Connecting to Microsoft Excel
Description
Tips on working with Microsoft Excel using AlphaDAO connections
Discussion
Alpha Anywhere can connect to Excel files as a database backend for use in web and mobile apps. Supported Excel file types include:
- Excel Workbook (*.xlsx)
- Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook (*.xlsm)
- Excel Binary Workbook (*.xlsb)
- Excel 97-2003 Workbook (*.xls)
- Excel Template (*.xltx)
- Excel Macro-Enabled Template (*.xltm)
- Excel 97-2003 Template (*.xlt)
Things to be aware of when using Excel
The JET (MS) driver wraps table names that contain spaces with single quotes. These single quotes MUST be preserved throughout because some functions (such as SQL::Connection::GetTableInfo()) require that they be present.
Worksheets are always referenced with a $ at the end.
Named ranges are always referenced without the $ at the end.
The name in SQL::Connection::CreateTable() refers to a named range, not a worksheet (hence the absence of a $). If no worksheet exists with the same name as the new range, the method creates a new worksheet to contain the new range. If the name exists for a worksheet, the method changes the name slightly. You can create a named range (and hosting worksheet) using CreateTable(). You cannot create "just" a worksheet.
This script adds a new name ( NewRange ) defined as =NewRange!$A$1, a worksheet (named NewRange ) to hold it, and places "Column1" into NewRange. Note that you must set the SQL::TableInfo .name and the SQL::DataTypeInfo .name, .alphatype, and .intermediatetype properties before using SQL::TableInfo.AddColumn().
dim cn as SQL::Connection
dim connstring as C
dim ti as SQL::TableInfo
dim dti as SQL::DataTypeInfo
connstring = "{A5API='Excel',A5Syntax='Excel',FileName='C:\Customer.xls'}"
If .not. cn.open(connstring) then
end
end if
ti.name = "NewRange"
dti.name = "Column1"
dti.alphatype = "C"
dti.intermediatetype = "Character"
ti.AddColumn(dti)
If .not. cn.CreateTable(ti) then
ui_msg_box("Error", cn.CallResult)
end if
cn.close()General Issues with Excel
Portable SQL syntax.
String Literals are any strings enclosed in single (') or double (") quotes.
Identifiers are any strings not enclosed, or strings enclosed in square brackets [].
It is important to be clear which context you are in. Excel sometimes uses single quotes to wrap table names.Usage of SQL::TableInfo::UpdateStatistics() and SizeToFit :
UpdateStatistics executes SQL to retrieve state information like the LastKnownRowCount (for the table) and MaximumActualLength for each column.
SizeToFit is a property of SQL::TableInfo and on SQL::DataTypeInfo that determines how the DBFRowSyntax (and related properties) report the column length.
Setting the SizeToFit property does not have any effect on the retrieval of statistical information.
You must always call SQL::TableInfo::UpdateStatistics() explicitly after calling SQL::Connection::GetTableInfo().
Examples
dim Connection as SQL::connection
dim TableInfo as SQL::TableInfo
Connection.open("{A5API=Excel,FileName='X:\alpha names.xls'}")If you will be counting on current values, it is best to call SQL::TableInfo::UpdateStatistics() immediately after SQL::Connection::GetTableInfo().
Connection.GetTableInfo(TableInfo,"sheet2$") TableInfo.UpdateStatistics(Connection)
Setting the SizeToFit property to true causes DBFRowSyntax to be based on the maximum actual column lengths in the table, provided you have called SQL::TableInfo::UpdateStatistics(). Set the table level SizeToFit property to true if you want all columns to be sized to fit. Set the column level SizeToFit if you only want some columns to be sized to fit.
TableInfo.SizeToFit = .t.
An Interactive Window session.
dim c as SQL::connection
? c.open("{A5API='Excel',A5Syntax='Excel',FileName='X:\alpha names.xls'}")
= .T.
? c.listtables(.t., .t., .t., .t.)
= Sheet2$
Sheet3$
'alpha names$'
mydb
dim ti as SQL::tableinfo
? c.gettableinfo(ti, "mydb")
= .T.
? c.execute("select count(*) from alpha names$")
= .T.SQL::Connection::GetTableInfo() MUST include the single quote when using Excel.
? c.gettableinfo(ti, "'alpha names$'")
= .T.
c.PortableSQLEnabled = .t.
? c.Execute("select * from mydb")
= .T.
? c.CallResult.text
= "Success"
c.PortableSQLEnabled = .f.
? c.Execute("select * from mydb")
= .T.
c.PortableSQLEnabled = .t.Excel doesn't like this. In Portable SQL 'mydb' is a literal, not an identifier.
? c.Execute("select * from 'mydb'")
= .F.Excel doesn't like this. There is no table named 'mydb'.
? c.Execute("select * from 'mydb'") ?
= .F.This works.
? c.Execute("select * from mydb")
= .T.Calling SQL::Connection::GetTableInfo() with SizeToFit = .t. does not do much. You need to call SQL::TableInfo::UpdateStatistics() to get current data.
delete ti4 dim ti4 as SQL::tableinfo ti4.SizeToFit = .t. ? c.GetTableInfo(ti4,"sheet2$") = .T. ? ti4.DBFRowSyntax = COMPANY,C,255,0 LOCATION,C,255,0 ti4.SizeToFit = .f. ? ti4.UpdateStatistics(c) = .T. ? ti4.DBFRowSyntax = COMPANY,C,255,0 LOCATION,C,255,0 ti4.SizeToFit = .t. ? ti4.DBFRowSyntax = COMPANY,C,5,0 LOCATION,C,10,0 ti4.Clear() ? ti4.DBFRowSyntax c.GetTableInfo(ti4,"sheet2$") ? ti.DBFRowSyntax = NAME,C,255,0 CITY,C,255,0
It is not required, but Portable SQL syntax now wraps all identifiers that contain non-alphanumerics.
dim q as SQL::query dim tr as SQL::query::selecttablereference ? c.ListTables(.t.,.t.,.t.,.t.) = Sheet2$ Sheet3$ 'alpha names$' mydb tr.name = "'alpha names$'" q.Table.Add(tr) ? q.SQLStatement = "SELECT FROM 'alpha names$'" q.table.Remove(1) tr.name = "sheet2$" q.table.add(tr) ? q.SQLStatement = "SELECT FROM sheet2$" dim ti5 as SQL::tableinfo ti5.SizeToFit = .t. ? c.GetTableInfo(ti5,"'alpha names$'") = .T. ? ti5.DBFRowSyntax = NAME,C,255,0 CITY,C,255,0 ? ti5.UpdateStatistics(c) = .T. ti5.SizeToFit = .t. ? ti5.DBFRowSyntax = NAME,C,6,0 CITY,C,6,0 dim ti6 as SQL::tableinfo ? c.GetTableInfo(ti6,"'alpha names$'") ? ti6.DBFRowSyntax = NAME,C,255,0 CITY,C,255,0 ? ti6.UpdateStatistics(c) = .T. ti6.SizeToFit = .t. ? ti5.DBFRowSyntax = NAME,C,6,0 CITY,C,6,0. PicturePicture
See Also