After months of work, xlsgen 3.5 is available for download. This is a major release. A new license is needed.

We think a number of scenarios get a lot improved.


Chart rendering engine


example of chart rendering from xlsgen 3.5

xlsgen with its own chart rendering engine means the following :

- Native 64-bit rendering scenarios
- Trivial deployment : no more Microsoft OWC (Office Web Components) deployment / registration
- Print scenarios
- Comprehensive (all chart types, all chart formattings)
- Fast
- Excel XLS and XLSX compatible
- No more third-party dependency (Microsoft OWC component, which is not supported anymore)



New PDF engine


selectable text in a PDF file created by xlsgen 3.5


- Selectable text
- Copy/paste elsewhere
- Scalable layout
- Up to 90% reduction in file size
- Up to 50% faster
- Up to 50% reduction in memory use




Separate 64-bit package

No longer hassles for installing, registering and using 64-bit software. The package is stand-alone and is seamless.




Setup split

No longer needed to download the same bits over and over again. The documentation, for instance, can be downloaded separately. Note that since day one the documentation has also been available online, so there is never an obvious need for downloading the documentation anyway.

Beginning with xlsgen 3.5, the main setup is split into smaller coherent pieces.

The first split is between 32-bit and 64-bit. One setup is 6 MB in size and installs the 32-bit version of xlsgen, which means the 32-bit dll and .exe built on top of it, as well as sample code. This setup is marked 3.5.0.x (32-bit).

Another setup is also 6 MB in size and installs the 64-bit version of xlsgen as well as sample code. This setup is marked 3.5.0.x (64-bit).

Another split is about the documentation. The documentation is actually online as well as offline so there is no reason to download the offline documentation every time we ship an update. The documentation is now separate as a 5 MB file, xlsgen.chm, available for download on our website.

It's been two years that all Windows units sold out there are 64-bit. xlsgen supports 64-bit since xlsgen 2.5 - shipped in 2007 - but it has never been a 64-bit first product. Beginning with xlsgen 3.5, we have a much cleaner approach that we think our customers will appreciate.

First of all, we have a full 64-bit setup package and a separate full 32-bit setup package. Customers will be able to download really only the bits they need.

Even better, the 64-bit setup package is not only a bunch of 64-bit dlls. It is truly 64-bit native meaning that it installs in Program files, not in Program files (x86). On a 64-bit operating system, Program files (x86) is the folder for 32-bit applications and dlls. It made little sense to install 64-bit software there. This is now fixed.

The 64-bit dll is registered as a COM component as part of the install, which means it is ready for use immediately. No need for a manual registration anymore.