File Content Extraction 25.3
Filter SDK C Programming Guide

# Hidden Data in Microsoft Excel Documents

DEPRECATED: The options in this section are deprecated in File Content Extraction version 24.4 and later. Use the fpSetConfig() function `KVFLT_SHOWHIDDENTEXT` and `KVFLT_SHOWFORMULAS` options instead. The options in this section are still available, but might be removed in a future release.

There are several types of hidden data in Microsoft Excel documents, each of which has a corresponding flag in the KV_CONFIG_Arg structure, which you can toggle to determine whether the hidden data is shown.

The following table lists each data type, its default behavior, and its corresponding configuration API flag.

Hidden Data Type | Default Behavior | KV_CONFIG_Arg flag
--- | --- | ---
Hidden sheets | Not output | `KV_SS_SHOWHIDDENINFOR`
Formulas | Calculated value | `KV_SS_SHOWFORMULAS`
Values and formulas | Calculated value | `KV_SS_SHOWVALUESANDFORMULAS`

To toggle the display of any type of hidden data

1. Define the configurable argument variable to use in the KV_CONFIG_Arg structure. For example:

       KV_CONFIG_Arg setArg = {0}

2. Set the `KV_ALL_OVERWRITECONFIGFILE` flag to override the configuration file settings. For example:

       setArg.keyID = KV_ALLFLAGS;
       setArg.keyType = KV_INT32ARG;
       setArg.keyData.intArg = KV_ALL_OVERWRITECONFIGFILE;

   NOTE: To re-enable configuration file settings later, set `!KV_ALL_OVERWRITECONFIGFILE`.

3. Assign values to the members of the variable. For example:

       setArg.keyID = KV_SSFLAGS;
       setArg.keyType = KV_INT32ARG;
       setArg.keyData.intArg = KV_SS_SHOWHIDDENINFOR;

4. Call fpSetConfig() with the following arguments to set the variable:

   Argument | Parameter
   --- | ---
   `nType` | `KVFLT_SetConfigurableArguments`
   `nValue` | `TRUE`
   `pData` | The variable defined in step 1.

   For example:

       (*fpSetConfig)(pKVFilter, KVFLT_SetConfigurableArguments, TRUE, &setArg)

## Example

The following example overrides the configuration file settings and enables filtering of formulas.

    KV_CONFIG_Arg setArg = {0};

    setArg.keyID = KV_ALLFLAGS;
    setArg.keyType = KV_INT32ARG;
    setArg.keyData.intArg = KV_ALL_OVERWRITECONFIGFILE;

    fpKV_FilterConfig(pFilter, KVFLT_SetConfigurableArguments, TRUE, &setArg);

    setArg.keyID = KV_SSFLAGS;
    setArg.keyType = KV_INT32ARG;
    setArg.keyData.intArg = KV_SS_SHOWFORMULAS;

    fpKV_FilterConfig(pFilter, KVFLT_SetConfigurableArguments, TRUE, &setArg);

The following intArg could be used to enable both hidden sheets and formulas:

    setArg.keyData.intArg = KV_SS_SHOWHIDDENINFOR | KV_SS_SHOWFORMULAS;

## See Also

- Hidden Text - Microsoft Excel
- Formulas - Microsoft Excel

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Version 25.3 | Last updated July 2025

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Product: File Content Extraction 25.3

Topic Title: Hidden Data in Microsoft Excel Documents