Skip to end of metadata
Go to start of metadata



Excel Advanced

You can read from and write to Excel over entire sheet or a range.

Primary Features
  • You do NOT need Microsoft Excel installed locally (the Plugin has the direct-handler-library integrated).
  • You must use .xlsx files.
  • You can read from .csv too.



Additional Notes - Overwrite Value only writes in String

When using Overwrite Value and Overwrite Cell in the Advanced menu, please note that Excel Advanced plugin enters all values including numerics as String. If you want a numeric type, there are 2 ways to achieve it - one is to use Excel Advance III (Convert Str2Num operation) or two is to use Excel Simple Write.



Need help?

Technical contact to tech@argos-labs.com


May you search all operations,

Contents

  1. Checkpoints
  2. No functions can be inserted
  3. Tips when reading from an Excel file
  4. Tips when writing to an Excel file
  5. How to use the Pivot option
  6. Return Values
  7. Data Only and Allow Overwrite options
  8. Other useful functions







Attention

  • Please note that Return Value of Excel Advanced does NOT contain the output file's file-path!

  • EXCEL ADVANCED plugin is great for some tricky functions like finding a cell ID that includes a specific character string.
  • For general reading and writing, it is highly recommended to use EXCEL SIMPLE READ/WRITE plugins
  • Overwrite Value/Overwrite Cell enters value to "read-from" file(sheet), NOT "write-to" file(sheet).


1. Checkpoints

(warning) First here are the checkpoints when using Excel Advanced plugin!


  1. Main usage/purpose of this plugin is to “READ”. It would READ from an existing excel and store data internal to the Bot as CSV.
  2. This plugin is best when reading a “table” section only from an Excel file and prepare data for further processing.
  3. Caution --- Return Value is recommended to be either CSV or FILE. String will return the data itself, not the file path.
  4. WRITE menu is secondary but useful.
  5. When WRITE, the target Excel file needs not to exist but unless you need to write to an existing Excel file, we recommend using Return Value (.csv) and then convert it to .xlsx with other plugins such as File Conv.


THIS PLUGIN IS DESIGNED TO “READ” BEFORE “WRITE”.

Be careful! Return-Value stores data, not file path even when you “WRITE”.



Text from Image




Text from Image





2. No functions can be inserted.



Text from Image




3. Tips when reading from an Excel file

  • You need a source file either xlsx or csv.
  • You can specify sheet and range.
  • You will read the data and store it in forms of String, CSV (Internal to bot), or File (usually CSV or TXT, external file location).



Text from Image





4. Tips when writing to an Excel file

  • You need a source file either xlsx or csv.
  • You can specify sheet and range to read from.
  • You specify a target file either xlsx or csv.
  • If target file is not found, the Excel Advanced plugin will automatically create the file.
  • If target file exists, the Excel Advance plugin will overwrite the specified cells.
  • The data will be simultaneously and store it in forms of String, CSV (Internal to bot), or File (usually CSV or TXT, external file location).


Text from Image


More tips about the Plugin [Return Value] types.





5. How to use the Pivot option

  • Here is your source EXCEL.

  • Pivot option will result in this Excel.


  •  The settings look like this.


Text from Image


  • If you want an internally stored CSV, the setting will look like this.


Text from Image


Then your plugin variable {{test.A2(4)}} will produce E2.

Your row 1 will become headers. Row 2 to 5 are the data.

Plugin variable does not support 1 row CSV.



6. Return Values

  • Result Type : String

Variable name 
String will be stored internally.
You must set user-variable and assigned it here. (not an array)


  • Result Type : CSV

Group name
CSV will be stored internally.
No need for pre-setting the user-variable. Group name becomes the variable group name. Columns and rows are indicated as in example below.

{{group name.A(1)}}

Note: Column is uppercase only.


  • Result Type : File


Valuable name
In case, you desire to store the File path in a preset user variable, you can specify it here.

File path
File will be stored externally. It is either csv or txt. Full path need to be specified at File path. File does not need to be present. If the file not found, it would be generated automatically. If it is present, it would be overwritten.



7. “Data Only” and “Allow Overwrite” options

1. Data only

By checking this checkbox, all functions (formulas) will be deleted and the new sheet/book will only contain data (values).
WARNING! All functions and formulas will be deleted and lost forever.

2. Allow Overwrite
By checking this checkbox, the plugin will overwrite existing sheet/book and save it. The original sheet/book will be lost forever.
WARNING! This function can result in loss of functions/formulas.



Text from Image




8. Other useful functions

1. Find String

    • Input
      Required
            - .xlsx or .csv file to read from.

      Optional
           - Sheet name
           - Cell ID/Range



Text from Image


    • Output/Return Value
      Cell ID/Cell IDs in CSV format.


2. Pivot

    • Input
      Required
            - .xlsx or .csv file to read from
            - .xlsx or .csv file to write to

      Optional
           -  Sheet name of the source file.
           -  Cell ID/Range of the source file.
           -  Sheet name of the target file.
           -  Cell ID/Range of the target file.

      Even when you are writing the result to the same file, you must declare the target file.



Text from Image


    • Output/Return Value
      File path of the target file.


3. Show Data Range

    • Input
      Required
           - .xlsx or .csv file to read from

 
     Optional
          -  Sheet name
          -  Cell ID/Range


Text from Image


    • Output/Return Value
      Top left cell ID and bottom right cell ID that contains some data on the sheet.


4. Clear Cell

    • Input
      Required
           - .xlsx or .csv file to read from

      Optional
           -  Sheet name
           -  Cell ID/Range


Text from Image


  • Output/Return Value
    Top left cell ID and bottom right cell ID that contains some data on the sheet.



Return Code

Code
Meaning
0Execution successful
1Execution failed





All Plugins