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Accessing Excel files from LabVIEW without the Excel API

We've got some LabVIEW code that reads from spreadsheet files using the Excel API (via ActiveX) and need to install it on machines that don't have MS OfficeDoes anyone know a way to do thisIs there another interface availableMaybe via ADOThese machines do have Open Source Office (3.0.1) on them, but I'm not aware of a compatible API or interface.

 

Any information would be appreciated,

John Morrissey

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Message 1 of 20
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Open Office has an API, see http://api.openoffice.org . I don't think this
will solve your problems though, since it will be a hard nut to crack...
Obviously, the report generation VI's won't work. The open office API is
completely different (for starters, it used UNO as interface, which will be
a challenge).

So in short, I don't think there are any options. If you want to give OO a
try, I'm sure there are plenty people that are willing to help out. A
OOToolkit would be a great thing to have, even more if it is also open
source.

Regards,

Wiebe.


Message 2 of 20
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You can use ADO or (shudder) DDE. If you search around on these board you should be able to find some examples since they have been posted. There's also plenty of examples on the net. You should probably get LabSQL to make your task easier. It's a toolkit for connecting to databases using ADO, but it can be used with Excel.
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Thanks for the responses Wiebe.

 

I've seen the Open Office API, but it didn't seem to be complete or to the point where it was usable.  I might look into it further though.

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We've developed ADO VIs to talk to databases (Access and SQL Server) but haven't tried using them with Excel yet and this might be the best solution.  After posting the question I found a few of the links you mentioned.  Thanks!

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For both ADO and DDE, you'd probably still need Access to be installed (for
DDE it needs to be running)!

Regards,

Wiebe.


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"John Morrissey" <x@no.email> wrote in message
news:1234366812310-851078@exchange.ni.com...
> Thanks for the responses Wiebe.&nbsp;I've seen the Open
> Office API, but it didn't seem to be complete or to the point where it
> was usable.&nbsp; I might look into it further though.

It seems to be operational now, but I can't find anything about their "UNO"
interface. There are C++ and JAVA implementations, and references to it's
specification, but so far, nothing that is practical enough to make an
implementation.

Do let us know if you find out something.

Regards,

Wiebe.


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Message 7 of 20
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Wiebe@CARYA wrote:
For both ADO and DDE, you'd probably still need Access to be installed (for DDE it needs to be running)!

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe there's a runtime engine for Access. Don't know if it will be sufficient for ADO and/or DDE, though.

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Message 8 of 20
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Well first of all how are you writing the excel files on the computers that do not have excel on them, are they already written. if they are already written why not save yourself some trouble and just saving them in a tab delimited file and read that file with LV.

 

If the files are being written in the machines that do not have Excel on them then how are they being written to. Seems as if you could save yourself a lot of grief by not using Excel at all and just saving the files in a tab delimited txt file.

 

Again are you sure that the files that you are reading are really "Excel" files and not just a tab delimited txt file.

 

Message Edited by Jhoskins on 02-11-2009 01:22 PM



Joe.
"NOTHING IS EVER EASY"
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Message 9 of 20
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We have applications and VIs that are reading from Excel spreadsheets using the Excel API.  This code is currently installed on PCs that have MS Office, but we want to move it to new machines that don't have Office (or Excel).  Since Excel costs about $150-$200/seat and that's the only thing we use it for, it seemed like a waste. 

 

We will have Open Source Office for users to view and update files.

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