"Connect to Workbook" feature allows you to connect directly with a pre-existing, SpreadsheetWEB-designed web application over the Internet. This can be used for retrieval of data or calculations. It provides a means by which to remotely connect to an existing workbook by using name ranges. The preliminary workbook must be published as a web service to use this feature. This can be used in cases where the calculations engine exists within a different workbook and a "cleaner" application can be used to connect and stream the calculated data.
The "Connect to Workbook" feature can be found in the SpreadsheetWEB ribbon.
The "Connect to Workbook" option in the SpreadsheetWEB Ribbon.
To begin, press the "Connect to a Workbook" button. From here, you'll be greeted with the following pop-up:
Before you can connect to your workbook, you need to know two key pieces of information:
1. The WSDL Address – This can be found in the URL bar when you open the web service that you want to connect to.
An example WSDL Address.
2. Application Key -- This can be found by pressing the "Edit" button next to the web service's name in the Application tab of SpreadsheetWEB Control Panel.
An example Application Key.
Fill these two pieces of information into the New Connection Wizard (the pop-up that launched after you pressed the "Connect to Workbook" button). You can choose any name for the "Connection Name" field. Then press the "Connect" button next to the Application Key field. A list of inputs and outputs should be generated, such as in the picture below.
The "Add New Connection" screen.
Now if you have fields that correlate with the ones retrieved in your current workbook, you can link them. Tick the check box next to the field name in this menu and it will allow you to select a cell that corresponds. For instance, if my application is inquiring as to 'Contract State' of an individual in cell B3, then I can tick the box next to "Contract_State" and select cell B3 as the input. After selecting all necessary inputs, you can go to the 'Output Fields' tab and select the appropriate output for your web application.
 | Note The statements in parenthesis relay how many cells are necessary for a particular input or output. They are in a form as ROW x COLUMN. For example, (9R x 2C) means that you need to select a range of 9 rows and 2 columns for that particular input. If you select a smaller or larger range than necessary, SpreadsheetWEB will prompt you to either add more input/output cells or select a new range if it is too large. |
Once you are done, press Finish. Altering the inputs now will relay the information to the other workbook, make all necessary computations and then output them in the designated output.
| Note Even when the workbook is closed and reopened, these connections are still live and the corresponding data will be retrieved upon pressing the "Refresh Workbooks" button. The feature also allows you to connect to multiple workbooks at once. This can be done through the "Edit Connections" screen, featured below, which shows a list of workbooks that this workbook is connected to. |
The "Edit Connections" screen which allows you to create and select multiple workbooks to connect to.