In this tutorial we will look on how to read a cell value in a worksheet in excel (xls or the newer one xlsx is supported).You can use the C# methods provided in this tutorial for reading an excel file for your own C# projects. This will be a quick simple tutorial and you will learn very quick.
Things Needed:
- Microsoft Office 2007 or 2010
- Microsoft Visual Studio or Visual C#
- Add a reference for Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel (right click references then Add Reference)
You need to use the reference in your code to access the methods.
using Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel; //use the reference in your code
These are the methods I have created in order to read cell values in excel, you may use it for free.
//Add this codes in your progam code
private static Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.ApplicationClass appExcel;
private static Workbook newWorkbook = null;
private static _Worksheet objsheet = null;
//Method to initialize opening Excel
static void excel_init(String path)
{
appExcel = new Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.ApplicationClass();
if (System.IO.File.Exists(path))
{
// then go and load this into excel
newWorkbook = appExcel.Workbooks.Open(path, true, true);
objsheet = (_Worksheet)appExcel.ActiveWorkbook.ActiveSheet;
}
else
{
MessageBox.Show("Unable to open file!");
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(appExcel);
appExcel = null;
System.Windows.Forms.Application.Exit();
}
}
//Method to get value; cellname is A1,A2, or B1,B2 etc...in excel.
static string excel_getValue(string cellname)
{
string value = string.Empty;
try
{
value = objsheet.get_Range(cellname).get_Value().ToString();
}
catch
{
value = "";
}
return value;
}
//Method to close excel connection
static void excel_close()
{
if (appExcel != null)
{
try
{
newWorkbook.Close();
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(appExcel);
appExcel = null;
objsheet = null;
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
appExcel = null;
MessageBox.Show("Unable to release the Object " + ex.ToString());
}
finally
{
GC.Collect();
}
}
}
Use it in your program:
To use it in your program, you need to initialize opening excel first by using this method:
excel_init("C:\\excel_tutorial.xlsx");
The format is excel_init(Path_of_your_excel_file); if you use slash, make sure to make it a double slash \\.Reading a cell value method:
excel_getValue("B10");
The format is excel_getValue(Cellname); where cellname is like A1,C4,H10,M21, etc...This method will return the value of the cell in String data type.
Safely Close the excel connection:
excel_close();
And where done!
Attached is a sample GUI program for reading a cell in excel.
Read_Excel_Files.rar 508.11KB
11020 downloadsIf you have questions/problems/suggestions please comment on this article.
Thank you very much,
Nexus Nemesis @ codecall
