Chapter 28: Excel and the Internet
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Creating an HTML file
To save a workbook as an HTML file:- (Optional but recommended) Save the workbook as a normal Excel file.
- Choose File ➪ Save As to display the Save As dialog box.
- Select Web Page (.htm; .html) from the Save as Type drop-down list.
- Specify what to save (either Entire Workbook or the active sheet).
- Specify a filename and then choose a location for the file.
- Click Save to create the HTML file. Excel may display a message warning you that
some features in the workbook are not compatible with the Web page format. You can
just ignore this message.
Caution
Although Excel can open the HTML files that it creates, essential information is lost. For example, formulas are
lost, and charts appear as static graphic images. Therefore, if you might need to make changes later on, make
sure you keep a copy of your work in a standard Excel file format. n
Figure 28.2 shows how Sheet1 of the example file looks in a browser: Firefox, in this case. Notice
that the workbook’s sheet tabs appear along the bottom, and you can switch sheets just like you do
in Excel.In addition to the webpage1.htm file, Excel also created a folder named webpage1_files.
This folder contains additional files that must be kept with the main HTML file. Therefore, if you
post such a file on a Web server, don’t forget to also post the accompanying directory.Creating a single file Web page
In the previous section, I discuss how creating an HTML file with Excel also creates a folder of
additional files. The procedure for creating a Web page that uses a single file is exactly the same,
except for Step 3. In Step 3, select Single File Web Page (*.mht; *.mhtml) from the Save as Type
drop-down list.Figure 28.3 shows the example file displayed in Internet Explorer.Caution
As I mention previously, not all browsers can open single-file MHTM files. Two that can are Microsoft Internet
Explorer (IE) and Opera. Other browsers (such as Firefox and Google Chrome) may require an add-on to display
these files. n