Is there any simple way to convert .xls file to .csv file? (Excel)

Question

Is there any simple way to convert .xls file to .csv file ? (Excel)

in C# code ?

i mean to take an existing .xls file and convert them to .csv file

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

Here's a C# method to do this. Remember to add your own error handling - this mostly assumes that things work for the sake of brevity. It's 4.0+ framework only, but that's mostly because of the optional worksheetNumber parameter. You can overload the method if you need to support earlier versions.

static void ConvertExcelToCsv(string excelFilePath, string csvOutputFile, int worksheetNumber = 1) {    if (!File.Exists(excelFilePath)) throw new FileNotFoundException(excelFilePath);    if (File.Exists(csvOutputFile)) throw new ArgumentException("File exists: " + csvOutputFile);     // connection string    var cnnStr = String.Format("Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source={0};Extended Properties=\"Excel 8.0;IMEX=1;HDR=NO\"", excelFilePath);    var cnn = new OleDbConnection(cnnStr);     // get schema, then data    var dt = new DataTable();    try {       cnn.Open();       var schemaTable = cnn.GetOleDbSchemaTable(OleDbSchemaGuid.Tables, null);       if (schemaTable.Rows.Count < worksheetNumber) throw new ArgumentException("The worksheet number provided cannot be found in the spreadsheet");       string worksheet = schemaTable.Rows[worksheetNumber - 1]["table_name"].ToString().Replace("'", "");       string sql = String.Format("select * from [{0}]", worksheet);       var da = new OleDbDataAdapter(sql, cnn);       da.Fill(dt);    }    catch (Exception e) {       // ???       throw e;    }    finally {       // free resources       cnn.Close();    }     // write out CSV data    using (var wtr = new StreamWriter(csvOutputFile)) {       foreach (DataRow row in dt.Rows) {          bool firstLine = true;          foreach (DataColumn col in dt.Columns) {             if (!firstLine) { wtr.Write(","); } else { firstLine = false; }             var data = row[col.ColumnName].ToString().Replace("\"", "\"\"");             wtr.Write(String.Format("\"{0}\"", data));          }          wtr.WriteLine();       }    } } 

Answer 2

Checkout the .SaveAs() method in Excel object.

wbWorkbook.SaveAs("c:\yourdesiredFilename.csv", Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.XlFileFormat.xlCSV) 

Or following:

public static void SaveAs() {     Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Application app = new Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.ApplicationClass();     Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Workbook wbWorkbook = app.Workbooks.Add(Type.Missing);     Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Sheets wsSheet = wbWorkbook.Worksheets;     Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Worksheet CurSheet = (Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Worksheet)wsSheet[1];      Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Range thisCell = (Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Range)CurSheet.Cells[1, 1];      thisCell.Value2 = "This is a test.";      wbWorkbook.SaveAs(@"c:\one.xls", Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.XlFileFormat.xlWorkbookNormal, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.XlSaveAsAccessMode.xlShared, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing);     wbWorkbook.SaveAs(@"c:\two.csv", Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.XlFileFormat.xlCSVWindows, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.XlSaveAsAccessMode.xlShared, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing);      wbWorkbook.Close(false, "", true); }