Re: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? [ad]
One of my hits here is an application that can extract the contents of an invoice from our U2 system and produce as an Excel spreadsheet with multiple tabs. The main users of this appliation are our billing and collections staff. They love being able to send a client the spreadsheet representation of a disputed invoice without knowing anything more than the invoice number. As for formatting data within Excel, I recommend a standardized approach so that your business always provides the same type of output. If you provide the users with csv files, you run the risk of eric the excel wiz generating some spiffy colors and font selections that are much different from what bill the boss would like to present to the clients. Generating formatted excel spreadsheets with vb6 or .net is not difficult. There are many examples out on the net from which to draw from. --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
RE: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? Perl's SpreadSheet::W riteExcel Module
If perl is an option, you may want to look into the spreadsheet module Duh-oh! I didn't think of that. I love Perl... I use it as often as possible, and I'll even call it from UV. I developed an email module to take a UV generated seq file (properly formatted) and use it as an email template, with which it then talks to our internal mail server on port 25 and relays the msg. Barry --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
RE: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file?
If you create an HTML file and name it with a .xls extension Excel will
open
it quite happily and adjust columns to fit all by itself.
revelationWow! You are right! How cool is that?/revelation
That is pretty cool. I noticed that a br in a td results in visually
correct data in Excel, but generates an extra row, when what I really want
is a taller cell. I'll bet I can find a way to work around that.
I found that if you put a-
style type='text/css'
table {border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #c0c0c0;}
td {border: 1px solid #c0c0c0; vertical-align: top;}
/style
...in the head of the doc, you will get a pretty good likeness of the
normal Excel grid work.
Thanks for the great tip.
Barry
---
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RE: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? [ad]
Barry Brevik wrote: ...does anyone know if it is possible to embed some kind of command in a CSV file that will get Excel to autofit those rows automatically? The DIY solution is to use XML, for which there are examples around the Net. It's always amazed me that most IT people think that a plain CSV is an adequate deliverable when users want Excel. End-users often spend hours to days per month, reformatting data delivered like this, rather than making a request to IT for something more useful. I think there is some unstated belief by end-users that IT _can't_ create anything more sophisticated than a CSV, so they often don't bother to ask - it's one of those self-fulfilling situations that people assume won't change so they don't ask and then things never change. Anyway, I'm glad to see people here looking for something a little more professional and I encourage everyone to check with your C-level management or other hardcore Excel users about what they _really_ need from Excel, including multiple sheets in a workbook, charts, highlighted data, and dynamic updates from live databases (including MITS cubes, etc). Seeing there are no other definitive solutions presented in this thread... The problem described is exactly the problem solved with NebulAnalysis: http://Nebula-RnD.com/products/analysis.htm NebulAnalysis and other MS Office integration products were written a few years ago. Unfortunately there was only a small trickle of demand so we are no longer actively offering them. For some reason over the last few months a lot of people are looking to control Excel from MV so I might bring it back based on demand and available time. Please have a look at the audio/video demo here: http://Nebula-RnD.com/demos/nebulanalysis/ If you like what you see I may port this to U2 and give it some new life. While you're on the site, check out NebulaManager to see what's possible with Outlook - that's another one that I'd like to bring back. http://nebula-rnd.com/products/manager.htm I have a lot of experience with the internals of all of the Microsoft Office applications, and intend to continue development with Office 12 and the MS Office System. Nebula RD is growing and now has a team of U2 professionals who can do this sort of work. So if you need to get info to or from any Office product, feel free to ask about what's possible. Tony Gravagno Nebula Research and Development TG@ removethisNebula-RnD.com (We just posted a major website update with completely reworked pages, lots of new content, and a completely new strategic message. Please feel free to browse the site, comment, ask questions, etc. - Thanks!) --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
Re: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? [ad]
Tony: What's the fastest path for someone who's been providing the CSV's for the last 10 years and wants to deliver something more complete. I don't want to spend a lot of my client's money on packages. The assumption is that the users are using Excel. I've taken some other advice on this forum to generate HTML which has had some success but is limited in ease of adding fields or making changes. Perhaps this is my opportunity to get into XML. Thanks Mark Johnson - Original Message - From: Tony Gravagno [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2005 5:46 PM Subject: RE: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? [ad] Barry Brevik wrote: ...does anyone know if it is possible to embed some kind of command in a CSV file that will get Excel to autofit those rows automatically? The DIY solution is to use XML, for which there are examples around the Net. It's always amazed me that most IT people think that a plain CSV is an adequate deliverable when users want Excel. End-users often spend hours to days per month, reformatting data delivered like this, rather than making a request to IT for something more useful. I think there is some unstated belief by end-users that IT _can't_ create anything more sophisticated than a CSV, so they often don't bother to ask - it's one of those self-fulfilling situations that people assume won't change so they don't ask and then things never change. Anyway, I'm glad to see people here looking for something a little more professional and I encourage everyone to check with your C-level management or other hardcore Excel users about what they _really_ need from Excel, including multiple sheets in a workbook, charts, highlighted data, and dynamic updates from live databases (including MITS cubes, etc). Seeing there are no other definitive solutions presented in this thread... The problem described is exactly the problem solved with NebulAnalysis: http://Nebula-RnD.com/products/analysis.htm NebulAnalysis and other MS Office integration products were written a few years ago. Unfortunately there was only a small trickle of demand so we are no longer actively offering them. For some reason over the last few months a lot of people are looking to control Excel from MV so I might bring it back based on demand and available time. Please have a look at the audio/video demo here: http://Nebula-RnD.com/demos/nebulanalysis/ If you like what you see I may port this to U2 and give it some new life. While you're on the site, check out NebulaManager to see what's possible with Outlook - that's another one that I'd like to bring back. http://nebula-rnd.com/products/manager.htm I have a lot of experience with the internals of all of the Microsoft Office applications, and intend to continue development with Office 12 and the MS Office System. Nebula RD is growing and now has a team of U2 professionals who can do this sort of work. So if you need to get info to or from any Office product, feel free to ask about what's possible. Tony Gravagno Nebula Research and Development TG@ removethisNebula-RnD.com (We just posted a major website update with completely reworked pages, lots of new content, and a completely new strategic message. Please feel free to browse the site, comment, ask questions, etc. - Thanks!) --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/ --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
Re: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file?
Anyone looking for the SYLK format can go to: http://www.wotsit.org/search.asp?page=2s=database Craig --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
Re: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? [ad]
Goo'day, Mark, At 20:44 23/10/05 -0400, you wrote: Tony: What's the fastest path for someone who's been providing the CSV's for the last 10 years and wants to deliver something more complete. I don't want to spend a lot of my client's money on packages. Have you considered (a) the terminal emulator path or (b) DOWNLOAD? I appreciate that there are sites out there infinitly larger than the environments we get involvred in, and that there are managers out there who will spend a dollar or two in getting a better solution, but way down here at the market we're in, CSV or some such seems to be solution of choice to most of our sites. Sure, we've had people look at expanding their bailiwick to include data communications twixt UV and desktop products, but in most situations, the available paths have been discounted - too much money or too complicated with the introduction of middle-ware - We're not computer geniuses. We want something simple. They forgot and as cheap as possible We've had some success with MV-aware terminal emulators with import and export functions, with UV and wIntegrate, but the per-user cost of wIntegrate vs Dynamic Connect (no import or export) normally limits the implementation of wIntegrate to one or two desktops per site (Errr Should I mention what is now called commercial OpenQM with its bundled AccuTerm 2k2? With all its private functions) With UV we also had lots of success, where implemented, with Cedarville Uni's DOWNLOAD - now, that's at the *right* price - but it needs a complete in-house person to keep the outlay *really* low... Users tend to spend a deal of money over time automating their requirements. to the extent, we found, where it falls into disfavour 'cos of the outside (me) cost to produce what we want.. Not prepared to invest in training for staff, not prepared to invest in outside assistance... The assumption is that the users are using Excel. I've taken some other advice on this forum to generate HTML which has had some success but is limited in ease of adding fields or making changes. Perhaps this is my opportunity to get into XML. DOWNLOAD *could* help you there, then an add on reporting facility with XML not an add in . In his original post, Barry was looking for an automatic autofit of data into Excel cells. Tony, in his reply, mentioned DIY XML. I'm assuming that Barry's .csv file/s are a regular occurrence and of a fixed layout. The easiest method we have used in these sorts of circumstances is an up front (saved) Excel macro to add in columns, format columns, add column headers, etc, etc, even to the extent of using Excel's macro recorder. So, it might take a couple of goes to get it right, but once it's there, it's there forever But, I suppose that'd apply to XML as well as .csv It works - and it's cheap Thanks Mark Johnson - Original Message - From: Tony Gravagno [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org Sent: Sunday, October 23, 2005 5:46 PM Subject: RE: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? [ad] -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.1.361 / Virus Database: 267.12.4/146 - Release Date: 21/10/05 Regards, Bruce Nichol Talon Computer Services ALBURYNSW 2640 Australia http://www.taloncs.com.au Tel: +61 (0)411149636 Fax: +61 (0)260232119 If it ain't broke, fix it till it is! -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.1.361 / Virus Database: 267.12.4/146 - Release Date: 21/10/05 --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
RE: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file?
Mark Johnson wrote: Tony: What's the fastest path for someone who's been providing the CSV's for the last 10 years and wants to deliver something more complete. I don't want to spend a lot of my client's money on packages. When I originally offered the NebulAnalysis package it was only about $600 per server, which would satisfy the needs of an entire office. As it is today your time=money cost is going to be a lot higher than that no matter what DIY solution you choose. I only mention this because in retrospect it seems everyone assumes a package is going to cost a fortune so they don't even bother to ask about price. But onward we go... The fastest path for someone who doesn't know how to code with Excel, IMO, is to create a nice looking Excel document, then Save-As XML. That XML is now a document template. Break it up into header, detail, and footer sections, and replace any data with unique text like place marker. In BASIC, read the header and use it as a base for a new document. Loop on the detail template, populating it with live data and adding it to the XML stream. When done, add the the footer and write the doc. You can kick off a process to open Excel, read the XML, then Save-As an Excel XLS file. This final file is what your users would use. If I were to write a new one-off Excel integration routine, I might take that approach because it's easy for almost anyone to admininster and extend. It allows end-users or a qualified IT person to create a nice Excel document in a comfortable WYSIWYG manner. The MV side is just filling in the blanks without any understanding that it's creating an XML or Excel document. In fact this is good OOP, Model-View-Controller (MVC) form, separating the UI from the rules, and the output could just as well be a web page, Web Service, or any other medium. For someone who does know how to code with VB, VBA, or a .NET language, the best approach (maybe fastest too, depending...) would be to write an Excel add-in for templates created by users like this, to extract data directly from databases and/or run programs to generate such data. The sheets would be populated without reformatting into XML or writing BASIC code to do string manipulation. This is the approach I personally would take for a real project or a new product. (Inquiries welcome of course.) The new Office 12 will allow us much better access into the internals of Excel and other apps, so the above methods are good and stable for the foreseeable future. So those are the fastest solutions depending on one's experience. The right solutions involve learning the tools of the trade and keeping up with technology rather than to try to get away with doing as little as possible and using 10 year old methods to satisfy the needs of modern end-users. The more end-users see Pick people using ancient methods, the less faith they have in our abilities. Their new solution will be to go pay someone premium buck to do things right rather than waiting for their MV guys to do it on the cheap. As proof of this, I have a client right now who (no kidding) has a $300K budget to make major changes to their MV app, but if they can't get that done they have a $1Millon budget to re-write using MS technologies. Personally I think we Pickies should be doing things the right way, and charge fair market value in the first place. In the end, everyone wins. The assumption is that the users are using Excel. I've taken some other advice on this forum to generate HTML which has had some success but is limited in ease of adding fields or making changes. Perhaps this is my opportunity to get into XML. Thanks Mark Johnson XML does afford some more versatility than HTML. Check it out and make your own decisions from there. HTH TG@ removethisNebula-RnD.com --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
Re: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? Perl's SpreadSheet::WriteExcel Module
Tony Gravagno wrote: Mark Johnson wrote: Tony: What's the fastest path for someone who's been providing the CSV's for the last 10 years and wants to deliver something more complete. I don't want to spend a lot of my client's money on packages. When I originally offered the NebulAnalysis package it was only about $600 per server, which would satisfy the needs of an entire office. As it is today your time=money cost is going to be a lot higher than that no matter what DIY solution you choose. I only mention this because in retrospect it seems everyone assumes a package is going to cost a fortune so they don't even bother to ask about price. But onward we go... The fastest path for someone who doesn't know how to code with Excel, IMO, is to create a nice looking Excel document, then Save-As XML. That XML is now a document template. Break it up into header, detail, and footer sections, and replace any data with unique text like place marker. In BASIC, read the header and use it as a base for a new document. Loop on the detail template, populating it with live data and adding it to the XML stream. When done, add the the footer and write the doc. You can kick off a process to open Excel, read the XML, then Save-As an Excel XLS file. This final file is what your users would use. If I were to write a new one-off Excel integration routine, I might take that approach because it's easy for almost anyone to admininster and extend. It allows end-users or a qualified IT person to create a nice Excel document in a comfortable WYSIWYG manner. The MV side is just filling in the blanks without any understanding that it's creating an XML or Excel document. In fact this is good OOP, Model-View-Controller (MVC) form, separating the UI from the rules, and the output could just as well be a web page, Web Service, or any other medium. For someone who does know how to code with VB, VBA, or a .NET language, the best approach (maybe fastest too, depending...) would be to write an Excel add-in for templates created by users like this, to extract data directly from databases and/or run programs to generate such data. The sheets would be populated without reformatting into XML or writing BASIC code to do string manipulation. This is the approach I personally would take for a real project or a new product. (Inquiries welcome of course.) The new Office 12 will allow us much better access into the internals of Excel and other apps, so the above methods are good and stable for the foreseeable future. So those are the fastest solutions depending on one's experience. The right solutions involve learning the tools of the trade and keeping up with technology rather than to try to get away with doing as little as possible and using 10 year old methods to satisfy the needs of modern end-users. The more end-users see Pick people using ancient methods, the less faith they have in our abilities. Their new solution will be to go pay someone premium buck to do things right rather than waiting for their MV guys to do it on the cheap. As proof of this, I have a client right now who (no kidding) has a $300K budget to make major changes to their MV app, but if they can't get that done they have a $1Millon budget to re-write using MS technologies. Personally I think we Pickies should be doing things the right way, and charge fair market value in the first place. In the end, everyone wins. The assumption is that the users are using Excel. I've taken some other advice on this forum to generate HTML which has had some success but is limited in ease of adding fields or making changes. Perhaps this is my opportunity to get into XML. Thanks Mark Johnson XML does afford some more versatility than HTML. Check it out and make your own decisions from there. HTH TG@ removethisNebula-RnD.com --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/ If perl is an option, you may want to look into the spreadsheet module on cpan ( http://search.cpan.org/~jmcnamara/Spreadsheet-WriteExcel-2.15/lib/Spreadsheet/WriteExcel.pm ) After your pick process (or whatever) creates a csv file, run a perl script to use that file as input to create an *.xls file. If you have a little knowledge of perl, you can be up an running in under a day creating basic scripts. John --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
AW: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file?
Barry, Instead of using CSV, you could use SLK Format (Symbolic Link Format). It is slightly more work to format the data, but you have total control about cell formatting. You also get your cell types correctly, e.g. a date is formatted as a date and not as a string. Even formulas are possible. And the nice thing about it is, that it is pure ASCII. Not a binary format like .XLS. -Klaus -Urspr|ngliche Nachricht- Von: Barry Brevik [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Gesendet: Donnerstag, 20. Oktober 2005 20:05 An: U2-users (E-mail) Betreff: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? A little off-topic... From universe, I am creating a sequential file which is formatted as a CSV file, in other words each field is quoted and separated from each other by commas, for example: John,Jacob,Dingleheimer Schmidt The intent is that the resulting file is opened with Excel. You can force any cell into multiple lines by embedding a CHAR(10), for example: WRITESEQ \John,Jacob,Dingleheimer\:CHAR(10):\Schmidt\ TO MY.CSV.FILE THEN NULL ...when viewed in Excel will give you... JohnJacobDingleheimer Schmidt ...which is a great way of expressing multi-values. Finally I arrive at the crux. When you open such a document in Excel, it only displays one line per row even if a cell in that row contains multiple lines. To see all lines you have to select all and hit FORMAT | ROW | AUTOFIT. My users seem to be incapable of dealing with that, so... ...does anyone know if it is possible to embed some kind of command in a CSV file that will get Excel to autofit those rows automatically? Barry Brevik --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/ --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
RE: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file?
Instead of using CSV, you could use SLK Format (Symbolic Link Format). It is slightly more work Ah, I believe I remember this format from the Lotus days. I am interested in this idea. I don't suppose you have a link to any SLK format specifications? Barry --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
RE: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file?
However, if your users are on Office 2003, you might be best off creating your document as XML where you will have access to complete Sadly, we are not uniformly on Office 2003, but I like the idea of using XML. I already use HTML extensively in my reports, and I use alot of CSS and Javascript in those reports. For this usage, they specifically want an Excel file. Thank you for the interesting post... it gives me food for thought. Barry --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
RE: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file?
If you've already given XML some thought, perhaps you might like to investigate the OpenDoc format. Although I haven't done anything with it, it doesn't appear that it would be tremendously difficult to produce an OpenOffice spreadsheet from basic. -- Dave Walker 8..7 4(()) -::- -::-8.74 .74(()) ((88.74 ..74 -::- ((88.74 * Peace -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Barry Brevik Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 11:59 AM To: 'u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org' Subject: RE: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? However, if your users are on Office 2003, you might be best off creating your document as XML where you will have access to complete Sadly, we are not uniformly on Office 2003, but I like the idea of using XML. I already use HTML extensively in my reports, and I use alot of CSS and Javascript in those reports. For this usage, they specifically want an Excel file. Thank you for the interesting post... it gives me food for thought. Barry --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/ --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
Re: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file?
Any advice on making better CSV's for eventual MV to Excel exports. I've used CSV's for years (avoiding A1 containing ID) and have been using HTML for some formatting. The HTML problem is I usually have to create the spreadsheet with its formatting, save as HTML and edit the 'text' of the HTML. SLK seems attractive. Where do I begin. Thanks - Original Message - From: Ewinger Klaus [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 3:14 AM Subject: AW: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? Barry, Instead of using CSV, you could use SLK Format (Symbolic Link Format). It is slightly more work to format the data, but you have total control about cell formatting. You also get your cell types correctly, e.g. a date is formatted as a date and not as a string. Even formulas are possible. And the nice thing about it is, that it is pure ASCII. Not a binary format like .XLS. -Klaus -Urspr|ngliche Nachricht- Von: Barry Brevik [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Gesendet: Donnerstag, 20. Oktober 2005 20:05 An: U2-users (E-mail) Betreff: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? A little off-topic... From universe, I am creating a sequential file which is formatted as a CSV file, in other words each field is quoted and separated from each other by commas, for example: John,Jacob,Dingleheimer Schmidt The intent is that the resulting file is opened with Excel. You can force any cell into multiple lines by embedding a CHAR(10), for example: WRITESEQ \John,Jacob,Dingleheimer\:CHAR(10):\Schmidt\ TO MY.CSV.FILE THEN NULL ...when viewed in Excel will give you... JohnJacobDingleheimer Schmidt ...which is a great way of expressing multi-values. Finally I arrive at the crux. When you open such a document in Excel, it only displays one line per row even if a cell in that row contains multiple lines. To see all lines you have to select all and hit FORMAT | ROW | AUTOFIT. My users seem to be incapable of dealing with that, so... ...does anyone know if it is possible to embed some kind of command in a CSV file that will get Excel to autofit those rows automatically? Barry Brevik --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/ --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/ --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
[U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file?
A little off-topic... From universe, I am creating a sequential file which is formatted as a CSV file, in other words each field is quoted and separated from each other by commas, for example: John,Jacob,Dingleheimer Schmidt The intent is that the resulting file is opened with Excel. You can force any cell into multiple lines by embedding a CHAR(10), for example: WRITESEQ \John,Jacob,Dingleheimer\:CHAR(10):\Schmidt\ TO MY.CSV.FILE THEN NULL ...when viewed in Excel will give you... JohnJacobDingleheimer Schmidt ...which is a great way of expressing multi-values. Finally I arrive at the crux. When you open such a document in Excel, it only displays one line per row even if a cell in that row contains multiple lines. To see all lines you have to select all and hit FORMAT | ROW | AUTOFIT. My users seem to be incapable of dealing with that, so... ...does anyone know if it is possible to embed some kind of command in a CSV file that will get Excel to autofit those rows automatically? Barry Brevik --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
RE: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file?
Hi Barry, Why don't you do a macro in excel that will do the Format/row/autofit and let your users have it? Louie -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Barry Brevik Sent: 20 October 2005 20:05 To: U2-users (E-mail) Subject: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file? A little off-topic... From universe, I am creating a sequential file which is formatted as a CSV file, in other words each field is quoted and separated from each other by commas, for example: John,Jacob,Dingleheimer Schmidt The intent is that the resulting file is opened with Excel. You can force any cell into multiple lines by embedding a CHAR(10), for example: WRITESEQ \John,Jacob,Dingleheimer\:CHAR(10):\Schmidt\ TO MY.CSV.FILE THEN NULL ...when viewed in Excel will give you... JohnJacobDingleheimer Schmidt ...which is a great way of expressing multi-values. Finally I arrive at the crux. When you open such a document in Excel, it only displays one line per row even if a cell in that row contains multiple lines. To see all lines you have to select all and hit FORMAT | ROW | AUTOFIT. My users seem to be incapable of dealing with that, so... ...does anyone know if it is possible to embed some kind of command in a CSV file that will get Excel to autofit those rows automatically? Barry Brevik --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/ --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
Re: [U2] [UV][OT]Embed command in CSV file?
From universe, I am creating a sequential file which is formatted as a CSV [snip] ...does anyone know if it is possible to embed some kind of command Barry, no, it's not possible in csv, closest is to embed a formula. However, if your users are on Office 2003, you might be best off creating your document as XML where you will have access to complete (Excel) control over your document. If they are on earlier versions of Excel then creating your document as HTML will give moderate control over the format of the doc. HTH, Stuart ** This email message and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of addressed recipient(s). If you have received this email in error please notify the Spotless IS Support Centre (+61 3 9269 7555) immediately, who will advise further action. This footnote also confirms that this email message has been scanned for the presence of computer related viruses. ** --- u2-users mailing list u2-users@listserver.u2ug.org To unsubscribe please visit http://listserver.u2ug.org/
