How to use Application.Left in the xlwings API way

The Application.Left property in the xlwings API is a read-write attribute that allows you to get or set the distance, in points, from the left edge of the screen to the left edge of the main Excel application window. This property is part of the Excel object model and is accessible through xlwings, enabling you to programmatically control the positioning of the Excel window on the user’s display. This can be particularly useful for automating the layout of multiple applications or ensuring Excel opens in a specific location for consistency across sessions.

Functionality:

• Get: Retrieve the current left position of the Excel application window relative to the screen.
• Set: Adjust the left position of the Excel application window to a new coordinate.

Syntax:
In xlwings, you access this property via the app object, which represents the Excel application instance. The syntax is straightforward:

# To get the current left position
left_position = app.api.Left

# To set a new left position
app.api.Left = new_value

• Parameters:
• new_value: A numeric value (float or integer) representing the new left position in points. One point is 1/72 of an inch. The value is relative to the screen’s left edge; setting it to 0 aligns the window’s left edge with the screen’s left edge. Negative values can move the window partially off-screen, while positive values shift it to the right.

Example Usage:
Here are practical code instances demonstrating how to use the Application.Left property with xlwings:

1. Getting the Current Left Position:
   This example retrieves the current left position of the Excel window and prints it.

import xlwings as xw
# Connect to the active Excel instance
app = xw.apps.active
# Get the left position
current_left = app.api.Left
print(f"The Excel window is {current_left} points from the left edge of the screen.")

2. Setting the Left Position to a Specific Value:
   This example moves the Excel window to a new left position, such as 100 points from the left edge.

import xlwings as xw
# Connect to the active Excel instance
app = xw.apps.active
# Set the left position to 100 points
app.api.Left = 100
print("Excel window has been moved to 100 points from the left edge.")

3. Centering the Excel Window Horizontally:
   This example calculates the screen width (using the Width property of the application window) and sets the left position to center the window horizontally. Note that this requires knowing the screen’s width or using additional properties; here, we assume a screen width of 1440 points for demonstration.

import xlwings as xw
app = xw.apps.active
screen_width = 1440 # Example screen width in points
window_width = app.api.Width # Get the current width of the Excel window
# Calculate centered left position
centered_left = (screen_width - window_width) / 2
app.api.Left = centered_left
print(f"Excel window centered at {centered_left} points from the left.")

4. Adjusting Position Based on User Input or Conditions:
   This example shows how to dynamically adjust the left position, such as moving the window further right if it’s currently too close to the left edge.

import xlwings as xw
app = xw.apps.active
if app.api.Left < 50:
    app.api.Left = 200 # Move to 200 points if too far left
    print("Window moved to a more rightward position.")
else:
    print("Window position is acceptable.")