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Microsoft SDK for OpenXML formats - June 2007 Technology Preview

Whilst you don't have to use any Microsoft tools or technology to create, manipulate or consume OpenXML files, Microsoft does provide a library for accessing these files as part of the .Net 3.0 (aka WinFX) technologies in the System.IO.Packaging namespace.

Brian Jones reports that Microsoft announced the release of an early preview of a managed API for the Open XML formats today at TechEd . This SDK is built on top of the System.IO.Packaging API and provides strongly typed part classes to manipulate Open XML documents. It's available for download from here and there's an online version here.

Essentially this one more tool that will help developers be more productive by making it quicker and easier to build solutions using OpenXML.

The documentation includes a class diagram (above) and fifteen "How to" documents:-

1. How to: Add a New Part to an Office Open XML Package by Using the Open XML Object Model
2. How to: Add an Image Part to an Office Open XML Package by Using the Open XML Object Model
3. How to: Copy the Contents of an Office Open XML Package Part to a Part in a Different Package by Using the Open XML Object Model
4. How to: Create an Office Open XML Package by Using the Open XML Object Model
5. How to: Duplicate an Existing Part from an Office Open XML Package by Using the Open XML Object Model
6. How to: Get the Contents of a Part from an Office Open XML Package by Using the Open XML Object Model
7. How to: Get Worksheet Information from an Office Open XML Package by Using the Open XML Object Model
8. How to: Insert Custom XML to an Office Open XML Package by Using the Open XML Object Model
9. How to: Remove a Part from an Office Open XML Package by Using the Open XML Object Model
10. How to: Replace a Part in an Office Open XML Package by Using the Open XML Object Model
11. How to: Retrieve Comments from a Word 2007 Document by Using the Open XML Object Model
12. How to: Retrieve Property Values from a Word 2007 Document by Using the Open XML Object Model
13. How to: Validate the Contents of a Part in an Office Open XML Package by Using the Open XML Object Model
14. How to: Validate an Office Open XML Package by Using the Open XML Object Model
15. How to: Validate the Contents of a Part in an Office Open XML Package by Using the Open XML Object Model

Using the SDK is simple, you just need to install it, and add a reference to it in your project.

Then code away!