ExtenXLS

ExtenXLS: a Java Excel Reporting Toolkit from the developers at Extentech. ExtenXLS is an easy-to-use reporting API that allows for the reading in, modifying and creation of spreadsheet-based reports from Java applications.

Written entirely in Java, ExtenXLS creates new spreadsheet files from scratch as well as from existing spreadsheet file templates.

ExtenXLS utilizes data from any source and outputs it in Excel-compatible XLS, XML, and HTML formats.

With Excel compatibility, template input files can range from a variety of complex legacy spreadsheets such as: surveys, checklists, what-if scenarios, and historical portfolio data.

ExtenXLS has dozens of methods that can create new WorkBooks from scratch, allowing for the insertion of new cells containing text, and numeric data. ExtenXLS also has the ability to customize output with hundreds of fonts, colors, patterns, borders, formulas, named ranges, and built-in formats such as: currency, date, financial and numeric formatting patterns.

Common uses for ExtenXLS

The ExtenXLS API can be used as a desktop spreadsheet component or embedded in a server application. With the ability to reuse existing spreadsheets, ExtenXLS can update template XLS files with fresh data from databases and output thousands of custom reports in seconds. Template input files can range from a variety of complex legacy spreadsheets such as: surveys, checklists, what-if scenarios, and historical portfolio data.

How to use ExtenXLS

ExtenXLS can be broken down into four-levels of functionality: Application, WorkBook, WorkSheet, and Cell levels.

Application-Level Functions

The Application level functions cover the broad category of how ExtenXLS can be used in your program.

• Convert and output spreadsheets as XML, and HTML
• Use XML Report Definition Files to automate execution of database queries and mapping of results to spreadsheet templates
• Embed Java Swing spreadsheet components including formula (creation/execution), formatting, and named range support into GUI applications
• Generate multiple output files from a single input template spreadsheet merging different data into each output file
• Output spreadsheets to a variety of devices such as hard disks and networks, including client web browsers over HTTP, email clients, and XML consumers

WorkBook-Level Functions

ExtenXLS is not solely a template-based API. With ExtenXLS, you can create new spreadsheet files, cells, formats, and formulas. Using the dynamic capabilities of ExtenXLS you can also convert data programmatically into spreadsheet files, and then handle the spreadsheet output as you would any other application.

• Create and modify new WorkBooks
• Calculate formulas
• Modify existing WorkBooks
• Copy and insert WorkSheets between WorkBooks
• Set row and column size defaults for WorkBooks
• Create, access, and modify named ranges

The WorkSheet Functions

The WorkSheetHandle provides a handle to a WorkSheet within an XLS file and includes convenience methods for working with the cell values within a sheet.

• Manipulate and copy charts
• Select and reorder sheet tabs
• Get and set header and footer text for printing WorkSheets
• Add, move, change, and delete rows and columns
• Protect and unprotect WorkSheets
• Get and set grouping and hiding for rows and columns
• Get and set row and column formats
• Get and set row and column size defaults for WorkSheets
• Get and set sheet name
• Add and remove cells, rows, and columns

Cell Functions

ExtenXLS makes it convenient to work with cells individually. The cell functions allows for the modification and application of dynamic formatting to cells in a spreadsheet.

• Modify cell formatting
• Create and modify formulas
• Manipulate formula Cell references
• Calculate formulas and retrieve new values
• Add, move, modify and delete cell values
• Create hyperlinks for cells