Hi, we’re using GridJS in read-only mode, which means users cannot edit any files. Given that the files are never editable, we’d like to disable formula evaluation on both the backend and frontend. Is that possible?
Thank you for reaching out regarding your requirements for GridJS.
In the backend, Aspose.Cells for GridJS typically triggers formula calculation when a workbook is loaded or when specific data changes occur. To prevent this, you can control the calculation behavior via the Config.AutoCalculation property. Setting this to false will ensure that the engine does not automatically evaluate formulas during the initialization or rendering process.
On the frontend, since you are using the control in read-only mode, the UI does not trigger re-calculations unless data is modified. By disabling the backend calculation as mentioned above, the grid will simply display the cached values stored in the spreadsheet file without performing new evaluations.
If you are using the latest version (26.8), please ensure your configuration is set before calling the load methods. We will continue to investigate if there are further specific optimizations for your read-only use case to ensure maximum performance.
Thank you for the clarification.
We are currently using GridJS version 25.3, so I’m not sure whether the Config.AutoCalculation property you mentioned is available in this version. Could you please confirm whether this configuration exists in 25.3 and, if so, where it should be configured?
Based on our understanding, the initialization flow involves passing GridJsOptions to GridJsService, and then using LoadOptions while loading the workbook. We have not been able to find any setting within these objects that allows us to control formula calculation behavior.
Additionally, one of our key requirements is to support cell selection and navigation using the keyboard arrow keys while the grid is in read-only mode. Is this functionality supported in GridJS 25.3? If so, could you please share the recommended configuration or implementation approach?
At the moment, the only way we have been able to achieve keyboard-based cell navigation is by keeping the grid in edit mode, which is not aligned with our intended user experience. Our goal is to retain a read-only grid while still allowing users to navigate and select cells using the arrow keys.
We would appreciate any guidance specific to version 25.3, as the information provided appears to be based on version 26.8.
Thank you for your follow-up questions regarding GridJS. Regarding your versioning query, please note that version 26.8 is not yet available as of August 2026; the current stable release is 26.8.
In version 25.3, the Config.AutoCalculation property is a client-side setting. You can disable automatic formula calculation by setting xs.sheet.config.AutoCalculation = false; in your JavaScript initialization code after the grid object is created. On the backend, since you are using GridJsService, formula evaluation is typically triggered during the UpdateCell or CalculateFormula calls. If you are strictly in read-only mode and not calling these methods, the backend will not perform additional calculations beyond what is already cached in the spreadsheet.
Regarding keyboard navigation in read-only mode, GridJS is designed to support cell selection and arrow key navigation even when editing is disabled. To achieve this in version 25.3, you should ensure the grid is initialized with the isReadOnly: true property in your client-side configuration. This allows the UI to maintain focus and handle keydown events for navigation without activating the cell editor.
We are currently investigating the specific behavior of keyboard events in the read-only state for version 25.3 to ensure there are no regressions. We will provide further updates here once we have more details on the recommended implementation approach for your specific requirements.