f. xlsimport()

Description:

Retrieve contents of an Excel file and return them as a table sequence.

Syntax:

f.xlsimport(Fi,…;s,b:e;p)

Note:

The function retrieves field Fi from row b to row e from Excel file f’s sheet s and returns them as a table sequence. Retrieve data from the first row to the last one when both parameter b and parameter e are absent.

Parameter:

f

An Excel file.

Fi

To-be-retrieved fields; by default, all fields will be retrieved. The sign # is used to represent a field with a sequence number.

s

Sheet name or sheet number; use the first sheet when omitted.

b

The starting row; if omitted, retrieve rows from the first to row e; in this case, ":" can be omitted.

e

The ending row; if omitted, retrieve rows from row b to the last row; in this case, ":" cannot be omitted; if e is greater than the actual number of rows, use the actual number of rows. Retrieve rows backwards when e<0.

p

The password for accessing the Excel file.

Option:

@t

Export the first row in f as the field names; if not supplied, use _1, and _2,… as field names. When parameter b is supplied, it is treated as the header row.

@c

Return result as a cursor; support xlsx format only; in this case, parameter e should be greater than 0.

@b

Remove blank rows before and after the Excel data when reading them; will be ignored when @c option is present.

@w

Enable returning a sequence of sequences where members of sub-sequences are cell values; it cannot work with @t, @c and @b options.

@p

Work with @w to return a sequence of sequences; each sub-sequence is made up of column values.

@s

Enable returning a string delimited by CR/tab.

@n

Remove white spaces on both sides of a string; read an empty string as null.

Return value:

Table sequence

Example:

Read the whole xls file:

 

A

 

1

=file("emp1.xls").xlsimport()

2

=file("password_abc.xls").xlsimport(;;"abc")

Read an xls file encrypted with the password; the password for opening password_abc.xls is abc.

 

Read the first row of an xls file as the title and retrieve the specified fields:

 

A

 

1

=file("emp1.xls").xlsimport@t(NAME,GENDER;)

Read NAME field and GENDER field.

2

=file("emp1.xls").xlsimport@t(#1,#2;)

Read the first and the second fields from the xls file.

 

Read a multi-sheet xls file:

 

A

 

1

=file("emp2.xlsx").xlsimport@t(;"t1")

emp2.xlsx contains two sheets, whose names are t1 and t2;

Read data from sheet t1 through its name.

 

2

=file("emp2.xlsx").xlsimport@t(;2)

Read data from the second sheet:

 

Specify the starting row and the ending row:

 

A

 

1

=file("emp2.xlsx").xlsimport(;2,3:6)

Read rows from the third to the sixth in the second sheet of emp2.xlsx:

2

=file("emp2.xlsx").xlsimport@t(;2,3:6)

As @t option works, read the 3rd row as the title:

3

=file("emp2.xlsx").xlsimport@t(;"t2",:6)

As parameter b is absent, read the first row as the title and retrieve rows of the data from the first to the sixth; “” should not be omitted.

4

=file("emp2.xlsx").xlsimport(;"t2",7:)

As parameter e is absent, read rows of data from the seventh to the last; “” can be omitted.

5

=file("emp2.xlsx").xlsimport(;"t2",3:-4)

Read rows of data from the third to the fourth to the last.

 

Read content of the xlsx file and return it as a cursor:

 

A

 

1

=file("emp3.xlsx").xlsimport@c()

Return a cursor.

2

=A1.fetch()

 

 

Remove blank rows before or after the Excel content during reading:

 

A

 

1

=file("emp4.xls")

2

=A1.xlsimport@b()

@b option works to remove blank rows before or after the Excel content during reading and use the first record as titles.

 

Return a sequence of sequences:

 

A

 

1

=file("emp1.xls").xlsimport@w()

@w option works to return a sequence of sequences, where each row is a member of the sequence.

 

Retrun a sequence consisting of Excel columns:

 

A

 

1

=file("emp1.xls").xlsimport@pw()

@wp options work to return a sequence made up of Excel columns, where each column is a member of the sequence.

 

Return a string delimited by /tab:

 

A

 

1

=file("emp1.xls").xlsimport@s()

@s option works to return a string separated by CR/tab:

 

Remove white spaces at both ends of each string, and read empty strings as nulls:

 

A

 

1

=file("emp5.xls")

Below is content of emp5.xls:

2

=A1.xlsimport@nt()

Remove white spaces at both ends of string “Rebecca”, and read an empty string as null:

Related functions:

f.import()

f. xlsexport ()