Microsoft Dynamics AX (Archived)

AX Save As Type for Excel File Export

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Posted on by Community Member

Is there a way to "force" the excel extension to default xlsx (but not xls) by changing the AX class(es)?

For example: SysExcelHelper > getFileExtensions

Your help is greatly appreciated!

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André Arnaud de Cal... 301,109 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hi,

Can you explain exactly where and why you would need this?

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Community Member on at

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I think this might help you .. " technet.microsoft.com/.../gg731844.aspx "The old format of excel was xls and the new format would be xlsx. Might be installing a new add-on to your system might work.

Thanks and Regards

Sandeep

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When I run AX on the server, the default Save as Excel extension on the print destination is "xlsx" and the file export is successfully done. For some reason the extension shows as "xls" if run it on the client and the export is failing. I can manually put the "x" back to the extension with the filename before I run the job as a workaround. However, we have to deploy AX to all our client's machine meaning it will become a big training issue.

I believe that the AX is reading MS version on the client to decide file extension showing on the save as dialog box. I have MS Excel 2010 installed on the local machine for sure. I also blocked the Excel 97-2003 workbooks from the Trust Center Settings on Excel, but still not solving the issue.

There are 2 classes in AX that I think it might be the place causing the problem, if the excel version is not reading correctly.

SysExcelApplication construct()

excelVersion = str2num(excel.version());

    if (excelVersion >= 12.0)
        ret = SysExcelApplication_2007::construct(excel);
    else if (excelVersion >= 10.0)
        ret = SysExcelApplication_XP::construct(excel);
    else
        ret = SysExcelApplication_2000::construct(excel);
    return ret;

/// <summary>
///    Gets the default file name extension used for this version of Microsoft Office Excel.
/// </summary>
/// <returns>
///    The default file name extension used for this version of Microsoft Office Excel.
/// </returns>
/// <remarks>
///    The default extension for Microsoft Office Excel 2007 is XLSX. The default extension for earlier
///    versions is XLS.
/// </remarks>
public str getFileExtension()
{
    if (sysExcelApplication.version() == MSOfficeVersion::Office2007)
    {
        return strReplace(#XLSX, '*', '');
    }
    else
    {
        return strReplace(#XLS, '*', '');
    }
}

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Vilmos Kintera 46,149 on at

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In most of the cases AX does use the local user accounts' settings ie. for default printers. I would imagine that the AX client accounts' Excel settings are driving the default format, so you should check the Excel settings and registry keys.

I only have access to the latest 2016 version and can confirm that you could pick a default file format within the Excel options, probably there is something similar for you too:

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Community Member on at

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I have the same setup on my local Excel Options but I still get "Microsoft Excel 97-2003 Worksheet (*.xls)" on the AX Save As diolog box.

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We had couple of excel add-in issues on server connection information, so we decided to take this off from the project scope for now.

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Do you know which CLSID (local registry - HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT) is using/reading by AX for excel file export?

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André Arnaud de Cal... 301,109 Super User 2025 Season 2 on at

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Hi RH-AXC,

When I read the coding above, this is now only evaluating Office 2007 to have XLSX.

Try to change a part: (check if you need to add excelVersion as variable in this method or not.)

public str getFileExtension()

{

excelVersion = str2num(excel.version());

if (excelVersion >= 12.0) //Office 2007 or above

{

return strReplace(#XLSX, '*', '');

}

else

{

return strReplace(#XLS, '*', '');

}

}

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IvanovAntonGr 5 on at

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SSRS 2012/2014 will render the report in XLSX format (Excel 2007 and above) regardless of the Excel version installed on the client (you may not have Excel installed at all).

What you encounter is probably an XLS file extension that AX mistakenly adds to the file name (with a subsequent error while saving the report).

The solution is simple - make sure the user (or AD group) has Browser permission (at least) for the top Home folder in SSRS (not the DynamicsAX folder, but the Home folder).

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