HotXLS Component for Delphi spreadsheet applications

HotXLS at a glance

Product	HotXLS Component — native Object Pascal spreadsheet library for Delphi and C++Builder
Best for	Reading, writing, calculating, and exporting Excel workbooks without Microsoft Excel automation
IDE support	Delphi and C++Builder XE5 through 13 Florence
Formats	XLS (BIFF8) via lxHandle, XLSX (OOXML) via lxHandleX, ODS import/export; HTML, RTF, CSV, TSV export
Calculation	Built-in formula engine with cross-sheet references, defined names, and user functions
Deployment	Runs in process; Excel-free, suitable for servers and unattended batch jobs
Source code	Full Object Pascal source included with every license
Licensing	Royalty-free, one-time $499-$3999 by team size
Current version	2.94.0 (2026-07-01)
Evaluation	Free demo package download

Native Excel workbook automation for Delphi and C++Builder

Current HotXLS release: Version 2.94.0 (2026-07-01). 2.94.0 upgrades cross-workbook worksheet copy: conditional formats with their differential styles and dataBar / colorScale / iconSet payloads, tables, data validations, and charts with every series are cloned, and cross-workbook formula references are rewritten to resolve in the destination workbook or link back to the source. See the release notes for the full change history.

HotXLS supports Delphi XE5 through Delphi 13 Florence and C++Builder XE5 through C++Builder 13 Florence. The package includes Delphi and C++Builder demos, API documentation, examples for workbook editing and report export, and full Object Pascal / Delphi source code for licensed customers.

Two focused workbook APIs

API surface	Primary use
lxHandle	Classic Excel 97-2003 BIFF8 .xls workflows, including workbook read/write, formulas, formatting, comments, hyperlinks, chart sheets, pivot-table support, VBA payload preservation, HTML, RTF, CSV, and TSV exports.
lxHandleX	Excel 2007+ OOXML .xlsx workflows, including workbook and stream I/O, style palettes, shared strings, worksheet tables, charts, comments, drawings, external links, XLSX-specific exports, and streaming write for larger sheets.

Main capabilities

• XLS and XLSX workbook workflows: create, open, modify, and save Excel workbooks from files or streams, and quickly list sheet names from XLS or XLSX packages without loading every worksheet.
• Cell, range, and template editing: read and write numbers, strings, dates, booleans, formulas, merged cells, row and column sizes, hidden rows and columns, outlines, selections, and workbook ranges. Callback helpers can scan loaded cells, fill ranges, find text, and replace template placeholders.
• Formatting and page layout: apply fonts, colors, borders, fills, alignment, number formats, rich text, theme colors, indexed palettes, tab colors, page setup, headers, footers, print titles, page breaks, and worksheet view options.
• Formulas and calculation: evaluate formulas through the built-in calculation engine for classic XLS and XLSX workbooks, including cell references, ranges, cross-sheet references, defined names, and application-defined functions through an OnUserFunction callback.
• Workbook data features: work with hyperlinks, internal sheet anchors, defined names, comments, conditional formats, data validation, AutoFilter ranges and criteria, Excel-style tables, document properties, external links, and pivot-table records.
• Images, charts, and drawings: embed images, create worksheet charts and chart sheets, preserve VBA project payloads, and keep Excel-authored OfficeArt connector, solver, shape, and comment metadata stable during round-trip saves where supported.
• Protection and encryption: handle worksheet and workbook protection, classic XLS password workflows, and XLSX AES-protected save output while keeping unsupported encrypted-package read paths explicit in the developer documentation.
• Export helpers: export workbooks, worksheets, selected ranges, database tables, and DBGrid content to Excel, HTML, RTF, CSV, and TSV outputs, including HTML table fragments for previews, emails, or web reports.

Quick Delphi example

uses
  lxHandle;

procedure CreateQuickWorkbook;
var
  Book: IXLSWorkbook;
  Sheet: TXLSWorksheet;
  I: Integer;
begin
  Book := TXLSWorkbook.Create;
  Sheet := Book.Sheets.Add;
  Sheet.Name := 'Quick Start';
  Sheet.Cells.Item[1, 1].Value := 'Product';
  Sheet.Cells.Item[1, 2].Value := 'Units';
  for I := 2 to 5 do
  begin
    Sheet.Cells.Item[I, 1].Value := Format('Item %d', [I - 1]);
    Sheet.Cells.Item[I, 2].Value := I * 10;
  end;
  Sheet.Cells.Item[6, 2].Value := '=SUM(B2:B5)';
  Book.SaveAs('QuickStart.xls');
end;

The same pattern applies to the lxHandleX XLSX API; the demo package ships QuickStart, API tour, and feature-gallery projects for both workbook families.

Designed for controlled automation

HotXLS is useful when Office automation is not a good fit for a production workflow. Spreadsheet processing stays inside your application process, which reduces dependence on interactive desktop sessions and makes deployment easier for unattended tools and server-side jobs.

The library is developed around documented workbook structures and practical Excel interoperability. Recent releases focus on preserving Excel-authored records, workbook metadata, comments, hyperlinks, external-link data, worksheet state, protection options, VBA payloads, table data, AutoFilter state, drawing records, and view settings during open/save round trips. That approach helps applications make targeted edits without unnecessarily rewriting parts of the workbook they do not own.

HotXLS is an independent losLab Software product. Microsoft Excel is not required at runtime, and this page does not claim Microsoft certification, endorsement, or trademark ownership.

Common use cases

Scenario	How HotXLS helps
Report generation	Create styled workbooks from application data, database tables, DBGrid content, or callback-driven worksheet writers.
Template editing	Open an existing workbook, find and replace text placeholders, fill ranges, preserve surrounding metadata, and save the edited file.
Workbook inspection	Read sheet names, worksheet ranges, document properties, comments, hyperlinks, names, filters, and selected workbook metadata from controlled code.
Office-free export	Generate Excel-compatible output on machines where Microsoft Office is not installed, including services and unattended batch jobs.
Legacy and modern workbook support	Use one component family for classic BIFF8 .xls workflows and current OOXML .xlsx workflows.
Preview and conversion pipelines	Export whole sheets or selected ranges to HTML, RTF, CSV, or TSV for previews, email fragments, imports, and downstream systems.
Auditable document pipelines	Keep workbook transformations inside your own Delphi or C++Builder code path instead of driving an external UI application.

Evaluation, licensing, and support

Download the HotXLS Delphi Spreadsheet Component demo package to review the demos and API documentation before purchase.

New commercial licenses include the full Object Pascal / Delphi source code, one year of software updates, one year of email support, and royalty-free use in unlimited applications under the selected developer-count license.

Pay with credit/debit cards, PayPal, AliPay, or wire transfer through FastSpring.

License	Developers	Price (one-time)	Order
Single	1 developer	$499	Buy HotXLS Single
Team/SME	Up to 5 developers	$999	Buy HotXLS Team/SME
Enterprise	Unlimited developers	$1999	Buy HotXLS Enterprise
Corporate	Unlimited developers, worldwide subsidiaries	$3999	Buy HotXLS Corporate

License choice: Choose Team/SME when no more than 5 developers will use this library. Choose Enterprise if the team may grow beyond 5 developers or needs the Enterprise-only source package.

Enterprise-only source extras: HotXLS Enterprise includes full source code for the complete test suites normally used only for internal validation. The Enterprise package also includes full source code for the dedicated tool-grade example Workbook Audit & Conversion Workbench Pro.

Purchase yearly renewal for existing licenses. Renewal pricing is listed on the HotXLS purchase page.

Open the HotXLS online documentation or contact losLab Software with licensing and technical questions.

Frequently asked questions

Does HotXLS require Microsoft Excel or Office automation?

No. HotXLS reads and writes Excel workbooks entirely inside your application process. Microsoft Excel is not required at runtime, which makes it suitable for servers, services, and unattended batch jobs.

Which file formats does HotXLS support?

Classic Excel 97-2003 BIFF8 .xls through the lxHandle API, Excel 2007+ OOXML .xlsx through the lxHandleX API, ODS import/export, and HTML, RTF, CSV, and TSV export helpers for sheets, ranges, database tables, and DBGrid content.

Can HotXLS calculate formulas without Excel?

Yes. The built-in calculation engine evaluates formulas in classic XLS and XLSX workbooks, including cell references, ranges, cross-sheet references, defined names, and application-defined functions through an OnUserFunction callback.

Can HotXLS edit an existing workbook without breaking Excel-authored content?

Yes. Recent releases focus on preserving Excel-authored records, metadata, comments, hyperlinks, external links, protection options, VBA payloads, tables, AutoFilter state, drawings, and view settings during open/save round trips, so targeted edits do not rewrite parts of the workbook your code does not own.

Does HotXLS handle protected or encrypted workbooks?

HotXLS handles worksheet and workbook protection, classic XLS password workflows, and XLSX AES-protected save output. Unsupported encrypted-package read paths are documented explicitly in the developer documentation.

Which Delphi and C++Builder versions does HotXLS support?

HotXLS supports Delphi XE5 through Delphi 13 Florence and C++Builder XE5 through C++Builder 13 Florence.

Is the source code included, and is HotXLS royalty-free?

Yes. Every commercial license includes the full Object Pascal source code and royalty-free use in unlimited applications under the selected developer-count license.

What does a HotXLS license include, and how does renewal work?

A new license ($499 Single, $999 Team/SME for up to 5 developers, $1999 Enterprise for unlimited developers, $3999 Corporate for worldwide subsidiaries) includes full source code, one year of updates, and one year of email support. Renewal pricing for existing customers is listed on the HotXLS purchase page.