Introduction

What this manual is about

The Oracle Express Spreadsheet Add-In User's Guide describes how to use Oracle^® Express Spreadsheet Add-In (hereinafter referred to as Express Spreadsheet Add-In), which enables you to work with Express data in a familiar spreadsheet environment.

The add-in fetches data from an Express database and displays the data in your spreadsheet. You can then use the add-in to perform OLAP operations, such as drilling, rotation, and data selection, and to write changes back to the source database, all without leaving your spreadsheet.

Intended audience

This manual is intended for users who want to work with Express multidimensional data in a spreadsheet environment.

Before you begin

Before you can use the Express Spreadsheet Add-In, your computer system must meet specific hardware, software, and database requirements. For a list of these requirements, see Appendix A.

Express Spreadsheet Add-In documentation set

This manual is part of a set of documentation, which also includes the following documents:

• Oracle Express Database Administration Guide -- Describes the structure of Express data and explains how to create and maintain Express databases. The guide also explains how to configure Express databases for use with client applications.

• Oracle Express SNAPI Guide -- Explains how to use SNAPI to connect to Oracle Express Server or Personal Express and obtain Express data. The guide also provides installation instructions and setup information.

• Express Spreadsheet Add-In Help system -- Provides procedural information for using Express Spreadsheet Add-In. When you are running your spreadsheet program with the add-in installed, you can access Help by choosing the Express Add-In Help option from the spreadsheet's Help menu or by choosing the Help button in a dialog box.

• Express Spreadsheet Add-In API Help system -- Provides reference information for using the API of Express Spreadsheet Add-In. When you are running your spreadsheet program with the add-in installed, you can access Help by choosing the Express Add-In API Help option from the spreadsheet's Help menu.

Structure of this document

The Oracle Express Spreadsheet Add-In User's Guide is structured as follows:

• Chapter 1 describes the basic features and installation instructions.

• Chapter 2 provides a brief overview of the Express multidimensional data model.

• Chapter 3 describes how to use the add-in's API to call Express programs.

• Appendix A outlines the hardware and software requirements.

Conventions

Text conventions

You will find the following text conventions in this document.

Convention	Usage
Boldface text	Indicates menu items, command buttons, options, field names, and hyperlinks. Bold text is also used for notes and other secondary information in tables (for example, Result).
Fixed-width text	Indicates folder names, file names, operating system commands, and URLs. Also indicates examples and anything that you must type exactly as it appears. For example: If you are asked to type show eversion, you would type all the characters exactly as shown in the fixed-width font.
Italic text	Indicates variables, including variable text. Variable text is used when dialog boxes or their components are unlabeled or have labels that change dynamically based on their current context. The wording of variable text does not exactly match what you see on your screen. Italic type is also used for emphasis, for new terms, and for titles of documents.
UPPERCASE text	Indicates Express commands and objects and acronyms.

Mouse usage

Always use the left mouse button unless you are specifically instructed to use the right mouse button.

The term "left mouse button" refers to the dominant button. If you have reconfigured your mouse to reverse the functions of the left and right buttons, then you will need to use the reverse button when you follow the procedures in this manual.

Formats for key combinations and sequences

Key combinations and key sequences appear in the following formats.

IF you see the format . . .	THEN . . .
Key1+Key2,	press and hold down the first key while you press the second key. For example: "Press Alt+Tab" means to press and hold down the Alt key while you press the Tab key.
Key1, Key2,	press and release the keys one after the other. For example: "Press Alt, F, O" means to press and release the Alt key, press and release the F key, then press and release the O key.