Are you sure they *aren't* numbers? If Excel writes them as numbers, POI will insist they are numbers.
run "java org.apache.poi.hssf.dev.BiffViewer myfile.xls >output.foo" with the POI jars in your classpath. See if the cells are represented by "LABELSST" or "STRING", or if its "MULRK", "RK", "NUMBER". If it is not what you expect, blame Excel, not POI and convert them to strings if you like. Often the GUI shows us something different then what is really happening. -Andy Troy Motte wrote: >I forgot to mention: the strings look like numbers, >for example, "13", "12", whatever. POI insists that >the cells must be numbers, no matter what. > >am using excel 2000 9.0.2720 >am using poi version 1.5.1 apparently... > jakarta-poi-1.5.1-final-20020625.jar > >the data is kind of private but if you really need i >can probably make a spreadsheet of similar content. >lemme know. > >--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > >>Hi Troy, >> >>I've been reading strings without any fuss. Do you >>have an example xls >>spreadsheet and some code to illustrate your >>frustrations? >> >>-Jeff >> >> >> >>>I am encountering a great deal of frustration with >>>HSSFCell, which insists on preventing me from >>> >>> >>getting >> >> >>>the actual string contents of a cell, even when I >>>format the cells as text in excel. Why is this >>> >>> >>> >>>__________________________________________________ >>>Do You Yahoo!? >>>HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs >>>http://www.hotjobs.com >>> >>>-- >>>To unsubscribe, e-mail: >>><mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>> >>> >>For additional >> >> >>>commands, e-mail: >>> >>> >><mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >> >> >> >>-- >>To unsubscribe, e-mail: >><mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>For additional commands, e-mail: >><mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >> >> > > >__________________________________________________ >Do You Yahoo!? >HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs >http://www.hotjobs.com > >-- >To unsubscribe, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >For additional commands, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For additional commands, e-mail: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
