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Introduction

There are two approaches to running Excel in Condor jobs, one involving the Windows Scripting Host and the other involving embedded VBA code in the Excel workbooks. The following are examples for either approach.

COM Automation

Condor can be used to run COM automation jobs using the Windows Scripting Host (WSH). This means, for example, Condor can run jobs that automate Microsoft Excel. What follows is a step-by-step introduction to running Excel 'jobs' in Condor.

Configuration

First, you need to create a new administrative user that will be used to run Excel jobs under. We assume, for convenience, that this account name is excel.

To configure the Excel DCOM object, do the following:

  1. Login to the execute machine as an Administrator.
  2. Click, Start, click Run and enter dcomcnfg.
  3. This will bring up the Component Services window.
  4. Click Console Root, click Component Services, click Computers, and finally, click DCOM Config.
  5. Right click on the Microsoft Excel Application component and select Properties.
  6. In the General tab, select None in the Authentication Level drop-down list.
  7. In the Identity tab, click This user, and enter the name of the administrative account, excel, and its password.
  8. Click the OK button.

NOTE: This will render Excel almost inoperable on this machine for any interactive users. Also, this has only been tested on Vista; the requirements of any future or past versions of Windows may differ slightly.

Example 

  universe     = vanilla
  executable   = excel.simple.vbs
  log          = excel.simple.log.txt
  error        = excel.simple.err.txt
  output       = excel.simple.out.txt
  load_profile = true
  queue 1


  On Error Resume Next


  WScript.Echo "Creating Excel Application Object"


  Set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
  Set objBooks = objExcel.Workbooks


  WScript.Echo "Creating a Workbook"


  Set objWorkbook = objBooks.Add()


  WScript.Echo "Generating Data"


  For i = 1 to 10
      objExcel.Cells(i, 1).Value = i
  Next


  WScript.Echo "Document Filed"


  Set objFS = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
  sCurPath  = objFS.GetAbsolutePathName(".")
  sFileName = sCurPath & "\" & "test.xlsx"


  objWorkbook.SaveAs(sFileName)


  WScript.Echo "Document Saved"


  objWorkbook.Close()


  WScript.Echo "Document Closed"


  objExcel.Quit()
  WScript.Echo "Done"
  WScript.Exit 0

Test Run

Let's take a look at what the script returns. First, submit the job: 

  C:\condor-jobs\scripts>condor_submit excel.simple.sub
  Submitting job(s).
  Logging submit event(s).
  1 job(s) submitted to cluster 77.

Once the job has completed, dump the output file: 

  C:\condor-jobs\scripts>more excel.simple.out.txt
  Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.7
  Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.


  Creating Excel Application Object
  Creating a Workbook
  Generating Data
  Document Filed
  Document Saved
  Document Closed
  Done

Embedded VBA

For people who wish to dispatch an Excel workbook to another machine for calculation, saving, and then closing of Excel and the return of the workbook, a fairly straightforward solution is to use a VBA script and modifying a setting in the Excel that one uses to view the workbook's contents.

The embedded VBA is in the actual workbook so instead of calling a script to execute Excel, Condor directly calls it. In this example, the script uses a variable, ForceFullCalculation, for its own purposes and checks if it is true. If it is, it clears it, saves the workbook, and exits once the recalculations are done. The next time the user wants to send the workbook out for recalculations, they'll need to set ForceFullCalculation to true again.

Example 

  universe     = vanilla
  executable   = excel
  log          = excel.embeddedvba.log.txt
  error        = excel.embeddedvba.err.txt
  output       = excel.embeddedvba.out.txt
  load_profile = true
  arguments    = /e filelocation
  queue 1


  Option Explicit
  On Error Resume Next


  Dim notCondor as Boolean


  Private Sub Workbook_Open()


    If ActiveWorkbook.ForceFullCalculation Then


      ActiveWorkbook.ForceFullCalculation = False
      ActiveWorkbook.RefreshAll
      ActiveWorkbook.Save
      Application.Quit


    Else


      notCondor = True


    End If


  End Sub