I don't think ADO will give you access to the formula, only the value. ADO
is a data access technology, and looks at all sources as a set of data.

If you want to get at the formula, you should use automation.

--
HTH

Bob Phillips

"Rob Oldfield" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm trying to write something in .Net which will look at an Excel file and
be able to read the formualae within it. I'd prefer not to do this via
automation and I'm currently trying it via an ADO connection. My
connection
string is along the lines of

Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=h:\excelsearch\1.xls;Extended
Properties="Excel 8.0;HDR=No;IMEX=1"

...but that is returning the value of a cell, instead of the underlying
formula. Does anyone know if I can change the connection string in some
way
so that I get the formulae, or have any bright ideas on another way of
getting at the data?

Many thanks for any ideas.