robust_excel_ole 1.19.11 → 1.22

checksums.yaml

@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
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data/Changelog

@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
 # Change Log
 All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 
+## [1.22] 2020-10-08
 
-## [1.20] 2020-12-07
+## [1.21] 2020-05-08
+  
+### Added
+  - Range#rows, columns
+
+## [1.20] 2020-23-07
 
 ### Changed
   - using pry in console

data/README.rdoc

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ It supports handling workbooks across Excel instances by keeping track of workbo
 
 Library references are supported.
 
-RobustExcelOle works by sending VBA methods via Win32OlE. 
+RobustExcelOle works by sending VBA methods via WIN32OlE. 
 Therefore, it runs on Windows only.
 
 == Features
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ RobustExcelOle supports
 - availability of all VBA methods
 - availability of the Excel constants (in form if Ruby constants: Excel constant.capitalize)
 - all standard Excel file formats (.xlsx, .xls, .xlsm)
-- list objects
 - reopening workbooks after closing them
 - unobtrusively opening workbooks, i.e. opening and processing workbooks
   while preserving their status, e.g. saved, readonly
@@ -77,10 +76,10 @@ Let's open a workbook.
 
   workbook = Workbook.open 'spec/data/workbook.xls'
 
-Now we have a Workbook object that wraps a WIN32OLE object. That is, you can send any WIN32OLE (VBA) method to it. See 
+Now we have a Workbook object that wraps a WIN32OLE object. That is, we can send any WIN32OLE (VBA) method to it. See 
 https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/office/vba/api/excel.workbook#methods.
 
-For example, you can determine the name of the workbook.
+For example, we can determine the name of the workbook.
 
   workbook.Name 
   # => "workbook.xls"
@@ -122,11 +121,11 @@ RobustExcelOle allows unobtrusively reading and modifying workbooks, i.e. access
     # do something
   end
 
-You can also create a new, empty workbook. 
+We can also create a new, empty workbook. 
 
   Workbook.create('spec/data/new_workbook.xls', :visible => true)
 
-Moreover, you can open the workbook using a block, similar to, e.g., +File.open+. 
+Moreover, we can open the workbook using a block, similar to, e.g., +File.open+. 
 
   Workbook.open('spec/data/workbook.xls') do |workbook|
     # do something
@@ -318,33 +317,6 @@ and set another value to that range.
 
 For more details about reading and writing contents of cells and ranges see {README_ranges}[https://github.com/Thomas008/robust_excel_ole/blob/master/docs/README_ranges.rdoc]
 
-=== Reading and writing list objects
-
-We can define a list object (or table) from scratch.
-
-  table = ListObject.new(worksheet, "table 1", [1,1], 3,["Person","Amount"])
-
-This command creates a list object in worksheet named "table 1", with upper left corner at position [1,1] (first cell), with 3 rows and the columns "Person" and "Amount".
-
-A row in this table can be accessed with help of [], e.g.
-
-  table[1]
-
-Now we can set and get the value of a cell of the table, e.g.
-
-  table[1].person = "John"
-  table[1].person
-  # => "John"
-
-Likewise we can get a table with help of an existing Win32OlE table.
-
-  ole_listobject = worksheet.ListObjects.Item("Table 1")
-  table = ListObject.new(ole_listobject)
-
-   r4 = t4[1]
-r4.person
-# =>
-r.person = "John"
 
 === More things
 

data/bin/jreo

@@ -2,23 +2,26 @@
 # -*- jruby -*-
 
 require 'pry'
-require '../lib/robust_excel_ole'
+require '../robust_excel_ole/lib/robust_excel_ole'
 
 include REO
 include General
 
-puts 'REO console started'
-puts 
-
 # some pry configuration
 Pry.config.windows_console_warning = false
-Pry.config.history.should_save = true
+#Pry.config.history_save = true
 Pry.config.color = false
 #Pry.editor = 'notepad'  # 'subl', 'vi'
 #Pry.config.prompt =
-#  [
-#    ->(_obj, _nest_level, _) { ">> " },
-#    ->(*) { "  " }
-#  ]
+#[
+#->(_obj, _nest_level, _) { ">> " },
+#->(*) { "  " }
+#]
 
-pry
+hooks = Pry::Hooks.new
+
+hooks.add_hook :when_started, :hook12 do
+puts 'REO console started'
+puts
+end
+Pry.start(nil, hooks: hooks)

data/bin/reo

@@ -2,23 +2,26 @@
 # -*- ruby -*-
 
 require 'pry'
-require '../lib/robust_excel_ole'
+require '../robust_excel_ole/lib/robust_excel_ole'
 
 include REO
 include General
 
-puts 'REO console started'
-puts 
-
 # some pry configuration
 Pry.config.windows_console_warning = false
-Pry.config.history.should_save = true
+#Pry.config.history_save = true
 Pry.config.color = false
 #Pry.editor = 'notepad'  # 'subl', 'vi'
 #Pry.config.prompt =
-#  [
-#    ->(_obj, _nest_level, _) { ">> " },
-#    ->(*) { "  " }
-#  ]
+#[
+#->(_obj, _nest_level, _) { ">> " },
+#->(*) { "  " }
+#]
 
-pry
+hooks = Pry::Hooks.new
+
+hooks.add_hook :when_started, :hook12 do
+puts 'REO console started'
+puts
+end
+Pry.start(nil, hooks: hooks)

data/jreo.bat

@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 @echo off
 
-jirb -f -r ./lib/robust_excel_ole -r ./lib/jreo_console.rb
+jruby lib/reo_console.rb

data/lib/reo_console.rb

@@ -1,21 +1,24 @@
 require 'pry'
-require 'robust_excel_ole'
+require '../robust_excel_ole/lib/robust_excel_ole'
 
 include REO
 include General
 
-puts 'REO console started'
-puts 
-
 # some pry configuration
 Pry.config.windows_console_warning = false
-Pry.config.history.should_save = true
+#Pry.config.history_save = true
 Pry.config.color = false
 #Pry.editor = 'notepad'  # 'subl', 'vi'
 #Pry.config.prompt =
-#  [
-#    ->(_obj, _nest_level, _) { ">> " },
-#    ->(*) { "  " }
-#  ]
+#[
+#->(_obj, _nest_level, _) { ">> " },
+#->(*) { "  " }
+#]
 
-pry
+hooks = Pry::Hooks.new
+
+hooks.add_hook :when_started, :hook12 do
+puts 'REO console started'
+puts
+end
+Pry.start(nil, hooks: hooks)

data/lib/robust_excel_ole/bookstore.rb

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 module RobustExcelOle
 
+  # @private
   class Bookstore < Base
     
     def initialize
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ module RobustExcelOle
     def fetch(filename, options = { :prefer_writable => true })
       return nil unless filename
       filename = General.absolute_path(filename)
-      filename_key = General.canonize(filename)
+      filename_key = General.canonize(filename).downcase
       weakref_books = @filename2books[filename_key]
       return nil if weakref_books.nil? || weakref_books.empty?
 
@@ -69,9 +70,9 @@ module RobustExcelOle
     # stores a workbook
     # @param [Workbook] book a given book
     def store(book)
-      filename_key = General.canonize(book.filename)
+      filename_key = General.canonize(book.filename).downcase
       if book.stored_filename
-        old_filename_key = General.canonize(book.stored_filename)
+        old_filename_key = General.canonize(book.stored_filename).downcase
         # deletes the weak reference to the book
         @filename2books[old_filename_key].delete(book)
       end

data/lib/robust_excel_ole/cell.rb

@@ -20,10 +20,21 @@ module RobustExcelOle
       self.Value = value
     end
 
+    # @private
     def ole_cell
       @ole_range = @ole_range.MergeArea.Item(1,1) if @ole_range.MergeCells
     end
 
+    # @private
+    def to_s    
+      "#<Cell:" + " (#{@ole_range.Row},#{@ole_range.Column})" + ">"
+    end
+
+    # @private
+    def inspect 
+      self.to_s[0..-2] + " #{@ole_range.Parent.Name}" + ">" 
+    end
+
   private
 
     # @private

data/lib/robust_excel_ole/excel.rb

@@ -701,7 +701,7 @@ module RobustExcelOle
     # @param [String]  name  the name of the range
     # @param [Variant] value the contents of the range
     def []=(name, value)
-      set_namevalue_glob(name, value, :color => 42)
+      set_namevalue_glob(name, value)
     end
 
     # @private

data/lib/robust_excel_ole/general.rb

@@ -11,29 +11,36 @@ module General
   ::RANGES_JRUBY_BUG       = IS_JRUBY_PLATFORM && true
 
   @private
-  def network2hostnamesharepath(filename)
-    network = WIN32OLE.new('WScript.Network')
-    drives = network.enumnetworkdrives
-    drive_letter, filename_after_drive_letter = filename.split(':') 
-    # if filename starts with a drive letter not c and this drive exists,
-    # then determine the corresponding host_share_path
-    default_drive = File.absolute_path(".")[0]
-    if drive_letter != default_drive && drive_letter != filename  
-      for i in 0 .. drives.Count-1
-        next if i % 2 == 1
-        if drives.Item(i).gsub(':','') == drive_letter
-          hostname_share = drives.Item(i+1)  #.gsub('\\','/').gsub('//','')
-          break
-        end
+  NetworkDrive = Struct.new(:drive_letter, :network_name) do
+
+    def self.get_all(drives)
+      ndrives = []
+      count = drives.Count
+      (0..(count - 1)).step(2) do |i|
+        ndrives << NetworkDrive.new( drives.Item(i), drives.Item(i + 1).tr('\\','/'))
       end
-      hostname_share + filename_after_drive_letter if hostname_share
-    else
-      return filename
+      ndrives
     end
+
   end
 
+  @private
+  def hostnameshare2networkpath(filename)
+    return filename unless filename[0,2] == "//"
+    network = WIN32OLE.new('WScript.Network')
+    drives = network.enumnetworkdrives
+    network_drives = NetworkDrive.get_all(drives)
+    f_c = filename.dup
+    network_drive = network_drives.find do |d| 
+      e = f_c.sub!(d.network_name,d.drive_letter)
+      return e if e
+    end    
+    filename 
+  end  
+
   # @private
-  def absolute_path(file)     
+  def absolute_path(file)    
+    return file if file[0,2] == "//" 
     file[0,2] = './' if ::EXPANDPATH_JRUBY_BUG && file  =~ /[A-Z]:[^\/]/
     file = File.expand_path(file)
     file = RobustExcelOle::Cygwin.cygpath('-w', file) if RUBY_PLATFORM =~ /cygwin/
@@ -43,12 +50,13 @@ module General
   # @private
   def canonize(filename)
     raise TypeREOError, "No string given to canonize, but #{filename.inspect}" unless filename.is_a?(String)
-    filename = network2hostnamesharepath(filename)
-    normalize(filename).downcase
+    filename = hostnameshare2networkpath(filename)
+    normalize(filename) if filename
   end
 
   # @private
-  def normalize(path)      
+  def normalize(path)  
+    return unless path    
     path = path.gsub('/./', '/') + '/'
     path = path.gsub(/[\/\\]+/, '/')
     nil while path.gsub!(/(\/|^)(?!\.\.?)([^\/]+)\/\.\.\//, '\1')
@@ -90,9 +98,19 @@ class Array
     end
   end
 
+  def find_each_index find
+    found, index, q = -1, -1, []
+    while found
+      found = self[index+1..-1].index(find)
+      if found
+        index = index + found + 1
+        q << index
+      end
+    end
+    q
+  end
 end
 
-
 # @private
 class WIN32OLE
 
@@ -103,7 +121,7 @@ class WIN32OLE
     class2method = [
       {Excel => :Hwnd},
       {Workbook => :FullName},
-      {Worksheet => :Copy},
+      {Worksheet => :UsedRange},
       {RobustExcelOle::Range => :Row},
       {ListObject => :ListRows}
     ]
@@ -113,7 +131,7 @@ class WIN32OLE
       begin
         self.send(method)
         if classname == RobustExcelOle::Range && self.Rows.Count == 1 && self.Columns.Count == 1
-          return Cell.new(self)
+          return Cell.new(self, self.Parent)
         else
           return classname.new(self)
         end
@@ -164,6 +182,31 @@ class ::String
     word
   end
 
+  def delete_multiple_underscores
+    word = self
+    while word.index('__') do
+      word.gsub!('__','_')
+    end    
+    word
+  end
+
+  def replace_umlauts
+    word = self
+    word.gsub!('ä','ae')
+    word.gsub!('Ä','Ae')
+    word.gsub!('ö','oe')
+    word.gsub!('Ö','Oe')
+    word.gsub!('ü','ue')
+    word.gsub!('Ü','Ue')
+    #word.gsub!(/\x84/,'ae')
+    #word.gsub!(/\x8E/,'Ae')
+    #word.gsub!(/\x94/,'oe')
+    #word.gsub!(/\x99/,'Oe')
+    #word.gsub!(/\x81/,'ue')
+    #word.gsub!(/\x9A/,'Ue')
+    word
+  end
+
   # taken from http://apidock.com/rails/ActiveSupport/Inflector/constantize
   # File activesupport/lib/active_support/inflector/methods.rb, line 226
   def constantize # (camel_cased_word)

data/lib/robust_excel_ole/list_object.rb

@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ module RobustExcelOle
 
     attr_reader :ole_table
 
+    alias ole_object ole_table
+
     # constructs a list object (or table).
     # @param [Variable] worksheet_or_ole_listobject  a worksheet or a Win32Ole list object
     # @param [Variable] table_name_or_number         a table name or table number
@@ -58,31 +60,99 @@ module RobustExcelOle
         def initialize(row_number)
           @ole_listrow = @@ole_table.ListRows.Item(row_number)
         end
-       
+
+        # returns the value of the cell with given column name or number
+        # @param [Variant]  column number or column name
+        # @return [Variant] value of the cell 
+        def [] column_number_or_name
+          begin
+            ole_cell = @@ole_table.Application.Intersect(
+              @ole_listrow.Range, @@ole_table.ListColumns.Item(column_number_or_name).Range)
+            ole_cell.Value
+          rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+            raise TableRowError, "could not determine the value at column #{column_number_or_name}"
+          end
+        end
+
+
+        def []=(column_number_or_name, value)
+          begin
+            ole_cell = @@ole_table.Application.Intersect(
+              @ole_listrow.Range, @@ole_table.ListColumns.Item(column_number_or_name).Range)
+            ole_cell.Value = value
+          rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+            raise TableRowError, "could not assign value #{value.inspect} to cell at column #{column_number_or_name}"
+          end
+        end
+
+        # values of the row
+        # @return [Array] values of the row
+        def values
+          begin
+            @ole_listrow.Range.Value.first
+          rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+            raise TableError, "could not read values"
+          end
+        end
+
+        # sets the values of the row
+        # @param [Array] values of the row
+        def set_values values
+          begin
+            updated_values = self.values
+            updated_values[0,values.length] = values
+            @ole_listrow.Range.Value = [updated_values]
+            values
+          rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+            raise TableError, "could not set values #{values.inspect}"
+          end
+        end
+
+        # deletes the values of the row
+        def delete_values
+          begin
+            @ole_listrow.Range.Value = [[].fill(nil,0..(@@ole_table.ListColumns.Count)-1)]
+            nil
+          rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+            raise TableError, "could not delete values"
+          end
+        end
+
         def method_missing(name, *args)
-          name_before_last_equal = name.to_s.split('=').first
+          name_str = name.to_s
+          core_name = name_str[-1]!='=' ? name_str : name_str[0..-2]
           column_names = @@ole_table.HeaderRowRange.Value.first
-          method_names = column_names.map{|c| c.underscore.gsub(/[^[\w\d]]/, '_')}
-          column_name = column_names[method_names.index(name_before_last_equal)]
+          column_name = column_names.find do |c|
+            c == core_name ||  
+            c.gsub(/\W/,'') == core_name ||
+            c.replace_umlauts == core_name ||
+            c.gsub(/\W/,'').replace_umlauts == core_name ||
+            c.gsub(/\W/,'').replace_umlauts.underscore.gsub(/[^[\w\d]]/, '_').delete_multiple_underscores == core_name           
+          end
           if column_name
-            ole_cell = @@ole_table.Application.Intersect(
-              @ole_listrow.Range, @@ole_table.ListColumns(column_name).Range)
-            define_getting_setting_method(ole_cell,name.to_s)            
-            self.send(name, *args)
+            method_name = core_name.gsub(/\W/,'') + (name_str[-1]!='=' ? "" : "=")
+            define_and_call_method(column_name,method_name,*args)
           else
-            super
+            super(name, *args)
           end
         end
 
       private
 
-        def define_getting_setting_method(ole_cell,name_str)
-          if name_str[-1] != '='
-            self.class.define_method(name_str) do
+        def define_and_call_method(column_name,method_name,*args)
+          ole_cell = @@ole_table.Application.Intersect(
+              @ole_listrow.Range, @@ole_table.ListColumns.Item(column_name).Range)
+          define_getting_setting_method(ole_cell,method_name)            
+          self.send(method_name, *args)
+        end
+       
+        def define_getting_setting_method(ole_cell,name)
+          if name[-1] != '='
+            self.class.define_method(name) do
               ole_cell.Value
             end
           else
-            self.class.define_method(name_str) do |value|
+            self.class.define_method(name) do |value|
               ole_cell.Value = value
             end
           end
@@ -98,34 +168,208 @@ module RobustExcelOle
 
     end
 
+    # @return [Array] a list of column names
     def column_names
-      @ole_table.HeaderRowRange.Value.first
+      begin
+        @ole_table.HeaderRowRange.Value.first
+      rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+        raise TableError, "could not determine column names"
+      end
     end
 
-    def insert_column(position = 1, column_name = "")
-      @ole_table.ListColumns.Add
-      rename_column(position,column_name)
+    # adds a row
+    # @param [Integer] position of the new row
+    # @param [Array]   values of the column
+    def add_row(position = nil, contents = nil)
+      begin
+        @ole_table.ListRows.Add(position)
+        set_row_values(position, contents) if contents
+      rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+        raise TableError, ("could not add row" + (" at position #{position.inspect}" if position))
+      end
+    end
+
+    # adds a column    
+    # @param [String]  name of the column
+    # @param [Integer] position of the new column
+    # @param [Array]   values of the column
+    def add_column(column_name = nil, position = nil, contents = nil)
+      begin
+        new_column = @ole_table.ListColumns.Add(position)
+        new_column.Name = column_name if column_name
+        set_column_values(column_name, contents) if contents
+      rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError, TableError
+        raise TableError, ("could not add column"+ ("at position #{position.inspect} with name #{column_name.inspect}" if position))
+      end
     end
 
-    def delete_column(column_name_or_number)
-      @ole_table.ListColumns.Item(row_number).Delete
+    # deletes a row
+    # @param [Integer] position of the old row
+    def delete_row(row_number)
+      begin
+        @ole_table.ListRows.Item(row_number).Delete
+      rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+        raise TableError, "could not delete row #{row_number.inspect}"
+      end
     end
 
-    # insert row below row_number
-    def insert_row(position = 1)
-      @ole_table.ListRows.Add(position)
+    # deletes a column
+    # @param [Variant] column number or column name
+    def delete_column(column_number_or_name)
+      begin
+        @ole_table.ListColumns.Item(column_number_or_name).Delete
+      rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+        raise TableError, "could not delete column #{column_number_or_name.inspect}"
+      end
     end
 
-    def delete_row(row_number)
-      @ole_table.ListRows.Item(row_number).Delete
+    # deletes the contents of a row
+    # @param [Integer] row number
+    def delete_row_values(row_number)
+      begin
+        @ole_table.ListRows.Item(row_number).Range.Value = [[].fill(nil,0..(@ole_table.ListColumns.Count-1))]
+        nil
+      rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+        raise TableError, "could not delete contents of row #{row_number.inspect}"
+      end
     end
 
+    # deletes the contents of a column
+    # @param [Variant] column number or column name
+    def delete_column_values(column_number_or_name)
+      begin
+        column_name = @ole_table.ListColumns.Item(column_number_or_name).Range.Value.first
+        @ole_table.ListColumns.Item(column_number_or_name).Range.Value = [column_name] + [].fill([nil],0..(@ole_table.ListRows.Count-1))
+        nil
+      rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+        raise TableError, "could not delete contents of column #{column_number_or_name.inspect}"
+      end
+    end
+
+    # renames a row
+    # @param [String] previous name or number of the column
+    # @param [String] new name of the column   
     def rename_column(name_or_number, new_name)
-      column_names = @ole_table.HeaderRowRange.Value.first
-      position = name_or_number.respond_to?(:abs) ? name_or_number : (column_names.index(name_or_number) + 1)
-      column_names[position-1] = new_name
-      @ole_table.HeaderRowRange.Value = [column_names]
-      new_name
+      begin
+        @ole_table.ListColumns.Item(name_or_number).Name = new_name
+      rescue
+        raise TableError, "could not rename column #{name_or_number.inspect} to #{new_name.inspect}"
+      end
+    end
+
+    # contents of a row
+    # @param [Integer] row number
+    # @return [Array] contents of a row
+    def row_values(row_number)
+      begin
+        @ole_table.ListRows.Item(row_number).Range.Value.first
+      rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+        raise TableError, "could not read the values of row #{row_number.inspect}"
+      end
+    end
+
+    # sets the contents of a row
+    # @param [Integer] row number
+    # @param [Array]   values of the row
+    def set_row_values(row_number, values)
+      begin
+        updated_values = row_values(row_number)
+        updated_values[0,values.length] = values
+        @ole_table.ListRows.Item(row_number).Range.Value = [updated_values]
+        values
+      rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+        raise TableError, "could not set the values of row #{row_number.inspect}"
+      end
+    end
+
+    # @return [Array] contents of a column
+    def column_values(column_number_or_name)
+      begin
+        @ole_table.ListColumns.Item(column_number_or_name).Range.Value[1,@ole_table.ListRows.Count].flatten
+      rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+        raise TableError, "could not read the values of column #{column_number_or_name.inspect}"
+      end
+    end
+
+    # sets the contents of a column
+    # @param [Integer] column name or column number
+    # @param [Array]   contents of the column
+    def set_column_values(column_number_or_name, values)
+      begin
+        updated_values = column_values(column_number_or_name)
+        updated_values[0,values.length] = values
+        column_name = @ole_table.ListColumns.Item(column_number_or_name).Range.Value.first
+        @ole_table.ListColumns.Item(column_number_or_name).Range.Value = column_name + updated_values.map{|v| [v]}
+        values
+      rescue WIN32OLERuntimeError
+        raise TableError, "could not read the values of column #{column_number_or_name.inspect}"
+      end
+    end
+
+    # deletes rows that have an empty contents
+    def delete_empty_rows
+      listrows = @ole_table.ListRows
+      nil_array = [[].fill(nil,0..(@ole_table.ListColumns.Count-1))]
+      i = 1
+      while i <= listrows.Count do 
+        row = listrows.Item(i)
+        if row.Range.Value == nil_array
+          row.Delete
+        else
+          i = i+1
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    # deletes columns that have an empty contents
+    def delete_empty_columns
+      listcolumns = @ole_table.ListColumns
+      nil_array = [].fill([nil],0..(@ole_table.ListRows.Count-1))
+      i = 1
+      while i <= listcolumns.Count do 
+        column = listcolumns.Item(i)
+        if column.Range.Value[1..-1] == nil_array
+          column.Delete
+        else
+          i = i+1
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    # finds all cells containing a given value
+    # @param[Variant] value to find
+    # @return [Array] win32ole cells containing the given value
+    def find_cells(value)
+      listrows = @ole_table.ListRows      
+      result = []
+      (1..listrows.Count).each do |row_number|
+        row_values(row_number).find_each_index(value).each do |col_number|
+          result << @ole_table.Application.Intersect(listrows.Item(row_number).Range, 
+                                                     @ole_table.ListColumns.Item(col_number+1).Range).to_reo
+        end
+      end
+      result
+    end
+
+    # sorts the rows of the list object according to the given column
+    # @param [Variant] column number or name
+    # @option opts [Symbol]   sort order
+    def sort(column_number_or_name, sort_order = :ascending)
+      key_range = @ole_table.ListColumns.Item(column_number_or_name).Range
+      @ole_table.Sort.SortFields.Clear
+      sort_order_option = sort_order == :ascending ? XlAscending : XlDescending
+      @ole_table.Sort.SortFields.Add(key_range, XlSortOnValues,sort_order_option,XlSortNormal)
+      @ole_table.Sort.Apply
+    end
+
+    # @private
+    # returns true, if the list object responds to VBA methods, false otherwise
+    def alive?
+      @ole_table.ListRows
+      true
+    rescue
+      # trace $!.message
+      false
     end
 
     # @private
@@ -136,10 +380,12 @@ module RobustExcelOle
     # @private
     def inspect    
       "#<ListObject:" + "#{@ole_table.Name}" + 
-      " size:#{@ole_table.ListRows.Count}x#{@ole_table.ListColumns.Count}" +
-      " worksheet:#{@ole_table.Parent.Name}" + " workbook:#{@ole_table.Parent.Parent.Name}" + ">"
+      " #{@ole_table.ListRows.Count}x#{@ole_table.ListColumns.Count}" +
+      " #{@ole_table.Parent.Name}" + " #{@ole_table.Parent.Parent.Name}" + ">"
     end
 
+    include MethodHelpers
+
   private
 
     def method_missing(name, *args) 
@@ -167,6 +413,10 @@ module RobustExcelOle
   class TableError < WorksheetREOError
   end
 
+  # @private
+  class TableRowError < WorksheetREOError
+  end
+
   Table = ListObject
   TableRow = ListRow