[OpenAFS] Volunteer Required: Microsoft Office Scripting

Jeffrey Altman jaltman@secure-endpoints.com
Wed, 18 Oct 2006 13:41:09 -0400


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David Steele wrote:
> Jeffrey,
> 
> Evan Macbeth asked me if I'd take a look at this and I told him I
> would.  I do need a few more details, however, before I can start.
> 
> 1) Do you need the script to do Excel, Word, and Powerpoint or is just
> one sufficient?

Start with one but each of the applications does use the file system
APIs slightly differently.  So eventually I would like to script all three.

> 2) AFAIK, only Access allows concurrent access to files.  Would you like
> the script to include Access?

I believe that Word at the very least will allow one user to access the
file in a read-only manner while waiting for the editing user to close
the file.

> 3) I assume you want the script to open a file, fiddle around with it
> for a few minutes and then close it so that the instances on other
> machines can get to it?  I'm sure that I can code the script to error
> gracefully when the file is locked and have it go on to something else.

In the case of Word, the script could open a source file.  Copy the
contents.  Create a new file.  Insert the text.  Save the file.  Move
blocks of text around.  Save the file again.  Close the file.  Open the
file.  Move blocks of text once again.  Close the file.  Delete the file.

For Excel, populating a spreadsheet with data imported from a CSV file
would work.  Save the file.  Create a graph.  Save the file.  Add
additional worksheets.  Repeat the import.  Save the file. Close the
file.  Open the file.  Mess around a bit more.  Save the file.  Close
the file.  Delete the file.

For powerpoint.  Create a presentation.  Import generate a number of
slides.  Save the file.  Add more slides.  Save the file.  Insert some
pictures from source JPGs.  Save the file.  Close the file.  Open the
file.  Play the slide show.  Close the file.  Delete the file.

If you want to script operations in Access as well, that would certainly
be useful.

Note that given the current implementation of locking.  I don't expect
multiple machines to be able to access the same files at the same time.
 The locking should prevent it.  However, if you are on the same
terminal server machine, then you should be able to actively share the
same files within AFS.


> 4) Is Office 2003 OK, or would you need Office 2000?  I'm not sure that
> I have access to 2000 at the moment.

Office 2003 is just fine.  I don't think we need to use Office 2000.

> Any additional details you can give me would be helpful.  I'd hate to
> develop something and then find out that it did not meet your needs.

Primarily I want the scripts to show that Microsoft Office applications
can read/write/create/delete files in AFS without data corruption.  If
you can exercise the code enough to demonstrate that things are good.

The scripts should be able to be run a specified number of times with
unique file names.  I want to be able to run the scripts overnight.

Jeffrey Altman

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