Practical answers for the issues HotXLS users hit first.

Which Delphi and C++Builder versions are supported?

The full package targets Delphi and C++Builder from XE5 through RAD Studio 13.1 Florence. The trial installer currently ships packages for RAD Studio 11.3, 12.3, and 13.1.

Why does the installer list only some IDE versions?

The IDE page lists supported RAD Studio installations detected on the current machine. If a supported IDE is not listed, confirm that RAD Studio is installed and that the installer is running under the same Windows user profile that owns the IDE settings.

Where do the design-time components appear?

The installer registers a Tool Palette tab named losLab. The visual components are DataToXLS and GridToXLS.

Why are C++Builder packages or demos missing after setup?

C++Builder package files and demo projects are optional installer content. Select the matching C++Builder IDE checkbox during setup when you need C++Builder integration or demos.

Are Win32 and Win64 supported?

Yes. HotXLS ships standard Win32 and Win64 package outputs for supported IDE versions. The installer may register Win64x library paths for source rebuilds, but prebuilt Win64x packages are not currently shipped.

Do I need Microsoft Excel installed?

No. HotXLS reads, writes, styles, and exports workbooks directly. It does not require Microsoft Excel, Office automation, COM automation, or an external spreadsheet process.

What limits does the trial version apply?

Per workbook, the trial allows up to 5 worksheets, 100 rows per worksheet, and 26 columns per worksheet. The same caps apply to the XLS facade and the XLSX facade.

Why does my trial output stop after column Z or row 100?

Writes beyond the trial caps are accepted by the API but dropped from the saved file. The full version removes these limits without requiring source-code changes.

Will the trial truncate files I open?

No. Opening an existing workbook with more than 5 sheets or more than 100 rows and 26 columns does not truncate the file. The caps apply to user-initiated sheet additions and cell writes after the workbook is created.

Does the trial show warnings when a cap is hit?

No. The limits are silent: no dialog, log line, or exception is emitted when a write exceeds the trial cap.

Should I use lxHandle or lxHandleX?

Use lxHandle for classic Excel 97-2003 XLS workflows and legacy report code. Use lxHandleX and TXLSXWorkbook for Excel 2007+ XLSX files and OOXML-specific features.

Can one project use both facades?

Yes. Applications can include both units and keep separate workbook objects for each file format. This is useful when maintaining old XLS output while adding new XLSX reports.

Why are some XLSX features not available through the old XLS API?

XLS and XLSX have different file models. XLSX-only concepts such as shared strings, OOXML styles, tables, chart sheets, and package relationships live in lxHandleX rather than being retrofitted onto the classic XLS facade.

Where should I start with sample code?

Start with the QuickStart and ApiTour demos under the Delphi or C++Builder demo folders. For XLSX-specific code, use the XLSX facade overview and the XLSX export demos.

Which XLSX features are supported?

TXLSXWorkbook supports values, formulas, explicit formula calculation, styles, custom number formats, widths and heights, merged cells, range-level HTML export, hyperlinks, comments, images, conditional formatting, data validation, filters, tables, charts, rich text, document properties, sheet visibility, page setup, AES-encrypted save, and stream-based open/save.

Can I save or open XLSX files from streams?

Yes. The XLSX facade supports SaveAs(Stream) and Open(Stream), which are suitable for memory buffers, database BLOB fields, HTTP responses, and other non-file storage paths.

How should large XLSX exports be handled?

Use the XLSX facade and enable Workbook.StreamingWrite when the report is generated sheet by sheet. Streaming writes reduce workbook memory pressure during save.

Can HotXLS open or save password-encrypted XLSX archives?

TXLSXWorkbook.SaveAsEncrypted can write an ECMA-376 AES-protected XLSX container when you provide a non-empty password. OpenEncrypted can fall back to ordinary Open for unencrypted packages, but it still raises EXlsxEncryptionNotImplemented for encrypted packages until decrypt support lands. Worksheet and workbook protection remain separate Excel-style locking features.

Can I preserve macros?

The XLSX facade can keep a vbaProject.bin payload byte-for-byte through the workbook and expose a parsed, read-only ParsedVBAProject view for valid VBA storage. It does not compile or execute VBA code.

Do formulas calculate inside HotXLS?

HotXLS writes formula text into saved workbooks, and spreadsheet applications can recalculate those cells when the file opens. For explicit in-process evaluation, both the classic XLS and XLSX facades expose Calculate; assign OnUserFunction when custom or unsupported worksheet functions should be handled by application code.

Can HotXLS export formats other than XLS or XLSX?

Yes. HotXLS includes export helpers for formats such as CSV, TSV, HTML, and RTF. Use the facade that matches your workbook format and choose the export method needed by your workflow.

Can I use HotXLS in services or batch tools?

Yes. Because HotXLS does not automate Excel, it is suitable for desktop applications, services, batch jobs, installers, and server-side utilities where Office automation would be fragile or unavailable.

Are there runtime royalties?

No. HotXLS does not require runtime royalties. You need developer licenses for developers who build applications with the library.

Where should I look before asking for help?

• Product overview for feature scope and package layout.
• HTML documentation for API reference pages.
• XLSX facade overview for modern workbook examples.
• Trial limits notice when trial output is smaller than expected.