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The | The IO package is part of the octave-forge project and provides input/output from/in external formats. | ||
== ODS support == | |||
(ODS = Open Document Format spreadsheet data format, used by e.g., LibreOffice and OpenOffice.org) | (ODS = Open Document Format spreadsheet data format, used by e.g., LibreOffice and OpenOffice.org) | ||
=== Files content === | |||
* '''odsread.m''' — no-hassle read script for reading from an ODS file and parsing the numeric and text data into separate arrays. | * '''odsread.m''' — no-hassle read script for reading from an ODS file and parsing the numeric and text data into separate arrays. | ||
* '''odswrite.m''' — no-hassle write script for writing to an ODS file. | * '''odswrite.m''' — no-hassle write script for writing to an ODS file. | ||
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=== Required support software === | |||
For Windows (MingW): | For Windows (MingW): | ||
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For ODS access, you'll need to choose at least one of the following java class files collections: | For ODS access, you'll need to choose at least one of the following java class files collections: | ||
* (currently the preferred option) odfdom.jar (only versions 0.7.5 | * (currently the preferred option) odfdom.jar (only versions 0.7.5 and 0.8.6+ work OK!) & xercesImpl.jar (NOTE: only version 2.9.1 dated 14 Sep 2007 has been confirmed to work with odfdom 0.8.7 and earlier. odfdom-0.8.8 hasn't been tested with other xercesImpl.jar releases yet). Get them here: | ||
** http://incubator.apache.org/odftoolkit/downloads.html (contains odfdom-0.8.8) | ** http://incubator.apache.org/odftoolkit/downloads.html (contains odfdom-0.8.8) | ||
** http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&q=xerces-2.9.1+download | ** http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&q=xerces-2.9.1+download | ||
* jopendocument<version>.jar. Get it from http://www.jopendocument.org (jOpenDocument 1. | * jopendocument<version>.jar. Get it from http://www.jopendocument.org (jOpenDocument 1.2 (final) is the most recent one and recommended for Octave). jOpenDocument 1.3 beta 1 is supported in io-1.0.19 and is much faster with reading. | ||
* OpenOffice.org (or clones like LibreOffice, Go-Office, ...). Get it from http://www.openoffice | * OpenOffice.org (or clones like LibreOffice, Go-Office, ...). Get it from http://www.openoffice.org. The relevant Java class libs are unoil.jar, unoloader.jar, jurt.jar, juh.jar and ridl.jar (which are scattered around the OOo installation directory), while also the <OOo>/program/ directory needs to be in the classpath. | ||
These must be referenced with full pathnames in your javaclasspath. | These must be referenced with full pathnames in your javaclasspath. | ||
Hint: add it in ./share/octave/<version>/m/startup/octaverc using appropriate javaaddpath statements. | Hint: add it in ./share/octave/<version>/m/startup/octaverc using appropriate javaaddpath statements. | ||
Alternatively, the io package contains a function script file "chk_spreadsheet_support.m" which can set up the | Alternatively, the io package contains a function script file "chk_spreadsheet_support.m" which can set up the java classpath. | ||
=== Usage === | |||
(see “help ods<function_filename>” in octave terminal.) | (see “help ods<function_filename>” in octave terminal.) | ||
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If you use odsopen / ods2oct / … / oct2ods / …. / odsclose, DO NOT FORGET to invoke odsclose in the end. The file pointers can contain an enormous amount of data and may needlessly keep precious memory allocated. In case of the UNO interface, the hidden OpenOffice.org invocation (soffice.bin) can even block proper closing of Octave. | If you use odsopen / ods2oct / … / oct2ods / …. / odsclose, DO NOT FORGET to invoke odsclose in the end. The file pointers can contain an enormous amount of data and may needlessly keep precious memory allocated. In case of the UNO interface, the hidden OpenOffice.org invocation (soffice.bin) can even block proper closing of Octave. | ||
=== Spreadsheet formula support === | |||
When using the OTK or UNO interface you can: | When using the OTK or UNO interface you can: | ||
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The only exception is if you select the UNO interface, as that invokes OpenOffice.org behind the scenes, and OOo obviously has a validator and evaluator built-in. | The only exception is if you select the UNO interface, as that invokes OpenOffice.org behind the scenes, and OOo obviously has a validator and evaluator built-in. | ||
=== Gotchas === | |||
I know of one big gotcha: i.e. reading dates (& time). A less obvious one is Java memory pool allocation size. | I know of one big gotcha: i.e. reading dates (& time). A less obvious one is Java memory pool allocation size. | ||
==== Date and time in ODS ==== | |||
Octave (as does Matlab) stores dates as a number representing the number of days since January 1, 0 (and as an aside ignores a.o. Pope Gregorius' intervention in 1582 when 10 days were simply skipped). | Octave (as does Matlab) stores dates as a number representing the number of days since January 1, 0 (and as an aside ignores a.o. Pope Gregorius' intervention in 1582 when 10 days were simply skipped). | ||
OpenOffice.org stores dates as text strings like “yyyy-mm-dd”. | OpenOffice.org stores dates as text strings like “yyyy-mm-dd”. | ||
MS-Excel stores dates as a number representing the number of days since January 1, 1900 (and as an aside, erroneously assumes 1900 to be a leap year). | MS-Excel stores dates as a number representing the number of days since January 1, 1900 (and as an aside, erroneously assumes 1900 to be a leap year). | ||
Now, converting OpenOffice.org date cell values (actually, character strings flagged by “date” attributes) into Octave looks pretty straightforward. But when the ODS spreadsheet was originally an Excel spreadsheet converted by OpenOffice.org, the date cells can either be OOo date values (i.e.,strings) OR old numerical values from the Excel spreadsheet. | Now, converting OpenOffice.org date cell values (actually, character strings flagged by “date” attributes) into Octave looks pretty straightforward. But when the ODS spreadsheet was originally an Excel spreadsheet converted by OpenOffice.org, the date cells can either be OOo date values (i.e.,strings) OR old numerical values from the Excel spreadsheet. | ||
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While adding data and time values has been implemented in the write scripts, the wait is for clever solutions to distinguish dates from floats in octave cell arrays. | While adding data and time values has been implemented in the write scripts, the wait is for clever solutions to distinguish dates from floats in octave cell arrays. | ||
==== Java memory pool allocation size ==== | |||
The Java virtual machine (JVM) initializes one big chunk of your computer's RAM in which all Java classes and methods etc. are to be loaded: the Java memory pool. It does this because Java has a very sophisticated “garbage collection” system. At least on Windows, the initial size is 2MB and the maximum size is 64MB. On Linux this allocated size is much bigger. This part of memory is where the Java-based ODS octave routines (and the Java-based ods routines) live and keep their variables etc. | The Java virtual machine (JVM) initializes one big chunk of your computer's RAM in which all Java classes and methods etc. are to be loaded: the Java memory pool. It does this because Java has a very sophisticated “garbage collection” system. At least on Windows, the initial size is 2MB and the maximum size is 64MB. On Linux this allocated size is much bigger. This part of memory is where the Java-based ODS octave routines (and the Java-based ods routines) live and keep their variables etc. | ||
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After processing a large chunk of spreadsheet information you might notice that octave's memory footprint does not shrink so it looks like Java's memory pool does not shrink back; but rest assured, the memory footprint is the allocated (reserved) memory size, not the actual used size. After the JVM has done its garbage collection, only the so-called “working set” of the memory allocation is really in use and that is a trimmed-down part of the memory allocation pool. On Windows systems it often suffices to minimize the octave terminal for a few seconds to get a more reasonable memory footprint. | After processing a large chunk of spreadsheet information you might notice that octave's memory footprint does not shrink so it looks like Java's memory pool does not shrink back; but rest assured, the memory footprint is the allocated (reserved) memory size, not the actual used size. After the JVM has done its garbage collection, only the so-called “working set” of the memory allocation is really in use and that is a trimmed-down part of the memory allocation pool. On Windows systems it often suffices to minimize the octave terminal for a few seconds to get a more reasonable memory footprint. | ||
==== Reading cells containing errors ==== | |||
Spreadsheet cells containing erroneous stuff are transferred to Octave as NaNs. But not all errors can be catched. Cells showing #Value# in OpenOffice.org Calc | Spreadsheet cells containing erroneous stuff are transferred to Octave as NaNs. But not all errors can be catched. Cells showing #Value# in OpenOffice.org Calc often contain invalid formulas but may have a 0 (null) value stored in the value fields. It is impossible to catch this as there is no run-time formula evaluator (yet) in ODF Toolkit nor jOpenDocument (like there is in Apache POI for Excel). | ||
Smaller gotcha's : | Smaller gotcha's (only with jOpenDocument 1.2b2, fixed in 1.2b3+ and 1.2 final): | ||
* while reading, empty cells are sometimes not skipped but interpreted with numerical value 0 (zero). | * while reading, empty cells are sometimes not skipped but interpreted with numerical value 0 (zero). | ||
* a valid range MUST be specified, I haven't found a way to discover the actual occupied rows and columns (jOpenDocument can give the physical ones (= capacity) but that doesn't help). | |||
NOT fixed in | NOT fixed in version 1.2 final: | ||
* jOpenDocument doesn't set the so-called <office:value-type='string'> attribute in cells containing text; as a consequence ODF Toolkit will treat them as empty cells. OOo will read them OK. | * jOpenDocument doesn't set the so-called <office:value-type='string'> attribute in cells containing text; as a consequence ODF Toolkit will treat them as empty cells. OOo will read them OK. | ||
=== Matlab compatibility === | |||
AFAIK there's no similar functionality in Matlab (yet?), only for reading and then very limited. | AFAIK there's no similar functionality in Matlab (yet?), only for reading and then very limited. | ||
odsread is fairly function-compatible to xlsread, however. | odsread is fairly function-compatible to xlsread, however. | ||
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Same goes for odswrite, odsfinfo and xlsfinfo – however odsfinfo has better functionality IMO. | Same goes for odswrite, odsfinfo and xlsfinfo – however odsfinfo has better functionality IMO. | ||
=== Comparison of interfaces === | |||
The ODFtoolkit is the one that gives the best (but slow) results at present. However, parsing xml trees into rectangular arrays is not quite straightforward and the other way round is a real nightmare; odftoolkit up til 0.7.5. did little to hide the gory details for the developers. | |||
The | |||
While reading ODS is still OK, writing implies checking whether cells already exist explicitly (in table:table-cells) or implicitly (in number-columns-repeated or number-rows-repeated nodes) or not at all yet in which case you'll need to add various types of parent nodes. Inserting new cells (“nodes”) or deleting nodes implies rebuilding possibly large parts of the tree in memory - nothing for the faint-of-heart. Only with ODFToolkit (odfdom) 0.8.6 and 0.8.7 things have been simplified for developers. | While reading ODS is still OK, writing implies checking whether cells already exist explicitly (in table:table-cells) or implicitly (in number-columns-repeated or number-rows-repeated nodes) or not at all yet in which case you'll need to add various types of parent nodes. Inserting new cells (“nodes”) or deleting nodes implies rebuilding possibly large parts of the tree in memory - nothing for the faint-of-heart. Only with ODFToolkit (odfdom) 0.8.6 and 0.8.7 things have been simplified for developers. | ||
The | The jOpenDocument interface is more promising, as it does shield the xml tree details and presents developers something which looks like a spreadsheet model. | ||
However, unfortunately the developers decided to shield essential methods by making them 'protected' (e.g. the vital getCellType). JopenDocument does support writing. But OTOH many obvious methods are still lacking and formula support is absent. | However, unfortunately the developers decided to shield essential methods by making them 'protected' (e.g. the vital getCellType). JopenDocument does support writing. But OTOH many obvious methods are still lacking and formula support is absent. | ||
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However, UNO is not stable yet (see below). | However, UNO is not stable yet (see below). | ||
=== Troubleshooting === | |||
Some hints for troubleshooting ODS support are given here. | Some hints for troubleshooting ODS support are given here. | ||
Since April 2011 the function chk_spreadsheet_support() has been included in the io package. Calling it with arguments ('', 3) (empty string and debug level 3) will echo a lot of diagnostics to the screen. Large parts of the steps outlined below have been automated in this script. | Since April 2011 the function chk_spreadsheet_support() has been included in the io package. Calling it with arguments ('', 3) (empty string and debug level 3) will echo a lot of diagnostics to the screen. Large parts of the steps outlined below have been automated in this script. | ||
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** The exact case (URE or ure, Basis or basis), name ("Basis3.2" or just "basis") and subdirectory tree (URE/java or URE/share/java) varies across OOo versions and -clones, so chk_spreadsheet_support.m can have a hard time finding all needed classes. In particularly bad cases, when chk_spreadsheet_support cannot find them, you might need to add one or more of these these classes manually to the javaclasspath. | ** The exact case (URE or ure, Basis or basis), name ("Basis3.2" or just "basis") and subdirectory tree (URE/java or URE/share/java) varies across OOo versions and -clones, so chk_spreadsheet_support.m can have a hard time finding all needed classes. In particularly bad cases, when chk_spreadsheet_support cannot find them, you might need to add one or more of these these classes manually to the javaclasspath. | ||
=== Development === | |||
As with the Excel r/w stuff, adding new interfaces should be easy and straightforward. Add relevant stanzas in odsopen, odsclose, odsfinfo & getusedrange and add new subfunctions (for the real work) to getusedrange_<INTF>, oct2ods and ods2oct. | As with the Excel r/w stuff, adding new interfaces should be easy and straightforward. Add relevant stanzas in odsopen, odsclose, odsfinfo & getusedrange and add new subfunctions (for the real work) to getusedrange_<INTF>, oct2ods and ods2oct. | ||
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But IMO data sets larger than 5.105 cells should not be kept in spreadsheets anyway. Use real databases for such data sets. | But IMO data sets larger than 5.105 cells should not be kept in spreadsheets anyway. Use real databases for such data sets. | ||
=== ODFDOM versions === | |||
I have tried various odfdom version. As to 0.8 & 0.8.5, while the API has been simplified enormously (finally one can address cells by spreadsheet address rather than find out yourself by parsing the table-column/-row/-cell structure), many irrecoverable bugs have been introduced :-(( | I have tried various odfdom version. As to 0.8 & 0.8.5, while the API has been simplified enormously (finally one can address cells by spreadsheet address rather than find out yourself by parsing the table-column/-row/-cell structure), many irrecoverable bugs have been introduced :-(( | ||
In addition processing ODS files became significantly slower (up to 7 times!). | In addition processing ODS files became significantly slower (up to 7 times!). | ||
End of August 2010 I have implemented support for odfdom-0.8.6.jar – that version is at last sufficiently reliable to use. The few remaining bugs and limitations could easily be worked around by diving in the older TableTable API. Later on versions 0.8.7 and 0.8.8 have been tested too - these needed a few adjustments; clearly the odfdom API (currently at main version 0) is not stable yet | End of August 2010 I have implemented support for odfdom-0.8.6.jar – that version is at last sufficiently reliable to use. The few remaining bugs and limitations could easily be worked around by diving in the older TableTable API. Later on versions 0.8.7 and 0.8.8 have been tested too - these needed a few adjustments; clearly the odfdom API (currently at main version 0) is not stable yet. | ||
So at the moment ( | So at the moment (June 2012 = last I looked) only odfdom versions 0.7.5, 0.8.6, 0.8.7 and 0.8.8 are supported. | ||
If you want to experiment with odfdom 0.8 & 0.8.5, you can try: | If you want to experiment with odfdom 0.8 & 0.8.5, you can try: | ||
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* oct2ods.m (revision 7159) | * oct2ods.m (revision 7159) | ||
== XLS support == | |||
=== Files content === | |||
* '''xlsread.m''' — All-in-one function for reading data from one specific worksheet in an Excel spreadsheet file. This script has Matlab-compatible functionality. | * '''xlsread.m''' — All-in-one function for reading data from one specific worksheet in an Excel spreadsheet file. This script has Matlab-compatible functionality. | ||
* '''xlswrite.m''' — All-in-one function for writing data to one specific worksheet in an Excel spreadsheet file. This script has Matlab-compatible functionality. | * '''xlswrite.m''' — All-in-one function for writing data to one specific worksheet in an Excel spreadsheet file. This script has Matlab-compatible functionality. | ||
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* '''spsh_chkrange.m''', '''spsh_prstype.m''', '''getusedrange.m''', '''calccelladdress.m''', '''parse_sp_range.m''' — Support files called by the scripts and not meant for direct invocation by users. | * '''spsh_chkrange.m''', '''spsh_prstype.m''', '''getusedrange.m''', '''calccelladdress.m''', '''parse_sp_range.m''' — Support files called by the scripts and not meant for direct invocation by users. | ||
=== Required support software === | |||
For the Excel/COM interface: | For the Excel/COM interface: | ||
* A windows computer with Excel installed. Note that 64-bit MS-Office has no support for COMx /ActiveX so you might have to resort to the Java interfaces below | * A windows computer with Excel installed. Note that 64-bit MS-Office has no support for COMx /ActiveX so you might have to resort to the Java interfaces below | ||
* Octave | * Octave-forge Windows-1.0.8 or later package WITH LATEST SVN PATCHES APPLIED | ||
For the Java / Apache POI / JExcelAPI interfaces (general): | For the Java / Apache POI / JExcelAPI interfaces (general): | ||
* octave | * octave-forge java-1.2.8 package or later version on Linux | ||
* octave | * octave-forge java-1.2.8 with latest svn fixes on Windows/MingW | ||
* Java | * Java jre or jdk > 1.6.0 (hasn't been tested with earlier versions) | ||
Apache POI specific: | Apache POI specific: | ||
* class .jars: '''poi-3.5-FINAL-<date>.jar & poi-ooxml-3.5-FINAL-<date>.jar''' (or later versions) in classpath | * class .jars: '''poi-3.5-FINAL-<date>.jar & poi-ooxml-3.5-FINAL-<date>.jar''' (or later versions) in classpath | ||
** Get it here: http://poi.apache.org/download.html | ** Get it here: http://poi.apache.org/download.html | ||
* for OOXML support (only available with Apache POI): '''poi-ooxml-schemas-<version>.jar''', '''xbean | * for OOXML support (only available with Apache POI): '''poi-ooxml-schemas-<version>.jar''', '''xbean.jar''', '''dom4j-1.6.1.jar''' in javaclasspath. | ||
** Get them here: http://poi.apache.org/download.html ("xmlbeans" and poi-ooxml-schemas) or http://sourceforge.net/projects/dom4j/files (dom4j-<version>) | ** Get them here: http://poi.apache.org/download.html ("xmlbeans" and poi-ooxml-schemas) or http://sourceforge.net/projects/dom4j/files (dom4j-<version>) | ||
JExcelAPI specific: | JExcelAPI specific: | ||
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NOTE: EXPERIMENTAL!! A working OpenOffice.org installation. The utility function chk_spreadsheet_support can be used to add the needed entries to the javaclasspath. | NOTE: EXPERIMENTAL!! A working OpenOffice.org installation. The utility function chk_spreadsheet_support can be used to add the needed entries to the javaclasspath. | ||
=== Usage === | |||
'''xlsread''' and '''xlswrite''' are mere wrappers for '''xlsopen - xls2oct - xlsclose - parsecell''' and '''xlsopen - oct2xls - xlsclose''' sequences, resp. They exist for the sake of Matlab compatibility. | '''xlsread''' and '''xlswrite''' are mere wrappers for '''xlsopen-xls2oct-xlsclose-parsecell''' and '''xlsopen-oct2xls-xlsclose''' sequences, resp. They exist for the sake of Matlab compatibility. | ||
'''xlsfinfo''' can be used for finding out what worksheet names exist in the file. For OOXML files you | '''xlsfinfo''' can be used for finding out what worksheet names exist in the file. For OOXML files you either need MS-Excel 2007 for Windows (or later version) installed, and/or the input parameter REQINTF should be specified with a value of 'poi' (case-insensitive) and -obviously- the complete POI interface must have been installed. | ||
Invoking '''xlsopen'''/..../'''xlsclose''' directly provides for much more flexibility, speed, and robustness than '''xlsread''' / '''xlswrite'''. Indeed, using the same file handle (pointer struct) you can mix reading & writing before writing the workbook out to disk using xlsclose. | Invoking '''xlsopen'''/..../'''xlsclose''' directly provides for much more flexibility, speed, and robustness than '''xlsread''' / '''xlswrite'''. Indeed, using the same file handle (pointer struct) you can mix reading & writing before writing the workbook out to disk using xlsclose. | ||
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When not using the COM interface, specify a value of 'POI' for parameter REQINTF when accessing OOXML files in xlsread, xlswrite, xlsopen, xlsfinfo (and be sure the complete Apache POI interface is installed). If you haven't got ActiveX installed (i.e., not having MS-Excel under Windows) specifying 'POI' may not be needed as in such cases Apache POI is the next default interface. | When not using the COM interface, specify a value of 'POI' for parameter REQINTF when accessing OOXML files in xlsread, xlswrite, xlsopen, xlsfinfo (and be sure the complete Apache POI interface is installed). If you haven't got ActiveX installed (i.e., not having MS-Excel under Windows) specifying 'POI' may not be needed as in such cases Apache POI is the next default interface. | ||
When using JExcelAPI (JXL), after writing into a worksheet you MUST save the file – adding data to the same or another worksheet is no more possible after the first call to oct2xls(). This is a limitation of JExcelAPI. | When using JExcelAPI (JXL), after writing into a worksheet you MUST save the file – adding data to the same or another worksheet is no more possible after the first call to oct2xls(). This is a limitation of JExcelAPI. | ||
When using the | === Spreadsheet formula support === | ||
* (When reading, xls2oct) either read spreadsheet formula results, or the literal formula text strings | When using the COM, POI, JXL, and UNO interfaces you can: | ||
* (When reading, xls2oct) either read spreadsheet formula results, or the literal formula text strings; | |||
* (When writing, oct2xls) either enter formulas in the worksheet as formulas, or enter them as literal text strings. | * (When writing, oct2xls) either enter formulas in the worksheet as formulas, or enter them as literal text strings. | ||
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Be aware that there's no formula evaluator in JExcelAPI (JXL) nor OpenXLS (OXS). So if you create formulas in your spreadsheet using oct2xls or xlswrite with 'JXL' or 'OXS', do not expect meaningful results when reading those files later on ,unless you open them in Excel and write them back to disk. | Be aware that there's no formula evaluator in JExcelAPI (JXL) nor OpenXLS (OXS). So if you create formulas in your spreadsheet using oct2xls or xlswrite with 'JXL' or 'OXS', do not expect meaningful results when reading those files later on ,unless you open them in Excel and write them back to disk. | ||
While both Apache POI and JExcelAPI feature a formula validator, not all spreadsheet functions present in Excel have been implemented (yet). | While both Apache POI and JExcelAPI feature a formula validator, not all spreadsheet functions present in Excel have been implemented (yet). | ||
Worse, older Excel versions feature less functions than newer versions. So be wary as this may make for interesting confusion | Worse, older Excel versions feature less functions than newer versions. So be wary as this may make for interesting confusion. | ||
=== Matlab compatibility === | |||
'''xlsread''', '''xlswrite''' and '''xlsfinfo''' are for the most part Matlab-compatible. Some small differences are mentioned below. | '''xlsread''', '''xlswrite''' and '''xlsfinfo''' are for the most part Matlab-compatible. Some small differences are mentioned below. | ||
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* xlsread | * xlsread | ||
** Matlab's xlsread supports invoking extra functions while reading ("passing function handle"); octave not. But this can be simulated outside xlsread. | ** Matlab's xlsread supports invoking extra functions while reading ("passing function handle"); octave not. But this can be simulated outside xlsread. | ||
** Matlab's xlsread flags some spreadsheet errors, | ** Matlab's xlsread flags some spreadsheet errors, octave-forge just returns blank cells. | ||
** Octave | ** Octave-forge returns info about the actual (rather than the requested) cell range where the data came from. Personally I find it very useful to know from what part of a worksheet the data originate so I've put quite some effort in it :-) Matlab can't, due to Excel automatically trimming returned arrays from empty outer columns and rows. Octave is more clever but the Visual Basic call used for determining the actually used range has some limitations: | ||
**# it relies on cached range values and thus may be out-of-date; | **# it relies on cached range values and thus may be out-of-date; | ||
**# it counts empty formatted cells too. When using ActiveX/COM, if octave's xlsfinfo.m returns wrong data ranges it is most often an overestimation. | **# it counts empty formatted cells too. When using ActiveX/COM, if octave's xlsfinfo.m returns wrong data ranges it is most often an overestimation. | ||
*:Matlab's xlsread ignores all non-numeric data values outside the smallest rectangle encompassing all numerical values. Octave's xlsread doesn't. This means that Matlab ignores all row/column headers, not very user-friendly IMO. | *:Matlab's xlsread ignores all non-numeric data values outside the smallest rectangle encompassing all numerical values. Octave's xlsread doesn't. This means that Matlab ignores all row/column headers, not very user-friendly IMO. | ||
** When using the Java interface, reading and writing xls-files by | ** When using the Java interface, reading and writing xls-files by octave-forge is platform-independent. On systems w/o installed Excel, Matlab can only read Excel 95 formatted .xls files (written using ML xlswrite's 'Basic" option) – and then differently than under Windows..... | ||
** Matlab's xlsread returns strings for cells containing date values. This makes for endless if-then-elseif-else-end constructs to catch all expected date formats. Octave returns numerical data (where 0 = 1/1/1900 – you can easily transfer them into proper octave date values yourself using e.g. datestr(), see bottom of this document for more info). For dates before 1/1/1900, Octave returns dates as text strings. | ** Matlab's xlsread returns strings for cells containing date values. This makes for endless if-then-elseif-else-end constructs to catch all expected date formats. Octave returns numerical data (where 0 = 1/1/1900 – you can easily transfer them into proper octave date values yourself using e.g. datestr(), see bottom of this document for more info). For dates before 1/1/1900, Octave returns dates as text strings. | ||
** Matlab's xlsread invokes csvread if no Excel interface is present. Octave | ** Matlab's xlsread invokes csvread if no Excel interface is present. Octave-forge's xlsread doesn't. | ||
** Octave can read either formula results (evaluated formulas) or the formula text strings; Matlab can't. | ** Octave can read either formula results (evaluated formulas) or the formula text strings; Matlab can't. | ||
* xlswrite | * xlswrite | ||
** Octave | ** Octave-forge's xlswrite works on systems w/o Excel support, Matlab's doesn't (properly). | ||
**When specifying a sheet number larger than the number of existing sheets in an .xls file, Matlab's xlswrite adds empty sheets until the new sheet number is created; Octave's xlswrite only adds one sheet called "Sheet<number>" where <number> is the specified sheet number. | **When specifying a sheet number larger than the number of existing sheets in an .xls file, Matlab's xlswrite adds empty sheets until the new sheet number is created; Octave's xlswrite only adds one sheet called "Sheet<number>" where <number> is the specified sheet number. | ||
** Even better (IMO) while M's xlswrite always creates Sheet1/Sheet2/Sheet3 when creating a new spreadsheet, octave's xlswrite only creates the requested worksheet. (Did you know that you can instruct Excel to create spreadsheets with just one, or any number of, worksheets? Look in Tools | Options, General tab.) | ** Even better (IMO) while M's xlswrite always creates Sheet1/Sheet2/Sheet3 when creating a new spreadsheet, octave's xlswrite only creates the requested worksheet. (Did you know that you can instruct Excel to create spreadsheets with just one, or any number of, worksheets? Look in Tools | Options, General tab.) | ||
** Oh and octave doesn't touch the "active sheet" - but that's not automatically an advantage. | ** Oh and octave doesn't touch the "active sheet" - but that's not automatically an advantage. | ||
** If the specified write range is larger than the actual data array, Matlab's xlswrite adds #N/A cells to fill up the lowermost rows and rightmost columns; | ** If the specified write range is larger than the actual data array, Matlab's xlswrite adds #N/A cells to fill up the lowermost rows and rightmost columns; octave-forge's xlswrite doesn't. | ||
* xlsfinfo | * xlsfinfo | ||
** When invoking Excel/COM interface, | ** When invoking Excel/COM interface, octave-forge's xlsfinfo also echoes the type of sheet (worksheet, chart), not just the sheet names. Using Java I haven't found similar functionality (yet). | ||
=== Comparison of interfaces & usage === | |||
Using Excel itself (through '''COM''' / '''ActiveX''' on Windows systems) is probably the most robust and versatile and especially FAST option. There's one gotcha: in case of some type of COM errors Excel will keep running invisibly; you can only end it through Task Manager. A tiny problem is that one cannot find out easily through COM what file types are supported; xls, wks, wk1, xlsx, etc. Another -obvious- limitation is that COM Excel access only works on Windows systems where Excel is installed. | Using Excel itself (through '''COM''' / '''ActiveX''' on Windows systems) is probably the most robust and versatile and especially FAST option. There's one gotcha: in case of some type of COM errors Excel will keep running invisibly; you can only end it through Task Manager. A tiny problem is that one cannot find out easily through COM what file types are supported; xls, wks, wk1, xlsx, etc. Another -obvious- limitation is that COM Excel access only works on Windows systems where Excel is installed. | ||
'''JExcelAPI''' (Java-based and therefore platform-independent) is proven technology but switching between reading and writing is quite involved and memory-hungry when processing large spreadsheets. As the docs state, JExcelAPI is optimized for reading and it does do that well - but still slower than Excel/COM. The fact that upon a switch from reading to writing the existing spreadsheet is overwritten in place by a blank one and that you can only get the contents back wen writing out all of the changes is worrying - and any change after the first write() is lost as a next write() doesn't seem to work, worse yet, you may completely loose the spreadsheet in question. The first is by JExcelAPI design, the second is probably a bug (in | '''JExcelAPI''' (Java-based and therefore platform-independent) is proven technology but switching between reading and writing is quite involved and memory-hungry when processing large spreadsheets. As the docs state, JExcelAPI is optimized for reading and it does do that well - but still slower than Excel/COM. The fact that upon a switch from reading to writing the existing spreadsheet is overwritten in place by a blank one and that you can only get the contents back wen writing out all of the changes is worrying - and any change after the first write() is lost as a next write() doesn't seem to work, worse yet, you may completely loose the spreadsheet in question. The first is by JExcelAPI design, the second is probably a bug (in octave-forge/Java or JExcelAPI ? I don't know). Adding data to existing spreadsheets does work, but IMO undue user confidence is needed. JExcelAPI supports BIFF5 (only reading) and BIFF8 (Excel 95 and Excel 97-2003, respectively). Upon overwriting, BIFF5 spreadsheets are converted silently to BIFF8. JexcelAPI, unlike ApachePOI, doesn't evaluate functions while reading but instead relies on cached results (i.e. results computed by Excel itself). Depending on Excel settings ("Automatic calculation" ON or OFF) this may or may not yield incorrect (or expected) results. | ||
'''Apache POI''' (Java-based and platform-independent too) is based on the OpenOffice.org I/O Excel r/w routines. It is a more versatile than JExcelAPI, while it doesn't support BIFF5 it does support BIFF8 (Excel 97 – 2003) and OOXML (Excel 2007). It is slower than native JXL let alone Excel & COM but it features active formula evaluation, although at the moment (v. 3.8) not all Excel functions have been implemented. Obviously, as new functions are added in every new Excel release it's hard to catch up for Apache POI. I've made the relevant subfunction (xls2jpoi2oct) fall back to cached formula results (and yield a suitable warning) for non-implemented Excel functions while reading Excel files. | '''Apache POI''' (Java-based and platform-independent too) is based on the OpenOffice.org I/O Excel r/w routines. It is a more versatile than JExcelAPI, while it doesn't support BIFF5 it does support BIFF8 (Excel 97 – 2003) and OOXML (Excel 2007). It is slower than native JXL let alone Excel & COM but it features active formula evaluation, although at the moment (v. 3.8) not all Excel functions have been implemented. Obviously, as new functions are added in every new Excel release it's hard to catch up for Apache POI. I've made the relevant subfunction (xls2jpoi2oct) fall back to cached formula results (and yield a suitable warning) for non-implemented Excel functions while reading Excel files. | ||
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All in all, of the three Java options I'd prefer Apache POI rather than OpenXLS or JexcelAPI. But the latter is indispensable for BIFF5 formats. Once UNO is stable it is to be preferred as it can read ALL file formats supported by OOo (viz. wk1, ods, xlsx, sxc, ...) | All in all, of the three Java options I'd prefer Apache POI rather than OpenXLS or JexcelAPI. But the latter is indispensable for BIFF5 formats. Once UNO is stable it is to be preferred as it can read ALL file formats supported by OOo (viz. wk1, ods, xlsx, sxc, ...) | ||
Some notes on the choice for Java: | Some notes on the choice for Java: | ||
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So Java is a compromise between portability and rapid development time versus capacity (and speed). But IMO data sets larger than 5.10^5 cells should not be kept in spreadsheets anyway. Better use real databases for such data sets. | So Java is a compromise between portability and rapid development time versus capacity (and speed). But IMO data sets larger than 5.10^5 cells should not be kept in spreadsheets anyway. Better use real databases for such data sets. | ||
=== Troubleshooting === | |||
Some hints for troubleshooting Excel support are contained in this thread: http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=4C61B649.9090802%40hccnet.nl&forum_name=octave-dev dated August 10, 2010. A more structured approach is below. | Some hints for troubleshooting Excel support are contained in this thread: http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=4C61B649.9090802%40hccnet.nl&forum_name=octave-dev dated August 10, 2010. A more structured approach is below. | ||
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#: xls2 = xlsopen ('test.xls', 1, 'jxl'). If this works and xls2 is a struct with various fields containing objects, the JExcelAPI interface (JXL) works as well. Don't forget to do xls2 = xlsclose (xls2) to close the file. | #: xls2 = xlsopen ('test.xls', 1, 'jxl'). If this works and xls2 is a struct with various fields containing objects, the JExcelAPI interface (JXL) works as well. Don't forget to do xls2 = xlsclose (xls2) to close the file. | ||
=== Development === | |||
xlsopen/xlsclose and friends have been written so that adding other interfaces (Perl? native octave? ...?) should be very easily accomplished. Xlsopen.m merely needs two stanzas, xlsfinfo.m and getusedrange.m each need an additional elseif stanza, and xlsclose.m needs a small stanza for closing the pointer struct and writing to disk. The real work lies in creating the relevant xls2<...>2oct & oct2<...>2xls & <getusedrange_...> subfunction scripts in xls2oct.m, oct2xls.m and getusedrange.m, resp., but that shouldn't be really hard, depending on the interface support libraries' quality and documentation. Separating the file access functions and the actual reading/writing from/to the workbook in memory has made developer's life (I mean: my time developing this stuff) much easier. | xlsopen/xlsclose and friends have been written so that adding other interfaces (Perl? native octave? ...?) should be very easily accomplished. Xlsopen.m merely needs two stanzas, xlsfinfo.m and getusedrange.m each need an additional elseif stanza, and xlsclose.m needs a small stanza for closing the pointer struct and writing to disk. The real work lies in creating the relevant xls2<...>2oct & oct2<...>2xls & <getusedrange_...> subfunction scripts in xls2oct.m, oct2xls.m and getusedrange.m, resp., but that shouldn't be really hard, depending on the interface support libraries' quality and documentation. Separating the file access functions and the actual reading/writing from/to the workbook in memory has made developer's life (I mean: my time developing this stuff) much easier. | ||
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*Support for "passing function handle" in xlsread. | *Support for "passing function handle" in xlsread. | ||
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