DR 16-0007 - specific requests for clarification from the Excel team

[Francis Cave]

My thanks to Aarti and the Excel team for their response.

 

Here are my conclusions so far as resolution of the outstanding issues in DR
16-0007 are concerned.

 

§18.8.34 rgbColor

 

My original proposal was to make the attribute @rgb required in the schema.
On the basis of the response from the Excel team, I now propose that instead
we leave the attribute as optional but add a default value of 0 to the
schema.

 

§18.10.1.8 calculatedItem

 

This is a pivotTable element, so this issue has been moved to DR 18-0007.
The Excel team have responded that the @field attribute is not used by
Excel, which always uses references contained within the child element
pivotArea (see CT_PivotArea). I therefore propose that an extra sentence be
added to the description of the attribute @field:

 

Specifies the index of the pivotField with which this calculated item is
associated. If this attribute is omitted, the associated fields are
specified by the contents of the element.

 

§18.13.3 dbPr

 

The Excel team have explained that, although Excel requires the use of the
@command attribute, other implementations may not require a command to be
specified. We could add a sentence to the description of the @command
attribute to make it clear that an implementation is not required to specify
it, but probably the best approach is to do nothing.

 

§18.14.5 definedName

 

The explanation from the Excel team indicates that omission of the @refersTo
attribute is possible and may, for example, indicate that the range in the
external workbook to which the name applies cannot be resolved (e.g. named
sheet does not exist in the external workbook). I therefore propose the
following revision of the description of this attribute:

 

Named range definition string. The attribute is optional.

 

If we’re happy with these proposed resolutions, I think that clears up all
the remaining items in DR 16-0007 (excluding those moved to DR 18-0007), so
we should be able to close DR 16-0007.

 

Kind regards,

 

Francis

 

 

 

From: Aarti Nankani <anankani at microsoft.com> 
Sent: 17 April 2018 00:17
To: Francis Cave <francis at franciscave.com>
Cc: SC 34/WG 4 mailing list <e-SC34-WG4 at ecma-international.org>
Subject: RE: DR 16-0007 - specific requests for clarification from the Excel
team

 

Hi Francis,

 

For this DR, response from Product Team:

 

§18.8.34 rgbColor

The attribute @rgb on element rgbColor is optional in the SpreadsheetML
schema, but the element rgbColor would appear to be meaningless without the
attribute having a value. Can the Excel team confirm whether or not this
attribute is required by Excel, and if not, how Excel interprets its
omission?

 

               If this attribute is omitted, Excel will treat it as ‘0’

 

§18.10.1.8 calculatedItem

The attribute @field on element calculatedItem is optional in the
SpreadsheetML schema. Since there has to be some mechanism for referencing
the PivotTable field to which the formula (specified by @formula) is to be
applied, can the Excel team clarify whether @field is in fact required by
Excel, or whether there could be some alternative mechanism (e.g. using the
contents of a child extLst element) for locating the field in question, in
which case @field would be omitted?

               

               Excel will omit the “field” attribute and does not use it. We
use the “reference” child elements to specify formula fields. For this
specific example, the pivotArea child element of calculatedItem contains the
references.

 

§18.13.3 dbPr

The attribute @command on element dbPr is optional in the SpreadsheetML
schema. Can the Excel team explain under what circumstances this attribute
may be omitted? In particular, would it be omitted if the external data
connection had been deleted?

 

               The attribute is optional because it’s up to the data
provider to specify if they require a command. Usually it’s required, but a
custom provider may not use one.

 

§18.14.5 definedName

The attribute @refersTo on element definedName is optional in the
SpreadsheetML schema. Can the Excel team confirm whether or not Excel
requires this attribute and, if not, how its omission is interpreted when a
document is opened?

 

               Excel does not require the attribute, and will in certain
cases produce files that omit it.  The refersTo attribute being omitted
indicates that we were unable to resolve that name to anything, possibly
because the name doesn’t exist, or because there was some issue accessing
the target book.

 

Thanks,

Aarti

 

From: Francis Cave < <mailto:francis at franciscave.com>
francis at franciscave.com> 
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2017 8:15 AM
To: Aarti Nankani < <mailto:anankani at microsoft.com> anankani at microsoft.com>
Cc: SC 34/WG 4 mailing list < <mailto:e-SC34-WG4 at ecma-international.org>
e-SC34-WG4 at ecma-international.org>
Subject: DR 16-0007 - specific requests for clarification from the Excel
team

 

Hi Aarti

 

Following the discussions on the WG 4 call yesterday, I have compiled a list
of questions to the Excel team, requesting clarification of various points
which don’t appear to be covered by implementer notes in MS-OI29500.
References are to sections in IS 29500.

 

Kind regards,

 

Francis

 

 

§18.8.34 rgbColor

 

The attribute @rgb on element rgbColor is optional in the SpreadsheetML
schema, but the element rgbColor would appear to be meaningless without the
attribute having a value. Can the Excel team confirm whether or not this
attribute is required by Excel, and if not, how Excel interprets its
omission?

 

§18.10.1.8 calculatedItem

 

The attribute @field on element calculatedItem is optional in the
SpreadsheetML schema. Since there has to be some mechanism for referencing
the PivotTable field to which the formula (specified by @formula) is to be
applied, can the Excel team clarify whether @field is in fact required by
Excel, or whether there could be some alternative mechanism (e.g. using the
contents of a child extLst element) for locating the field in question, in
which case @field would be omitted?

 

§18.13.3 dbPr

 

The attribute @command on element dbPr is optional in the SpreadsheetML
schema. Can the Excel team explain under what circumstances this attribute
may be omitted? In particular, would it be omitted if the external data
connection had been deleted?

 

§18.14.5 definedName

 

The attribute @refersTo on element definedName is optional in the
SpreadsheetML schema. Can the Excel team confirm whether or not Excel
requires this attribute and, if not, how its omission is interpreted when a
document is opened?

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