How to use Application.ArbitraryXMLSupportAvailable in the xlwings API way

ArbitraryXMLSupportAvailable is a read-only property of the Application object in the Excel object model. This property returns a Boolean value that indicates whether Excel supports the use of arbitrary XML schemas. Specifically, it checks if the installed version of Excel has the capability to work with custom-defined XML maps and schemas beyond the built-in XML features. This is particularly relevant for developers who need to import, export, or manipulate data using non-standard XML formats directly within Excel. When this property returns True, it means the Excel instance can handle arbitrary XML mappings; if False, such functionality is not available, typically in older versions of Excel.

In xlwings, you access this property through the Application object, which is the top-level object representing the Excel application itself. The xlwings API provides a Pythonic way to interact with Excel’s COM interface, allowing you to check this property directly from your Python script.

Syntax in xlwings:

app.ArbitraryXMLSupportAvailable

• app: This is an instance of the xlwings App class, which corresponds to the Excel Application object. You typically obtain it by creating a new instance (app = xw.App()) or by connecting to an existing one (app = xw.apps.active).
• The property takes no parameters and returns a Boolean (True or False).

Code Example:
Below is a practical example demonstrating how to use the ArbitraryXMLSupportAvailable property in xlwings. This script checks if the current Excel application supports arbitrary XML schemas and prints a message accordingly. It also handles the Excel application properly by quitting after the operation.

import xlwings as xw

# Start or connect to an Excel application
app = xw.App(visible=False) # Set visible=True to see the Excel window

try:
    # Check if arbitrary XML support is available
    xml_support = app.api.ArbitraryXMLSupportAvailable

    if xml_support:
        print("This Excel instance supports arbitrary XML schemas.")
    else:
        print("Arbitrary XML schema support is NOT available in this Excel version.")

    # Optional: Display the Boolean value
    print(f"Value of ArbitraryXMLSupportAvailable: {xml_support}")

except AttributeError as e:
    print(f"Error accessing property: {e}. This may indicate an older Excel version or API issue.")

finally:
    # Close the Excel application
    app.quit()

Explanation:

• The script uses app.api.ArbitraryXMLSupportAvailable to access the property. In xlwings, the .api attribute provides direct access to the underlying Excel COM object model, ensuring compatibility with properties like this one.
• The try-except block catches AttributeError, which might occur if the property is not available in the Excel version being used (though this property is present in most modern versions).
• The finally block ensures that the Excel application is closed properly using app.quit(), which is good practice to avoid lingering processes.