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How to use Application.Speech in the xlwings API way

The Speech member of the Application object in Excel’s object model provides access to text-to-speech functionality, allowing developers to programmatically control speech playback of cell contents. This can be particularly useful for accessibility features, data verification by auditory feedback, or creating interactive tutorials. In xlwings, this functionality is exposed through the api property, which grants direct access to the underlying Excel VBA object model, enabling the use of the Speech object’s methods and properties.

Functionality:
The Speech object primarily controls the speech engine’s behavior, including speaking cell contents, managing speech playback (like pausing or resuming), and adjusting speech properties such as direction (by rows or columns) and speaking order. It allows for dynamic auditory output from spreadsheet data.

Syntax and Parameters:
In xlwings, the Speech member is accessed via app.api.Speech, where app is an instance of xlwings.App. Key methods include:

  • Speak(text, speakAsync, speakXML, purge): Speaks the specified text.
  • text: A string representing the text to be spoken.
  • speakAsync: A boolean; True for asynchronous speech (allows code to continue running), False for synchronous (code waits until speech finishes).
  • speakXML: A boolean; if True, interprets text as XML for speech synthesis control.
  • purge: A boolean; if True, purges any pending speech before speaking.
  • Properties like SpeakCellOnEnter: A boolean property that controls whether Excel speaks the cell contents when the Enter key is pressed. It can be set or retrieved.

Code Examples:
Here are practical examples using xlwings to demonstrate the Speech functionality:

  1. Speak a Specific Text Asynchronously:
import xlwings as xw
app = xw.App(visible=True)
# Speak "Hello from Excel" without blocking code execution
app.api.Speech.Speak("Hello from Excel", speakAsync=True)
app.quit()
  1. Enable Speaking Cell on Enter:
import xlwings as xw
app = xw.App(visible=True)
workbook = app.books.open('example.xlsx')
# Turn on speech when Enter is pressed in cells
app.api.Speech.SpeakCellOnEnter = True
# Now, when a user presses Enter after editing a cell, its content will be spoken
workbook.save()
app.quit()
  1. Speak Cell Contents Programmatically:
import xlwings as xw
app = xw.App(visible=True)
workbook = app.books.open('data.xlsx')
sheet = workbook.sheets['Sheet1']
# Get the value from cell A1 and speak it synchronously
cell_value = sheet.range('A1').value
app.api.Speech.Speak(str(cell_value), speakAsync=False)
app.quit()

How to use Application.SmartArtQuickStyles in the xlwings API way

The SmartArtQuickStyles member of the Application object in Excel refers to a collection that represents the set of SmartArt quick styles available within the application. In the context of xlwings, which provides a Pythonic interface to automate Excel, this collection can be accessed to retrieve information about or apply predefined style formats to SmartArt graphics in a workbook. This is particularly useful for programmatically enhancing the visual appeal of SmartArt diagrams, such as organizational charts or process flows, by applying consistent and professional styling without manual intervention.

Functionality:
The primary function is to enumerate and possibly apply the quick styles to SmartArt objects. Each quick style in the collection defines a combination of fills, lines, and effects that can be applied to a SmartArt graphic to change its overall appearance. Through xlwings, you can access this collection to get the count of available styles or reference specific styles by their index.

Syntax:
In xlwings, the Application object is typically accessed via the app object when you have an instance of Excel running. The SmartArtQuickStyles collection is a property of the Application object. The syntax to access it is:

app.api.SmartArtQuickStyles

This returns a SmartArtQuickStyles object, which is a collection. To interact with it, you can use methods and properties such as Count to get the number of styles, or Item(index) to retrieve a specific SmartArtQuickStyle object by its index (1-based). Note that xlwings uses the .api attribute to expose the underlying Excel object model, so this follows the standard Excel VBA object hierarchy but within Python.

Parameters:

  • index: An integer that specifies the position of the quick style in the collection. The index starts at 1. You can determine the total number of styles using the Count property.

Example:
Below is an xlwings code example that demonstrates how to access the SmartArtQuickStyles collection and print the count of available styles. It also shows how to reference a specific style and apply it to an existing SmartArt graphic in the active workbook. This assumes you have an Excel instance running with a workbook open that contains at least one SmartArt graphic.

import xlwings as xw

# Connect to the active Excel instance
app = xw.apps.active

# Access the SmartArtQuickStyles collection
quick_styles = app.api.SmartArtQuickStyles

# Get the number of available quick styles
style_count = quick_styles.Count
print(f"Number of available SmartArt quick styles: {style_count}")

# Check if there are styles available
if style_count > 0:
    # Reference the first quick style in the collection (index 1)
    first_style = quick_styles.Item(1)
    print(f"First quick style name: {first_style.Name}")

# Assume we have a SmartArt graphic in the active sheet
# First, get the active sheet
active_sheet = app.api.ActiveSheet

# Try to access the first SmartArt graphic in the sheet
# Note: In practice, you need to ensure a SmartArt exists; this is simplified.
# Typically, you might loop through shapes to find SmartArt.
# Here, we assume the first shape is SmartArt for demonstration.
shapes = active_sheet.Shapes
if shapes.Count > 0:
# Check if the shape is a SmartArt graphic (Type 24 represents SmartArt in Excel)
target_shape = shapes.Item(1)
if target_shape.Type == 24: # 24 is msoSmartArt, a constant for SmartArt
    # Apply the first quick style to the SmartArt graphic
    target_shape.SmartArt.QuickStyle = first_style
    print("Applied the first quick style to the SmartArt graphic.")
else:
    print("The first shape is not a SmartArt graphic.")
else:
    print("No shapes found in the active sheet.")
else:
    print("No SmartArt quick styles are available.")

# Note: Error handling (e.g., for no SmartArt) should be added in production code.

How to use Application.SmartArtLayouts in the xlwings API way

The SmartArtLayouts member of the Application object in Excel’s object model provides access to the collection of SmartArt layouts available within the application. This collection is essential for programmatically managing and applying different visual layouts to SmartArt graphics, which are used to create professional diagrams and information graphics. Through xlwings, a powerful Python library for Excel automation, developers can interact with this collection to enumerate available layouts, retrieve specific layouts by their index or ID, and apply them to SmartArt shapes in workbooks. This functionality is particularly valuable in automating report generation, dashboard creation, and data visualization tasks where consistent and dynamic diagram styling is required.

In xlwings, the SmartArtLayouts member is accessed via the Application object. The syntax for referencing this collection is straightforward, as it does not require parameters for the property itself. However, when accessing individual layouts within the collection, methods and properties are used with specific arguments. The basic calling format is:

app.smart_art_layouts

Here, app represents an instance of the xlwings App class, which corresponds to the Excel Application object. The smart_art_layouts property returns a collection object that supports typical collection methods such as indexing. To retrieve a specific SmartArtLayout object, you can use an index (1-based) or a layout ID string. For example:

layout = app.smart_art_layouts[1] # Access by index
layout_by_id = app.smart_art_layouts('{LayoutID}') # Access by ID

The index refers to the position in the collection, which may vary based on the Excel version and installed templates. The layout ID is a unique string identifier for each layout, which can be obtained from Excel’s object model or by enumerating the collection. The SmartArtLayout object itself has properties like Id, Name, and Category, which provide details about the layout. For instance, layout.id returns the ID, and layout.name returns the display name. This allows for precise control when selecting layouts based on specific criteria.

A practical use case involves applying a SmartArt layout to an existing SmartArt graphic in a workbook. First, you need to identify the SmartArt shape, then set its layout using the Layout property. Below is an example code snippet that demonstrates this process:

import xlwings as xw

# Connect to the active Excel instance
app = xw.apps.active

# Access the SmartArtLayouts collection and select a layout by index
smartart_layouts = app.smart_art_layouts
target_layout = smartart_layouts[3] # Assuming index 3 corresponds to a desired layout

# Open a workbook and select a worksheet
wb = app.books.open('example.xlsx')
ws = wb.sheets['Sheet1']

# Assume there is a SmartArt graphic in the worksheet; get the first shape (adjust as needed)
smartart_shape = ws.shapes[0] # This should be a SmartArt shape

# Apply the selected layout to the SmartArt graphic
smartart_shape.smart_art.layout = target_layout

# Save and close the workbook
wb.save()
wb.close()

In this example, we connect to Excel, retrieve the third layout from the SmartArtLayouts collection, and apply it to the first shape in a worksheet, assuming it is a SmartArt graphic. This automation can be extended to loop through multiple shapes or workbooks, applying consistent layouts based on dynamic conditions. Additionally, you can enumerate all available layouts to list their properties for reference:

for layout in app.smart_art_layouts:
    print(f"ID: {layout.id}, Name: {layout.name}, Category: {layout.category}")

How to use Application.SmartArtColors in the xlwings API way

The SmartArtColors member of the Application object in Excel provides programmatic access to the collection of color styles available for SmartArt graphics. This collection is essentially the set of color themes you see in the “Change Colors” gallery when working with a SmartArt graphic in the Excel interface. Through xlwings, you can retrieve this collection to apply predefined, coordinated color schemes to SmartArt objects, enhancing visual consistency and appeal without manually setting individual colors. This is particularly useful for automating report generation or ensuring corporate branding across multiple charts.

Syntax and Parameters

In xlwings, you access this property via the Application object. The property returns a SmartArtColors object, which is a collection of SmartArtColor objects. Each SmartArtColor object represents a specific color style (e.g., “Colorful – Accent Colors”, “Gradient Loop – Accent 1”).

The basic xlwings API call format is:

app.smart_art_colors
  • Return Value: An xlwings object representing the SmartArtColors collection. There are no parameters for this property call.

To work with individual color styles, you typically iterate through the collection or access items by their index (which corresponds to the order in the Excel gallery, usually starting at 1). A common subsequent step is to apply a color style to a specific SmartArt graphic by setting the SmartArt graphic’s ColorStyle property to the desired SmartArtColor object.

Code Example

The following xlwings code demonstrates how to list available SmartArt color styles and apply one to an existing SmartArt graphic on the active worksheet.

import xlwings as xw

# Connect to the active Excel instance and application
app = xw.apps.active

# Access the SmartArtColors collection
color_collection = app.smart_art_colors

# Example 1: List the names of available color styles
print("Available SmartArt Color Styles:")
# The collection is 1-indexed. We use .count to get the number of items.
for i in range(1, color_collection.count + 1):
    color_style = color_collection(i) # Access by index
    print(f" {i}: {color_style.name}")

# Example 2: Apply a specific color style to a SmartArt graphic
# Assuming the first shape on the active sheet is a SmartArt graphic
wb = app.books.active
sheet = wb.sheets.active

# Target the first shape
target_shape = sheet.shapes[0]

# Check if the shape is a SmartArt graphic (requires platform-specific API caution)
# In practice, you might ensure this shape is SmartArt via its properties.
# Apply the third color style in the collection (e.g., "Gradient Range - Accent 1")
# First, get the desired SmartArtColor object
desired_color_style = color_collection(3)

# Apply it by setting the SmartArt graphic's ColorStyle property.
# Note: Direct property access might require using the .api property for full OM features.
target_shape.api.ColorStyle = desired_color_style

print(f"Applied '{desired_color_style.name}' to the SmartArt graphic.")

How to use Application.ShowToolTips in the xlwings API way

In the Excel object model, the Application.ShowToolTips property controls whether Excel displays ScreenTips for toolbar buttons. When enabled, hovering the mouse over a command button in the ribbon or toolbar will show a small descriptive text box. This can enhance user experience by providing quick guidance, especially in custom-built Excel applications or when distributing workbooks to less experienced users. From a developer’s perspective, managing this setting via xlwings allows you to ensure a consistent interface behavior programmatically, aligning with the application’s intended usability.

Syntax in xlwings:
The property is accessed through the xlwings.App object, which corresponds to the Excel Application. In xlwings, you typically interact with the active application instance or create a new one. The property is a Boolean value.

import xlwings as xw

# Connect to the active Excel instance
app = xw.apps.active

# Get the current ShowToolTips setting
current_setting = app.api.ShowToolTips

# Set the ShowToolTips property
app.api.ShowToolTips = True # or False

Here, app.api provides direct access to the underlying Excel Application object’s COM interface, allowing you to use the standard Excel VBA properties and methods. The ShowToolTips property accepts a Boolean: True turns on ScreenTips, False turns them off. Note that changes affect the entire Excel application, not just a specific workbook.

Code Examples:

  1. Checking the Current Setting:
    This is useful for diagnostics or to conditionally adjust other settings based on the current state.
import xlwings as xw
app = xw.apps.active
if app.api.ShowToolTips:
    print("ToolTips are currently enabled.")
else:
    print("ToolTips are disabled.")
  1. Temporarily Disabling ToolTips:
    You might want to turn off ToolTips during a macro-intensive process to prevent visual distractions, then restore the original setting.
import xlwings as xw
app = xw.apps.active
original_setting = app.api.ShowToolTips
try:
    app.api.ShowToolTips = False
    # Perform tasks where ToolTips are not needed
    # e.g., automated data processing
    print("ToolTips disabled for operations.")
finally:
    app.api.ShowToolTips = original_setting
    print(f"ToolTips restored to {original_setting}.")
  1. Ensuring ToolTips are Enabled for User Interaction:
    In a user-facing application, you might enforce ToolTips to be on to aid navigation.
import xlwings as xw
# Start or connect to Excel
app = xw.App(visible=True) # New instance, visible
app.api.ShowToolTips = True
# Open a workbook and perform tasks
wb = app.books.open('example.xlsx')
# ... additional code
# The user will see ToolTips throughout the session

How to use Application.ShowStartupDialog in the xlwings API way

The Application.ShowStartupDialog property in Excel’s object model controls whether the Excel startup screen (also known as the “Start” screen or backstage view) is displayed when Excel is launched. This screen typically appears when you open Excel without specifying a workbook, offering options to create a new workbook, open recent files, or browse for other files. In xlwings, you can access and manipulate this property through the App object, which represents the Excel application instance. This allows you to programmatically enable or disable the startup dialog based on your automation needs, such as suppressing it for seamless background operations or ensuring it appears for user interaction in custom applications.

Syntax in xlwings:
The property is accessed via the App object in xlwings. The syntax is straightforward:

app = xw.App() # Get the current or create a new Excel application instance
value = app.api.ShowStartupDialog # Get the current value
app.api.ShowStartupDialog = new_value # Set a new value
  • app: An instance of the xlwings App class, representing the Excel application.
  • app.api: Provides access to the underlying Excel object model (via pywin32 on Windows or appscript on macOS).
  • ShowStartupDialog: A property that accepts Boolean values:
  • True (or 1): Enables the startup dialog, so it will display when Excel starts.
  • False (or 0): Disables the startup dialog, so Excel opens directly without showing the screen.

Example Usage:
Here are practical examples demonstrating how to use ShowStartupDialog with xlwings:

  1. Check the Current Setting:
    This code retrieves the current state of the startup dialog and prints it.
import xlwings as xw
app = xw.App(visible=True) # Ensure Excel is visible
current_setting = app.api.ShowStartupDialog
print(f"Startup dialog is currently enabled: {current_setting}")
app.quit() # Close the application
  1. Disable the Startup Dialog:
    This example sets the property to False to hide the startup screen. It’s useful for automation scripts where you want Excel to open silently.
import xlwings as xw
app = xw.App(visible=True)
app.api.ShowStartupDialog = False
print("Startup dialog has been disabled.")
# Now, if you restart Excel manually, the startup screen won't appear.
# Note: This change may persist in Excel's settings, affecting future sessions.
app.quit()
  1. Enable the Startup Dialog and Open a New Workbook:
    This code ensures the startup dialog is enabled, then opens a new workbook. This can be part of a setup routine for user-facing applications.
import xlwings as xw
app = xw.App(visible=True)
app.api.ShowStartupDialog = True
workbook = app.books.add() # Add a new workbook
print("Startup dialog enabled and a new workbook created.")
# The startup screen will show next time Excel is launched without a workbook.
workbook.save("NewWorkbook.xlsx")
app.quit()

How to use Application.ShowSelectionFloaties in the xlwings API way

The ShowSelectionFloaties property of the Application object in Excel is a useful feature for controlling the visibility of selection floaties—those small, dynamic pop-up toolbars that appear near a selected cell or range in Excel, offering quick access to formatting and data analysis tools like sorting, filtering, and chart recommendations. In xlwings, this property can be accessed and manipulated to enhance user experience by hiding these floaties when they might be distracting, such as during automated report generation or when running macros that require a clean interface.

Syntax and Usage in xlwings

In xlwings, you interact with Excel’s VBA object model through the app object, which represents the Excel application. The ShowSelectionFloaties property is a boolean property, meaning it can be set to either True or False. The syntax for accessing and setting this property is straightforward:

app.api.ShowSelectionFloaties
  • Property Type: Boolean (bool in Python).
  • Get Value: To check the current state, simply read the property: current_state = app.api.ShowSelectionFloaties. This returns True if selection floaties are visible, and False if they are hidden.
  • Set Value: To change the visibility, assign a boolean value: app.api.ShowSelectionFloaties = False to hide floaties, or app.api.ShowSelectionFloaties = True to show them.

There are no parameters for this property, as it is a simple toggle. However, it’s important to note that changes made via xlwings are applied immediately to the Excel instance and affect all open workbooks. This property is part of the Excel Application object, so it controls the global setting for the entire Excel session.

Code Examples

Here are practical examples of using ShowSelectionFloaties in xlwings to manage the visibility of selection floaties:

  1. Hiding Selection Floaties During an Automated Task
    This example demonstrates how to hide floaties before performing a series of operations to prevent them from interfering with the automation, then restore the original setting afterward.
import xlwings as xw

# Connect to the active Excel instance or start a new one
app = xw.apps.active

# Save the current state of ShowSelectionFloaties
original_state = app.api.ShowSelectionFloaties

# Hide the selection floaties
app.api.ShowSelectionFloaties = False

# Perform automated tasks, such as formatting a range
wb = app.books.active
sheet = wb.sheets[0]
sheet.range('A1:D10').value = [[i * j for j in range(1, 5)] for i in range(1, 11)]
sheet.range('A1:D10').api.AutoFormat(Excel.XlRangeAutoFormat.xlRangeAutoFormatClassic2)

# Restore the original state of ShowSelectionFloaties
app.api.ShowSelectionFloaties = original_state
  1. Toggling Selection Floaties Based on User Input
    In this scenario, the script checks the current visibility and toggles it based on a condition, such as user preference from a simple input.
import xlwings as xw

app = xw.apps.active

# Simulate a user preference (e.g., from a configuration file or input)
user_wants_floaties = False # Assume user prefers hidden floaties

if user_wants_floaties:
    app.api.ShowSelectionFloaties = True
    print("Selection floaties are now visible.")
else:
    app.api.ShowSelectionFloaties = False
    print("Selection floaties are now hidden.")
  1. Ensuring a Clean Interface for a Dashboard
    When generating a dashboard, you might want to hide floaties to maintain a professional appearance, especially before saving or exporting the workbook.
import xlwings as xw

app = xw.apps.active
wb = app.books.active

# Hide floaties before finalizing the dashboard
app.api.ShowSelectionFloaties = False

# Perform dashboard updates (e.g., refresh charts, pivot tables)
# ... (your dashboard code here)

# Save the workbook with floaties hidden
wb.save(r'C:\Path\To\Dashboard.xlsx')

# Optionally, re-enable floaties if needed for further interaction
# app.api.ShowSelectionFloaties = True

How to use Application.ShowQuickAnalysis in the xlwings API way

The ShowQuickAnalysis property of the Application object in Excel, accessible via the xlwings library in Python, provides a convenient way to programmatically trigger the Quick Analysis feature. This feature, when invoked, offers users a context-sensitive menu with various tools for data analysis and visualization, such as conditional formatting, charts, totals, tables, and sparklines. It is particularly useful for enhancing data presentation and gaining insights directly from a selected range without navigating through multiple ribbon tabs. In xlwings, this functionality is exposed as a property of the application instance, allowing for seamless integration into automated Excel workflows.

The syntax for accessing this property in xlwings is straightforward. It is called on the application object, which represents the Excel instance. Since ShowQuickAnalysis is a property, it can be set to True or False to control the visibility of the Quick Analysis tooltip. Typically, it is set to True to display the tooltip for a specific range. The property does not take any arguments directly, but its effect is applied to the currently selected range in the active workbook. To use it effectively, you should first select the desired range of cells before setting the property.

Here is a basic code example demonstrating its usage:

import xlwings as xw

# Connect to the active Excel instance or start a new one
app = xw.apps.active

# Open a workbook or use the active one
wb = app.books.active

# Select a specific range, e.g., A1:D10, which contains data for analysis
ws = wb.sheets.active
ws.range('A1:D10').select()

# Show the Quick Analysis tooltip for the selected range
app.ShowQuickAnalysis = True

How to use Application.ShowMenuFloaties in the xlwings API way

The ShowMenuFloaties member of the Application object in Excel controls whether context-sensitive tooltips (also known as “ScreenTips” or “floaties”) are displayed for menus and commands in the Excel user interface. This property is part of the Excel object model and can be accessed via the xlwings library in Python to programmatically manage the visibility of these UI hints, which can enhance user experience or reduce on-screen clutter during automated processes.

Functionality:
ShowMenuFloaties is a Boolean property that determines if Excel shows descriptive tooltips when the user hovers over menu items, ribbon buttons, or other command elements. When set to True, these floaties are visible; when False, they are hidden. This can be useful in automation scripts where you want to standardize the UI state or minimize distractions during macro execution.

Syntax in xlwings:
In xlwings, you access this property through the app object, which represents the Excel Application. The syntax is straightforward as it involves getting or setting a property value. There are no parameters for this property, as it is a simple Boolean toggle.

  • To get the current state:
current_state = app.api.ShowMenuFloaties

This returns True if menu floaties are shown, False otherwise.

  • To set the state:
app.api.ShowMenuFloaties = False # Hides menu floaties

or

app.api.ShowMenuFloaties = True # Shows menu floaties

Code Examples:
Here are practical xlwings API examples demonstrating how to use ShowMenuFloaties:

  1. Hiding Menu Floaties During an Automation Task:
    This example temporarily disables menu floaties to clean up the UI while performing data operations, then restores the original setting.
import xlwings as xw

# Connect to the active Excel instance
app = xw.apps.active

# Store the original state
original_state = app.api.ShowMenuFloaties

# Hide menu floaties
app.api.ShowMenuFloaties = False

# Perform some Excel tasks (e.g., data processing)
wb = app.books.active
sheet = wb.sheets[0]
sheet.range('A1').value = 'Processing data...'
# ... additional automation code ...

# Restore the original state
app.api.ShowMenuFloaties = original_state
  1. Checking and Toggling the Menu Floaties Setting:
    This example checks the current visibility and toggles it based on a condition.
import xlwings as xw

app = xw.apps.active

# Check if menu floaties are currently shown
if app.api.ShowMenuFloaties:
    print("Menu floaties are visible. Hiding them now.")
    app.api.ShowMenuFloaties = False
else:
    print("Menu floaties are hidden. Showing them now.")
    app.api.ShowMenuFloaties = True
  1. Ensuring a Clean UI for a Report Generation Macro:
    In this scenario, menu floaties are turned off during report generation to prevent visual interference, and the setting is reverted afterward.
import xlwings as xw

def generate_report():
app = xw.apps.active
# Disable menu floaties
app.api.ShowMenuFloaties = False

# Generate report logic
wb = app.books.active
# ... code to format and populate the report ...

# Re-enable menu floaties
app.api.ShowMenuFloaties = True
print("Report generated with menu floaties managed.")

# Run the function
generate_report()

How to use Application.ShowDevTools in the xlwings API way

The ShowDevTools member of the Application object in Excel’s object model provides control over the visibility of the VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) development environment, commonly known as the VBA Editor or IDE (Integrated Development Environment). When automating Excel with xlwings, this property allows you to programmatically show or hide the VBA Editor window, which is useful during development, debugging, or when creating macros and user forms. It’s a Boolean property that can be set to True to display the editor or False to hide it, and it can also be read to check the current visibility state.

In xlwings, you access this property through the api property of the App or Book objects, which exposes the underlying Excel VBA object model. The syntax for using ShowDevTools is straightforward, as it maps directly to the Excel object model.

Syntax in xlwings:

  • To get the current visibility state: app.api.ShowDevTools
  • To set the visibility state: app.api.ShowDevTools = True or app.api.ShowDevTools = False

Where app is an instance of xw.App representing the Excel application. The property accepts and returns a Boolean value:

  • True: Makes the VBA Editor visible.
  • False: Hides the VBA Editor.

Note: This property is specific to the Excel application instance and affects the VBA Editor globally for that instance. It may not be available or have an effect if VBA is disabled or not installed (e.g., in some Excel runtime environments). Always ensure the Excel instance has VBA support.

Code Examples with xlwings:

  1. Showing the VBA Editor:
    This example starts an Excel application, makes it visible, and then opens the VBA Editor.
import xlwings as xw
# Start a new Excel application
app = xw.App(visible=True)
# Show the VBA Developer Tools (Editor)
app.api.ShowDevTools = True
# Keep the application open for demonstration
input("Press Enter to close Excel...")
app.quit()
  1. Toggling VBA Editor Visibility:
    This example checks the current state of the VBA Editor, toggles it, and prints a message.
import xlwings as xw
app = xw.App(visible=True)
# Get current visibility state
current_state = app.api.ShowDevTools
print(f"VBA Editor is currently visible: {current_state}")
# Toggle the state
app.api.ShowDevTools = not current_state
print(f"Toggled visibility. Now visible: {app.api.ShowDevTools}")
# Clean up
app.quit()
  1. Conditional Display Based on Debug Mode:
    In a script, you might want to show the VBA Editor only during debugging or development phases.
import xlwings as xw
DEBUG_MODE = True # Set to False in production
app = xw.App(visible=True)
if DEBUG_MODE:
    app.api.ShowDevTools = True
    print("Debug mode: VBA Editor shown.")
else:
    app.api.ShowDevTools = False
    print("Production mode: VBA Editor hidden.")
# Perform other automation tasks...
app.quit()