Javascript and Excel

Can they work together?

[j2trumpet]

Is it possible for Javascript to retrieve data from an Excel spreadsheet and create an array with that data?

[j2trumpet]

Or maybe even from a .csv file exported from Excel.

[j2trumpet]

*bump*

I'm still hoping to find a way for Javascript to read .csv files. Thanks.

[daveVk]

Javascript can read any file, provided it resides on the server (not the client) and placed such that it can be accessed via a URL.

But not sure if that is what you are asking ?

[j2trumpet]

Okay. Since you say it is possible, how would I go about looping through the .csv file, loading each line into a new item in an array?

Example:

CSV
item1value1,item1value2
item2value1,item2value2
item3value1,item3value2

Javascript
var list = new Array();
list[0] = "item1value1,item1value2";
list[1] = "item2value1,item2value2";
list[2] = "item3value1,item3value2";

The array won't be written out like it is here as its content will be pulled directly from the specified .csv file.

[daveVk]

assuming replyS contains the csv file

var list = replyS.split( '\n' );

[j2trumpet]

I didn't know \n worked in Javascript too. I thought it was just a PHP thing.

How would I load the .csv content into replyS?

[daveVk]

The short answer is AJAX, using one of the frameworks like JQuery makes it a lot easier.

Eg.

jQuery.ajax({"url":"/my.csv"
,"cache":false
,"type":"get"
,"success":function(replyS){ alert( replyS); }
,"error":function(req,errorS,excep) { alert( errorS ); }
});

[j2trumpet]

I'm not that familiar with jQuery. Is it something I'd have to load or install onto the server? I have FTP access to my area of the server but not admin rights.

[daveVk]

It's just a matter of moving the js files into your area of the server typically a jquery directory in the main directory.

Alternatively I understand that 3rd parties like google serve these files as a free service.