Read-only: look at a workbook before changing it (grid view, cells, queries, find, tables, audits, checks). Never changes a file, and works while it is open in Excel. To change anything use xl_edit, xl_format, xl_structure, xl_workbook or xl_app. Ops, one per line, as name(required; opt optional): what it does. path, backup and verify_com are not repeated; xl_help shows them:

• get_workbook_metadata(): Read sheets, true used ranges, names, tables and a hazard summary; the call to orient before editing.

• get_grid_view(opt location sheet max_rows max_cols values): Show a sheet or range as a compact A1 table with formula and merge markers, plus an anchor token for later edits.

• read_range(location; opt values sheet): Read a cell or range by location; values='displayed' gives the text Excel shows, 'both' labels each value.

• get_cells(cells; opt values sheet): Read many individually addressed cells in one call, the scatter complement to the rectangular read_range.

• query_range(opt location sheet header columns where match order_by aggregate group_by limit offset distinct records values): Filter, sort, page and aggregate a range on the server, so only the rows and columns needed come back.

• find_cells(query; opt look_in match match_case sheet location limit offset): Find every cell whose value or formula matches (exact, contains or regex), with its address; pages with limit and offset.

• get_table(name; opt columns values records): Read a table's data by its name (case-insensitive).

• diagnose_workbook(): Scan for fragile parts (pivots, slicers, shapes, macros, queries) a file save would drop, and recommend the route.

• validate(opt checks): Run read-only checks (default structure, references, calc_staleness) and return one report.

• audit_formulas(opt location sheet): Audit formulas in a range, sheet or workbook: external references, volatile functions, missing cached values, errors. More ops follow, in the same format, in the op parameter's description.

Values and formulas: set one or many cells, write, clear, copy or move ranges, the batch editor (apply_edits), find and replace, and CSV, TSV or JSON import. A string starting with '=' is always stored as a formula. Formatting is xl_format; sheets, rows and tables are xl_structure. Every change backs the file up first, saves atomically and verifies after writing. Refuses a workbook open in Excel, and a workbook whose fragile parts a save would drop unless allow_loss is true. Ops, one per line, as name(required; opt optional): what it does. path, backup and verify_com are not repeated; xl_help shows them:

• set_cell(location, value; opt sheet allow_loss): Write one cell by location; a string starting with '=' is always stored as a formula.

• set_cells(cells; opt sheet echo_cells allow_loss): Write many individually addressed cells as ONE atomic batch, the scatter complement to write_range.

• write_range(location, data; opt sheet parse_dates echo_cells allow_loss): Write a rectangular 2D block of values and formulas from the location's top-left cell; ragged rows are refused.

• clear_range(location; opt what sheet allow_loss): Clear a cell or range: what='contents' removes values and formulas, 'formats' resets styles to default, 'all' does both.

• copy_range(source, dest; opt what adjust_formulas sheet allow_loss): Copy a source rectangle to a destination anchor (location objects, may name different sheets).

• move_range(source, dest; opt sheet allow_loss): Move a rectangle on the same sheet, rewriting every reference into it so references follow the cells.

• apply_edits(edits; opt echo_cells allow_loss): Apply many addressed edits as ONE atomic batch.

• replace_cells(find, replace; opt look_in match match_case sheet location dry_run formulas allow_loss): Find and replace across a workbook, sheet or range (exact, contains or regex); dry_run=true changes nothing. More ops follow, in the same format, in the op parameter's description.

How cells look and what sits on the sheet: number formats, fonts, fills, borders, named styles, the format painter, column widths and row heights, merges, conditional formats, comments, hyperlinks, images, charts and sheet view. Values are xl_edit. Every change backs the file up first; refuses a workbook open in Excel. Ops, one per line, as name(required; opt optional): what it does. path, backup and verify_com are not repeated; xl_help shows them:

• format_cells(location; opt number_format font fill border alignment sheet allow_loss): Apply formatting to a range, merging onto the existing style so unspecified attributes are preserved.

• apply_style(style; opt location define sheet allow_loss): Apply a NAMED cell style to a range, optionally defining it first.

• copy_format(source, dest; opt sheet allow_loss): Copy one cell's complete format onto every cell of a destination range, leaving values untouched.

• set_dimensions(opt sheet column_widths row_heights autofit_columns hide_columns hide_rows group_rows group_columns ungroup_rows ungroup_columns outline_summary allow_loss): Set column widths and row heights, hide or group rows and columns; autofit here is an estimate (xl_app com_autofit is exact).

• set_merge(action; opt location sheet confirm_data_loss allow_loss): Merge or unmerge cell ranges, or list every merge.

• manage_conditional_format(action; opt location cf_type params sheet index allow_loss): Add, list or delete conditional-formatting rules (cell_is, formula, color scales, data bars, icon sets and more).

• manage_comment(action; opt location text author sheet allow_loss): Add, edit, delete or list cell notes; list also reads threaded comments. Leave author out to sign with the user's own name, or pass author="assistant" to sign as "AI Assistant via KS4XL". More ops follow, in the same format, in the op parameter's description.

Workbook structure: add, rename, delete or hide sheets, insert or delete rows and columns (references are rewritten), tables, named ranges, sort, filters and data validation. Values are xl_edit. Every change backs the file up first; refuses a workbook open in Excel. Ops, one per line, as name(required; opt optional): what it does. path, backup and verify_com are not repeated; xl_help shows them:

• manage_worksheet(action; opt sheet new_name index state allow_loss): Add, delete, rename, copy, reorder, hide or unhide a sheet; rename rewrites references to it and delete turns them into #REF!, as Excel does.

• modify_grid_structure(action, at; opt count sheet allow_loss): Insert or delete rows or columns and rewrite every reference on every sheet; references inside a deleted band become #REF!.

• create_table(location, name; opt header style row_stripes col_stripes totals_row totals sheet allow_loss): Turn a range into an Excel table (ListObject) named name.

• manage_table(name, action; opt values index column new_name new_ref style on totals row_stripes col_stripes sheet allow_loss): Add or delete rows and columns, rename, resize, toggle totals, restyle or unlist the table named name (action).

• manage_name(action; opt name refers_to scope new_name allow_loss): Add, delete, rename, update or list defined names; an ambiguous name refuses until scope is given.

• sort_range(location, keys; opt has_header sheet allow_loss): Sort a range or table body by one or more keys, writing the rows back reordered.

• set_filter(location; opt criteria sheet allow_loss): Apply an autofilter and hide the rows that do not meet all criteria; rows with uncalculated formulas stay visible.

• clear_filter(opt location sheet allow_loss): Remove the autofilter from a sheet and unhide the rows it hid, the reverse of set_filter. More ops follow, in the same format, in the op parameter's description.

Whole files: create, copy, backups, document properties, protection, page layout, headers and footers, and export of a range or sheets to CSV, TSV or JSON. Exports never overwrite the workbook or its backups. Edits inside a sheet belong to the other tools; manage_backups lists, restores and snapshots the automatic backups. Ops, one per line, as name(required; opt optional): what it does. path, backup and verify_com are not repeated; xl_help shows them:

• create_workbook(opt sheets overwrite): Create a new .xlsx workbook at path with the given sheet names (default a single 'Sheet1').

• copy_workbook(src, dst; opt overwrite): Copy a workbook byte for byte from src to dst; an existing dst is replaced only with overwrite=true, after a backup.

• manage_backups(action; opt path directory source scope dry_run label dest_dir): List, restore, purge or snapshot the automatic backups (prev and anchor slots, and the copies deletes and clears keep); purge is a dry run unless dry_run=false.

• set_workbook_properties(opt title author subject keywords category comments calc_mode full_calc_on_load iterative_calc max_iterations max_change allow_loss): Set document properties and calculation settings (mode, full calc on load, iteration); with none it reports them.

• set_protection(action; opt sheet password options unlock_ranges locked structure windows scope allow_loss): Protect or unprotect sheets and workbook structure; advisory only, not encryption (xl_app com_save_with_password encrypts).

• set_page_layout(opt sheet orientation paper_size margins scale fit_to_width fit_to_height print_area print_title_rows print_title_cols gridlines headings allow_loss): Set print settings: orientation, paper size, margins, scale or fit, print area and repeated titles; unset values stay.

• set_header_footer(opt sheet header footer apply_to raw allow_loss): Write the three-section page headers and footers. More ops follow, in the same format, in the op parameter's description.

Needs Microsoft Excel on Windows: full recalculation, real pivot tables, PDF export, sheet render to PNG, format conversion, password encryption, exact autofit, goal seek, sparklines and the opens-clean check. Reads go through xl_read, and cell, format and structure edits through xl_edit, xl_format and xl_structure. Ops that change the workbook back it up first. These ops run in a private hidden Excel that this server starts and closes. They never attach to or change the user's own Excel, and a workbook the user has open in Excel is refused, not edited. Ops, one per line, as name(required; opt optional): what it does. path, backup and verify_com are not repeated; xl_help shows them:

• recalculate(opt engine timeout_seconds allow_network): Recalculate every formula in a hidden Excel and save the results; a circular reference is named.

• com_manage_pivot(action; opt name source_sheet source_range dest_sheet dest_cell rows columns filters values timeout_seconds allow_network): Create, refresh, delete or list real pivot tables through Excel.

• com_export_pdf(output; opt scope sheet range_a1 overwrite timeout_seconds allow_network): Export to PDF via Excel's real renderer.

• com_render_sheet(output; opt sheet range_a1 overwrite timeout_seconds allow_network): Render a sheet or range to a PNG exactly as Excel shows it; the workbook is not changed.

• com_convert_format(output; opt format overwrite timeout_seconds allow_network): Convert the workbook to xlsx, xlsm, xlsb, xls, csv or ods with Excel's own Save As; the source is never overwritten.

• com_save_with_password(password; opt current_password timeout_seconds allow_network): Encrypt the workbook with Excel's real password encryption; the password cannot be recovered, so keep the backup.

• com_autofit(opt sheet columns rows timeout_seconds allow_network): True column and row autofit using Excel's real text metrics (the file tier can only estimate widths). More ops follow, in the same format, in the op parameter's description.

Read-only help. Call it when an op's arguments are unclear or after a BAD_PARAMS refusal. With no arguments it lists every tool and its ops; with op it returns that op's full arguments, an example call and the tool that runs it; topic='location' explains the location object. Reads no file.