How to parse XML in Excel 2011 for Mac?

Question

I have some VBA code for accessing various XML-based web APIs from Excel (2007, 2010), and have just run up against a user who is on a Mac running Excel 2011. The code I've developed depends on a reference to MS XML 6.0, which apparently isn't available on the Mac.

This seems to be a problem others have run up against with no resolution.

1. Does anyone know of a replacement for MS XML 6.0 on the Mac, or a workaround?
2. Is it possible for the user to just download and install the relevant .dll?

Solution 1

One cross-platform solution is to use a QueryTable like this one, that would certainly be better than rolling your own xml handler for the mac.

Solution 2

I see that your first question has been answered. For your second question: no, the Mac user cannot just install the appropriate .dll. DLL is a Dynamic Link Library, which provides Windows applications with specific functionality. Neither OS X nor Excel:Mac can do anything with a DLL file, just as OS X can't do anything with a Windows executable .exe file. If rewriting the code to make it work cross-platform isn't in the cards, you could ask your Mac user to run Excel 2010 via a virtualization application or by dual-booting into Windows.

Comments

[Jamie Bull]

I like the look of that. I hadn't seen the Google Docs implementation though. That's really sweet!

[James Snell]

Yeah but it's google which effectively makes it completely unfit for business use in my experience. :)

[Jamie Bull]

Agreed. An implementation of importXML() that works in Excel would be great.