Workbook Engine

This section explains how Formulon models, edits, recalculates, and saves workbooks. The runtime pages cover how to call the engine from each host; these pages cover what the engine does once called. The flow is the same on every host. Packaging, memory ownership, and error reporting are what differ.

The flow is the same on every host; only packaging, memory ownership and error reporting differ.

Read next

If the distinction between a formula and its cached value is new, start with Basic concepts. Then follow the lifecycle through calculation before exploring individual workbook features.

• Lifecycle — how bytes become a workbook model and back.
• Formula engine — value kinds, coordinates, function behavior.
• Formula language — localized formula input, display, and calculation profiles.
• Recalculation — dirty cells, dependencies, iterative settings, partial recalc.
• Dynamic arrays — spill behavior and shape-sensitive recalculation.
• Workbook operations — sheets, cells, styles, metadata, structures.
• Presentation and geometry — display text, themes, effective styles, dimensions, and pagination.
• Filters and validation — visible rows and proposed-value checks.
• Conditional formats — rules, differential formats, and evaluation for rendering.
• Comments and images — threaded discussions and anchored pictures.
• Charts — read, create, and edit charts, and resolve their series against cell values.
• File formats — OOXML, XLSB, and preservation boundaries.
• PivotTables — build and inspect cache-backed summaries.