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RE: Converting XML File to Excel


Subject: RE: Converting XML File to Excel
From: "Robert C. Lyons" <boblyons@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 4 May 2000 00:22:04 -0400

John Connolly asked:
 
    Is there an API available someplace that can transform a file  in XML format into a MS Excel file?
You can use an XSLT stylesheet to convert an XML document into a CSV file,
which can be imported into Excel, 123, Quattro, etc.
 
Some caveats about CSV:
 
- CSV files do not preserve spreadsheet formulas, formatted text, etc.
 
- If a data value contains a comma, a quote character or a line
separator, then the value must be enclosed in quotes; also,
each quote in the data value must be preceded (i.e., escaped)
by a quote character. All this can be done in XSLT, but it's
not trivial.
 
I'm currently writing an XSLT stylesheet that transforms an XML document
into a SYLK file. SYLK is Microsoft's Symbolic Link format. SYLK files
can be imported into and exported from Excel. I believe that 123 and Quattro
also support SYLK. A spreadsheet in SYLK format can contain formulas,
formatted text (e.g., blue bold 18-pt. text), borders, etc.
 
I'm having trouble finding good documentation on SYLK.
I found links to some terse documents explaining SYLK at
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/spreadsheets/faq/.
 
Does anyone know where I can find a good document
explaining the SYLK format?
 
Thanks.
 
Bob
 

------
Bob Lyons
E-Commerce Consultant
Unidex, Inc.
1-732-975-9877
boblyons@xxxxxxxxxx
http://www.unidex.com/

 

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