Extract Certain Cells from an Excel File Using C++

[tmlee2]

Hey everyone,

I was hoping you can help me figure out how to extract certain cells for an excel file that is continuously updating. I had a look at http://www.libxl.com/ since they provide a .h library that is useful for this situation, but could not find any code that would help. Any input will be great, thanks!

[Stewbond]

Check out the sheet class here:
http://www.libxl.com/documentation.html

It looks like you have access to a few good functions, specifically:

CellType cellType(int row, int col) const;
const wchar_t* readStr(int row, int col, Format** format = 0);
double readNum(int row, int col, Format** format = 0) const;

[ajh32]

@Stewbond - the library to which you supplied a link is for Excel 97-2003, i.e. using the old COM interface. If @tmlee2 is wanting to interface with a newer version of Excel then that won't work as MS now use a compound file inside a ZIP file inside the compound file are a load of XML files. I have used the COM interface and you don't need to pay a 3rd party for a wrapper library to access it. I am also writing a library to interface with the new compound file structure used by Excel now.

So, @tmlee2 which version of Excel are you talking about?

[tmlee2]

Thanks for your guys help, I will be using an Excel newer then 2003 edition. @ajh32 can you please explain more about it. Thanks.

[ajh32]

You start by investigating how this chap has connected to Excel via its COM interface:

http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/15837/Accessing-Excel-Spreadsheets-via-C

Also:

http://www.technical-recipes.com/2012/how-to-interface-with-excel-in-c/

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/196776

[tmlee2]

Thanks for your help I will give them a read slash try. Do you know if this method will work with an excel program that is continuously being updated. I will want the newest updated numbers from a specific column and extract them.

[ajh32]

You will need an instance of Excel running for you to connect to it programatically. As for continuously updating the content and extracting that, I don't see why not. How much data is going to be changed, and how will you know which data to check?

[jackdark]

Please read this MSDN links:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/186120
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/178781