- Reading Excel Files From WOW

Interfacing WOW with Excel

WOW has the ability to read an Excel file using a JDBC-ODBC bridge. This may be useful in scenarios where

you want to allow multiple users to see the contents of an Excel file. WOW has the ability to query databases and export the results into

Excel files which is covered in a different section.

Connecting WOW to an Excel File

To connect WOW to a MS Excel file the following steps need to be done:

• 1. Create an ODBC System Data Source (DSN) on the same system where the

     1. application server is installed. (Remote access is not supported)

  2. The DSN must reference the desired Excel worksheet.

  3. Connect WOW to the created DSN from step 1 & 2.

NOTE:

• • Only read access is recommended although limited update capabilities are available.

  • Support is available via JDBC ODBC Bridge.

  • Excel files must reside on the same system as the WOW server although mapped drive

    • support may be possible.

Creating system DSN (Windows Only)

• 1. Go to start > Control panel > administrative tool > Data Source(ODBC) as seen in the

     1. screenshot below.

  2. Choose "System DSN" and click on "Add" button.

• 1. Under "Create New Data Source" panel, choose "Microft Excel Driver (*.xls)" then hit

     1. "Finish" as in the screenshot below.

Pointing to desired Excel worksheet

• 1. After clicking "finish" as the screenshot above, name the "Data Source Name" as desired

     1. and remember this name for using later then click on "Select Workbook." In this example,

     2. the DSN is named "Mexcel."

NOTE: There may be connection problems if trying to connect to a version under

Microsoft Access/Excel 2000.

• 1. Point the DSN to the Excel file location (My file in C:\planetj\wowExcel\testWOWExcel.xls)

     1. then click "OK."

NOTE: Only Uncheck the "Read Only" box (screenshot above) when data from excel spreadsheet needs to be updated.

• 1. Click "OK" (screenshot below)

• 1. Click "OK" (screenshot below)