sylk record detail
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sylk/README.md
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sylk/README.md
@ -3,14 +3,23 @@
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Files start with `ID` (`0x49 0x44`). Files are interpreted as plaintext in the
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system ANSI codepage.
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This is a native file format of Multiplan and has been supported in all versions
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of Excel for Windows (to date). It is also used in the game "Warcraft III" and
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various mods including "Defense of the Ancients".
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## Basics
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**Records**
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The file consists of a series of plaintext records. Records are separated by
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newline characters (both `\r\n` and `\n` newlines are accepted by newer versions
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of Excel, but generated files should prefer CRLF).
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### Fields
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As stated in the Multiplan manual, "parsers must be prepared to ignore records
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and fields that they do not understand". Loosely speaking, software can report
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error messages on each unsupported record but should read valid records.
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**Fields**
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A record consists of a record type and a series of fields. Each part of the
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record is separated by a single `;` character.
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@ -21,9 +30,31 @@ The literal semicolon is encoded as two consecutive semicolons `;;`. Example:
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C;Y1;X1;K"abc;;def"
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```
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### Global State
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The `Y` and `X` fields set the current row / column before processing records.
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Parsing is stateful. Records that apply to a specific cell but do not have `X`
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or `Y` fields will use the global state:
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```sylk
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F;M4;Y1;X1 <-- set current cell to A1
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// current cell is A1
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C;K"A1" <-- set cell value to "A1"
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F;M5;X2 <-- set current column to B (no Y -> row is unchanged)
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// current cell is B1
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C;K"C1";X3 <-- set current column to C, then assign value "C1"
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// current cell is C1
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C;K"C2";Y2 <-- set current row to 2, then assign value "C2"
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// current cell is C2
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F;M4 <-- set current cell style
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```
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This also means that records must be processed in order.
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### Encoding
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In addition to the escaped semicolon, Excel understand two types of Encodings:
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In addition to the escaped semicolon, Excel understand two types of Encodings.
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They are not covered in the Multiplan documentation.
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#### Raw Byte Trigrams
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@ -69,37 +100,340 @@ For example, `\x1BNj` encodes byte `0x8C`
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## Record Types
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| Record Type | Description |
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|:------------|:---------------------|
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| `ID` | Header |
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| `E` | EOF |
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| `B` | Worksheet Dimensions |
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| `O` | Options |
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| `P` | Number Format |
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| `F` | Formatting |
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| `C` | Cell |
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The following table lists the known record types.
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| Type | Description | Vintage |
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|:-----|:---------------------------------|:----------|
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| `ID` | [Header](#header-id) | Multiplan |
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| `P` | [Style](#style-p) | Excel |
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| `F` | [Format](#format-f) | Multiplan |
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| `B` | [Dimensions](#dimensions-b) | Multiplan |
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| `O` | [Options](#options-o) | Excel |
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| `NN` | [Defined Name](#defined-name-nn) | Multiplan |
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| `C` | [Cell](#cell-c) | Multiplan |
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| `E` | [EOF](#eof-e) | Multiplan |
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| `W` | Window Layout | Multiplan |
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| `NE` | External Link | Multiplan |
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| `NU` | Filename Substitution | Multiplan |
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| `NL` | Chart External Link | Excel |
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## EOF Record (E)
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The supported fields for each type are listed in the relevant subsections. Excel
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supports every field that Multiplan supports.
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There are no fields.
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### Header (ID)
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Files must start with the `ID` record.
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## Cell Record (C)
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_Multiplan_
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The `P` field specifies the name of the program that generated the file. This
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record is not validated, although the typical value `WXL` is used in Excel.
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### Comments
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### Style (P)
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_Undocumented_
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The `P` record encodes data for multiple style tables, based on the fields. Each
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table is zero-indexed.
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```sylk
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ID;PWXL;N;E
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P;PGeneral
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P;P0
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P;P0.00
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P;P#,##0
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```
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The 4 `P` records above are number format records. In the number format table,
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index 0 will be `General`, index 1 will be `0`, etc.
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#### Number Format Table
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The `P` field indicates that the record specifies a number format. The value is
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an escaped number format similar to XLS encoding. `;;` encodes a semicolon as
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used in a multi-part number format. For example:
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```sylk
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P;P#,##0.00_);;[Red]\(#,##0.00\)
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```
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corresponds to the XLSX number format `#,##0.00_);[Red]\(#,##0.00\)`
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#### Font Table
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The four default fonts (normal, bold, italic, bold+italic) are specified with
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the `F` field. Other fonts are specified with the `E` field. It appears that
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Excel treats the fields as interchangeable, so either field type can be used.
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Other supported fields are listed below:
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| Field | Interpretation |
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|------:|:----------------------------------------|
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| `F/E` | Font name |
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| `M` | Font size in twips |
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| `L` | Indexed color (from 1 to 64) |
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| `S` | Font Attributes (see table below) |
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The `S` field value is a list of attribute characters:
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| Value | Interpretation |
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|------:|:---------------|
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| `B` | Bold |
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| `I` | Italic |
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| `U` | Underline |
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| `S` | Strikeout |
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### Format (F)
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This record includes worksheet-level and cell-level formatting properties. The
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fields and interpretations vary based on position in the file.
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#### Common Value Types
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Multiplan "Cell Type" format codes:
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| Value | Interpretation | Multiplan name |
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|:------|:------------------|:---------------|
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| `D` | Default | Def |
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| `C` | "Continuous" | Cont |
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| `E` | Exponential | Exp |
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| `F` | Fixed Point | Fix |
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| `G` | General | Gen |
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| `$` | Currency | Dollar |
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| `*` | Data Bar Cond Fmt | Bar Graph |
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| `%` | Percentage | Percent |
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Note that there is an error in the `sylksum.doc` documentation: `C` is a normal
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format (the spec claims it is "currency")
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Multiplan "Horizontal Alignment" format codes:
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| Value | Interpretation | XLS HorizAlign |
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|:------|:-----------------------------------|:----------------|
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| `D` | Default | |
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| `G` | General (text left, numbers right) | `0x00 ALCGEN` |
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| `L` | Left | `0x01 ALCLEFT` |
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| `C` | Center | `0x02 ALCCTR` |
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| `R` | Right | `0x03 ALCRIGHT` |
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| `X` | Fill | `0x04 ALCFILL` |
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| `-` | Unspecified | `0xFF ALCNIL` |
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#### Default Styling (immediately after P records)
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The records in this area typically define high-level properties including the
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default format and column widths.
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| Field | Interpretation |
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|:---------|:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
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| `P#` | Default number format (index into table) |
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| `M#` | Default row height in twips |
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| `D_#_#` | Default cell type, decimals, horizontal alignment, column width |
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For example, the following record sets the default number format to index 0,
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the default cell type to "General", the left cell alignment to left, the default
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column width to 8 characters, and the default row height to 32 pt:
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```sylk
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F;P0;DG0L8;M640
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```
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#### Column Widths (immediately after O record)
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The `W` field specifies widths for multiple columns and takes the form:
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```sylk
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F;W# # # <-- 1-indexed start col, 1-indexed end col, width in characters
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```
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The first two parameters are the starting and ending column (1-indexed numbers)
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and the last parameter is the width as measured in characters. When specifying
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a single column width, the start and end should be equal:
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```sylk
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F;W1 1 11 <-- column "A" is 11 characters wide
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F;W2 3 6 <-- columns "B" and "C" are 6 characters wide
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```
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#### Cell Styling (interspersed with cell records)
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Cell level styling is distinguished by the absence of the `W`, `R`, `D` and `C`
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fields or the presence of the `X` or `Y` fields.
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`X` and `Y` fields modify the global state before applying formatting.
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| Field | Interpretation |
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|:-------|:---------------------------------------------------------|
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| `F_#_` | Simple format: cell type, decimals, horizontal alignment |
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| `S...` | Style string (see below) |
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| `P#` | Number format (index into format table) |
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The style string can include the following attributes:
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| Value | Interpretation |
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|:------|:---------------|
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| `D` | Bold |
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| `I` | Italic |
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| `M#` | Font index |
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| `L` | Left Border |
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| `R` | Right Border |
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| `T` | Top Border |
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| `B` | Bottom Border |
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| `S` | Fill "gray125" |
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#### Row Heights and Styling (after column widths, before first cell of row)
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The `R` field indicates that a format record applies to the specified row. In
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addition to the cell styling properties, the row height can be specified with
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the `M` field.
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For example, the following record sets the height of row 5 to 19 pt and sets
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the font to index 78 of the font table:
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```sylk
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F;R5;SM78;M380 <-- use index 78 of font table and set height to 19 pt for row 5
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```
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#### Column Styling (after column widths, before first cell of column)
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The `C` field indicates that a format record applies to the specified column. As
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column widths are handled separately, the supported fields are identical to the
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cell-level styling fields:
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```sylk
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F;C1;SM78 <-- use index 78 of font table for column 1
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```
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### Dimensions (B)
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The bounds are not authoritative, and cells can exist outside of the range.
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As with XLSX/XLSB/XLS, Excel ignores this field and uses the actual cell records
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to determine the dimensions.
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_Multiplan_
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The `Y` and `X` fields specify the number of rows and columns respectively.
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_Undocumented_
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The `D` field specifies the worksheet dimensions, in the order `r c R C` with
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zero-indexed values. For example:
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```sylk
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B;Y5;X3;D3 1 4 2
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```
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Multiplan will interpret the dimensions based on the `Y` and `X` field, assuming
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an origin of `A1`. This would be `A1:C5` in the example.
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Excel will use `3 1 4 2` which is `B4:C5` (`3 1` cell `B4` and `4 2` cell `E5`)
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### Options (O)
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This record includes a number of workbook-level settings
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_Excel_
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Field interpretations in quotes do not appear to be used in Excel 2019.
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| Field | Interpretation |
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|:-------|:------------------------------------------------------------|
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| `A# #` | XLS CalcIter / CalcDelta (enables iterative calculation) |
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| `C` | "Completion test at current cell" |
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| `P` | "Sheet is protected (but no password)." |
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| `L` | Use A1-style formulae (default is R1C1 formulae) |
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| `M` | Manual recalculation (XLS CalcMode 0) |
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| `R` | Precision as displayed (XLS CalcPrecision 0) |
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| `E` | "File is a macrosheet" |
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_Undocumented_
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| Field | Interpretation |
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|:-------|:-----------------------------------------------------------------|
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| `G# #` | XLS CalcIter / CalcDelta (does not enable iterative calculation) |
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| `V#` | Date system: (0 = 1900, 1/2/3/4 = 1904) |
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| `K#` | currently unknown (Value must be between 1 and 255) |
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| `D` | currently unknown |
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| `B` | currently unknown |
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| `S` | currently unknown (found in Warcraft III files) |
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### Defined Name (NN)
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The `N` field of the `NN` record is the name of the defined name.
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The `E` field is the expression (interpreted as R1C1 or A1-style depending on
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the presence or absence of the `L` field in the `O` record.
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```sylk
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NN;N_rng;ER4C3:R7C4 <-- name "_rng" reference to `$C$4:$D$7`
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NN;N_arr;E{"a","b","c";;1,2,3} <-- name "_arr" excel array {"a","b","c";1,2,3}
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```
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### Cell (C)
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`X` and `Y` fields modify the global state before applying cell values.
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The `K` field specifies the cell value. Numbers are specified as-is. Text
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should be wrapped in double quotes. Logical values are specified as TRUE/FALSE.
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Dates should be specified using the date codes after applying the appropriate
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number format (behavior identical to XLS):
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```sylk
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ID;PWXL;N;E
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P;PGeneral <-- format 0 is "General"
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P;Pm/d/yy <-- format 1 specifies the default Date format
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C;Y1;X1;K123 <-- set cell A1 value to the number 123
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C;X2;K"123" <-- set cell B1 value to the string "123"
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C;X3;KTRUE <-- set cell C1 value to the logical TRUE
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F;Y2;P1 <-- move to cell C2, set number format to date
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C;K44444 <-- set cell C2 value to the number 44444 (formatted date 9/5/21)
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E
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```
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The `E` field specifies a formula. If the formula is included, it must be
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consistent with the worksheet expression style (A1 or R1C1) in the `O` record.
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#### Comments
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The `A` field of the `C` record can specify plaintext comments. They are encoded
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using the same text encoding in `K` fields.
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### Shared Formulae
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```sylk
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C;Y4;X2;AHello! <-- sets comment on cell B4 to "Hello!"
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```
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[`comment.slk`](./comment.slk) includes a few comments with newline encoding.
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#### Shared Formulae
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The `S` field of the `C` record signals that a cell is using a shared formula.
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The `R` and `C` fields are the 1-indexed row and column indices of the cell with
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the formula. The formula should be extracted from the original location and
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shifted to the current cell (relative references adjusted by the offset).
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```sylk
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C;Y1;X1;K1 <-- cell A1=1
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C;Y2;K2;ER[-1]C+1 <-- cell B1=A1+1 (both column and row relative)
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C;Y3;K3;S;R2;C1 <-- cell C1=B1+1 (shifting formula from B1 +1 row)
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C;X2;K3;S;R2;C1 <-- cell C2=B2+1 (shifting formula from B1 +1 row +1 col)
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```
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[`shared_formula.slk`](./shared_formula.slk) includes a few shared formulae.
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### EOF (E)
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This must be the last record of the file. There are no fields.
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## References
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The Multiplan manual (1982) includes an appendix covering the SYLK format.
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`sylksum.doc` (1986) with author `MCK, Microsoft` was available on a Microsoft
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server. Public references to its existence date back to the 20th century.
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Günter Born's "The File Formats Handbook" expands upon `sylksum.doc`. While the
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core details are covered in official specs, the chart extension details are not
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covered in the public specifications.
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[](https://github.com/SheetJS/notes)
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