How to use Application.MouseAvailable in the xlwings API way

The Application.MouseAvailable property in Excel’s object model is a read-only property that returns a Boolean value indicating whether a mouse is available on the system. This can be useful in scenarios where your automation script needs to adapt its behavior based on the presence of a mouse, such as avoiding mouse-dependent operations on systems without one, or providing alternative user interface cues. In xlwings, you access this property through the Application object, which is typically represented by the app object when you connect to an Excel instance.

The syntax in xlwings for accessing the MouseAvailable property is straightforward, as it maps directly to the underlying Excel object model. You can retrieve its value using the following format:

app.mouse_available

Here, app is an instance of the xlwings App class, which represents the Excel application. The property does not take any parameters, and it returns True if a mouse is available, or False otherwise. This is a property, so you read it like an attribute; you cannot set or modify its value.

For example, consider a situation where you are developing a macro or an automated report that includes interactive elements like shapes or buttons that require mouse clicks for user interaction. Before executing such mouse-dependent steps, you might want to check for mouse availability to ensure the script runs smoothly or to log an appropriate message. Below is a practical xlwings code example:

import xlwings as xw

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

# Check if a mouse is available
if app.mouse_available:
    print("Mouse is available. Proceeding with mouse-dependent operations.")
    # For instance, you could activate a worksheet and select a range
    wb = app.books.active
    ws = wb.sheets[0]
    ws.range("A1").select() # This selection might rely on mouse interaction in some contexts
else:
    print("No mouse detected. Skipping mouse-dependent steps or using keyboard alternatives.")
    # Implement fallback logic, such as using keyboard shortcuts or focusing on data processing only