Can REV create Excel files?

[Jim Ault]

As far as I know, there is nothing in Rev that would easily allow an xls
format to be written, even with "binary" capability.  My solution would be
to generate the xls file on the source machine using Office and Rev plus
(AppleScript/Mac or VBS/Win), then distribute the xls file.

There are several ways to go about this, but your basic requirement is that
the customer recieves an xls workbook file.  The minor questions relate to
which version of Excel you distribute (XL8, etc.)

Jim Ault
Las Vegas


On 3/2/07 11:14 AM, "Geir A. Myrestrand" <geir.myrestrand at falconstor.com>
wrote:

> Sadhunathan Nadesan wrote:
>> Context:
>> 
>> Windows XP.  Microsoft Office environment.
>> 
>> I'm creating a desktop REV app for customer self service.
>> 
>> The customer needs info currently housed in a database (to which they
>> have no direct access) in MS Excel format on an on going basis.  Right now
>> this has to be done manually for them each time, and then emailed.
>> 
>> The app will have the necessary parameters (start date, end date,
>> etc.) including a file name to create.  It will hit the database (oh yeah,
>> I've tried to use the Rev ODBC drivers to no avail) using an http "post"
>> over the net to a CGI that will in turn run SQL queries, return the output
>> to the app, and the app will write the local file on the users machine.
>> 
>> Problem:
>> 
>> This file will be "text" (fixed column width) which then has to be
>> "imported" into Excel.  That works fine but it's extra steps for the
>> user to go through the import process and set the column markers to do
>> the imports (there are a lot of columns!).
>> 
>> Solution:
>> 
>> Anyone know of a plugin or feature in REV that will let us write out
>> .xls files directly?
> 
> It is easier to create CSV files (comma separated values), and these can
> be easily imported into Excel (or virtually any other spreadsheet).