Python convert Excel File (xls or xlsx) to/from ODS

Question

I've been scouring the net to find a Python library or tool that can converts an Excel file to/from ODS format, but haven't been able to come across anything.

I need the ability to input and output data in either format. We don't need to worry about merged cells, formulas or anything non-straightforward.

Any reason why the Python Excel libraries (http://www.python-excel.org/) plus the odslib (https://code.google.com/p/odslib-python/) won't work? — BenDundee, Mar 06 '13 at 20:18
Not at all. I just didn't want to re-invent the wheel if something already existed. I'm happy to write something to do the job and release it to the public, if nothing of the sort exists. — Ashwin Balamohan, Mar 06 '13 at 20:30

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 06 '13 at 20:52

10

If you have libreoffice installed, you can do a python execution wrapper around its headless mode:

$ /usr/bin/libreoffice --headless --invisible -convert-to ods /home/cwgem/Downloads/QTL_Sample_data.xls 
convert /home/cwgem/Downloads/QTL_Sample_data.xls -> /home/cwgem/QTL_Sample_data.ods using OpenDocument Spreadsheet Flat XML
$ /usr/bin/libreoffice --headless --invisible -convert-to xls /home/cwgem/QTL_Sample_data.ods 
convert /home/cwgem/QTL_Sample_data.ods -> /home/cwgem/QTL_Sample_data.xls using

Which would be a bit easier than trying to do it through the library route.

answered Mar 06 '13 at 20:52

cwgem

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Thanks. This looks like a way to go. – Ashwin Balamohan Mar 07 '13 at 16:37
Note that this command does not work if libreoffice is running already. – lumbric Apr 11 '13 at 06:53
If the executable on windows is `soffice.exe`, then its not working. – Santosh Kumar Jun 15 '18 at 06:31

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 27 '22 at 10:14

I succeeded to convert an xlsx file to an ods file with this method :

install pyexcel-xlsx
install pyexcel-ods3

And use the following code :

from pyexcel_ods3 import save_data
from pyexcel_xlsx import get_data

dataXlsx = get_data("file.xlsx")
save_data("file.ods", dataXlsx)

Attention : the colors/design of the xlsx file is removed in the ouput ods file...so that it is not a real success.

Python convert Excel File (xls or xlsx) to/from ODS

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