Load an Excel file using implicit typing

Question

class ExcelHandling
    {
        public static void NewExcelFile(){
            frmMain._frmMain.EXCEL_FILE = new Excel.Application();
            var excelApp = frmMain._frmMain.EXCEL_FILE as Excel.Application;
            excelApp.Workbooks.Add();
            excelApp.Visible = true;
        }

        public static void LoadExcelFile()
        {
            FileStream load = File.Open(@"F:\dsa.xlsx", FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Write);
            var excelApp = load as Excel.Application;
            frmMain._frmMain.EXCEL_FILE = excelApp;
            excelApp.Visible = true;
        }
    }

The above shown LoadExcelFile() method doesn't work.

What is the correct way of loading an existing excel file into a variable? I've tried a few things, but to no avail. The NewExcelFile() method works like a charm - it creates a new Excel file, stores it into the EXCEL_FILE global variable so I can manipulate it thereafter and shows it. I want the load function to do the same but with an existing excel file.

I would look into [Excel Data Reader](https://exceldatareader.codeplex.com/) - It's lightweight and very easy to use. Loads your data into a `DataSet`, then you can maniuplate it easily. — Evan L, Feb 07 '14 at 16:58
Maybe check out this page: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1118735/get-instance-of-excel-application-with-c-sharp-by-handle — Kapol, Feb 07 '14 at 17:00
@Kapol I'm planning on making a load file dialog so getting an already running excel file won't do it for me. I just need to open the file, so It's visible to the user and load it into the variable so he can manipulate it through the windows form. — Schadenfreude, Feb 07 '14 at 17:03

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 07 '14 at 17:44

Here is an example of opening an existing Excel spreadsheet using the Microsoft.Interop library:

var xlApp = new Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Application();
var xlWorkBook = xlApp.Workbooks.Open("PathAndNameOfMyFile.xls", 0, true, 5, "", "", true,    Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.XlPlatform.xlWindows, "\t", false, false, 0, true, 1, 0);

The overload parameters are fairly vague in documentation, but unfortunately required. Intellisense should give you some idea of the values and their meaning.

Your issue was that you were using a FileStream and then trying to let the library figure out what that stream contained. This will utilize the interop library to open the file and handle the data properly.

Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for, I guess I should check out the MS.Interop library a bit more thoroughly. — Schadenfreude, Feb 08 '14 at 22:29
Ha no problem. Some of the stuff in there has really bad documentation so you have to look in intelli-sense half the time. — Evan L, Feb 09 '14 at 17:00

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Feb 07 '14 at 17:03

0

I really like LinqToExcel. You can use NuGet Package Mgr in Visual Studio to add it https://www.nuget.org/packages/LinqToExcel . Documentation is @https://code.google.com/p/linqtoexcel/ (with a demo video)

answered Feb 07 '14 at 17:03

justinmvieira

572
4
13

I would prefer not to add an external library for just this one operation. If possible I'd like to convert the file stream into an excel application variable using the default c# libraries. – Schadenfreude Feb 07 '14 at 17:08
1

Oh. Have you tried excelApp.Workbooks.Open(@"F:\dsa.xlsx")? – justinmvieira Feb 07 '14 at 17:27
1

Here is the method documentation http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/microsoft.office.interop.excel.workbooks.open.aspx – justinmvieira Feb 07 '14 at 17:28

Load an Excel file using implicit typing

2 Answers2