MATLAB: Using ActiveX Server with Excel

activexexcelMATLABobjects are hardserver

I'm following the example shown in Matlab documentation: http://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_external/example-reading-excel-spreadsheet-data.html
Some background I've looked at: Excel 2010 Developers Reference. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff197266(v=office.14).aspx
Unfortunately, there's not much explanation for someone new to ActiveX:
1. Does this calculate the last occupied column? Is there a significance to '4'? It seems like this line should never be changed.
robj = exlSheet1.Columns.End(4)
3. How can I just import the entire worksheet without knowing how big the worksheet is?
dat_range = ['A1:G' num2str(numrows)]; % Read to the last row
It looks like you need to know beforehand with 'A1:G'. I suppose I could put in an arbitrary value such as 'A1:ZZ'.

Best Answer

1. That code is selecting the last cell (containing data) in the first column of the first worksheet of the excel.
4 is basically 'xldown' property. Check the following link:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff820880.aspx
and also check this link:
http://www.excelforum.com/excel-programming-vba-macros/1004063-xldown-4121-4-why.html
3. You can use just the following code if you want to use the whole worksheet data:
dat_range = exlSheet1.UsedRange
Also, note that when you use COM interface for excel through MATLAB, you mostly deal with VBA code and little MATLAB code.
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