Excel Reader
Introduction
The Excel Reader imports data from Excel into Proto by converting a range of cells in an Excel spreadsheet into an entryset. First, specify an Excel workbook file, a worksheet, and a range of cells in the Property Panel. The Excel Reader will dynamically create a corresponding output connector in its "Defined Ranges" menu that outputs an entryset containing the Excel data in that range.
Excel Add-ins
On recent systems, Proto runs Excel in a configuration that allows Proto, Excel, and Excel add-ins to all function together. Although unlikely, it is possible that this configuration could cause problems connecting to Excel. If you are having problems connecting to Excel from Proto, you can turn on compatibility mode. You will then have to manually launch Excel before using Proto to ensure Excel add-ins work correctly. To enable compatibility mode:
- Select "Options..." from the "Tools" menu.
- Under "Module Options" click to select the "Use Excel in compatibility mode" check box.
- Click "OK" to close the "Options" window.
Excel compatibility mode is enabled by default when running Proto on versions of Windows XP earlier than Service Pack 2 or on versions of Windows 2000 earlier than Service Pack 4. On these older operating systems, you will need to manually launch Excel before using Proto to ensure Excel add-ins work correctly.
Property Panel:
- Excel Workbook File
- Specifies the Excel workbook file to read from.
- Excel Reader Output
- The name of the output connector that will output the data read from this range.
- Range Selection
- A drop-down listing of named ranges defined in Excel. These named ranges can be used in lieu of defining a range in the "Range" field.
- Sheet
- Specifies the worksheet in the Excel workbook.
- Cells
- Specifies the range of cells in the worksheet as defined in Excel's range notation (A1:D8 is the square range between cell A1 and cell D8).
- Attribute Row
- Toggles whether or not the cells in the range's first row are used as attribute names or as the first entry in the entryset
- Transpose
- Toggles whether or not the orientation of the entryset data should be inverted. By default, attributes are written as columns and entries are written as rows in the spreadsheet.
- Auto Grow
- Toggles whether or not to grow the range vertically as data is entered in the rows below it. If this is checked, the range will grow to encompass any rows below the selected ones that are not empty.
See Also:
Input Menu:
Do Refresh Data
Sending a message to this input connector will cause each Excel range defined in the Property Panel to output an entryset according to its current data.
Accepted Datatypes:
- True/false
Triggered Outputs:
- Output Message:
- Defined Range Connectors → [Range]
Defined Range Connectors → Set [Range] cells
Text defining a range to read. Should be in Excel format such as: A1:D8
Accepted Datatypes:
- Text
Triggered Outputs:
- Output Message:
- Defined Range Connectors → [Range]
Set Source Workbook
Sets the file path of the Excel workbook for the Excel Reader to read from.
Accepted Datatypes:
- Text
- A file path.
Triggered Outputs:
- Output Message:
- Defined Range Connectors → [Range]
Output Menu:
Defined Range Connectors → [Range] (Dynamic Menu)
Gets an entryset containing the data in [Range].
Output Datatype:
- Entryset
- An entryset with entries and attributes matching [Range]'s specified rows and columns.
Triggered By:
- Input Message:
- Do Refresh Data
- Action:
- Editing the Excel data in the specified range
- Action:
- Editing [Range] in the Property Panel
- Action:
- Fire-On-Connect