specific error message when it fails? Are you using the Do not allow loading/saving other workbooks?