Parsing XLS and XLSX (MS Excel) files with Ruby?

📝💻🔌✅🚀

Parsing XLS and XLSX (MS Excel) files with Ruby?

So you find yourself with a tricky problem – you need to parse XLS and XLSX files using Ruby. You've come across gems like Spreadsheet and ParseExcel, but unfortunately, they don't quite understand the XLSX format.

🧐🔍

But fear not! We're here to help you overcome this hurdle and find an easy solution to parsing XLS and XLSX files with Ruby. Let's dive right in!

💡📊

The Problem:

The built-in gems like Spreadsheet and ParseExcel can handle XLS files perfectly fine. However, they fall short when it comes to parsing the newer XLSX format. This can be frustrating, especially if you're working with files that are being generated in this format.

The Solution:

Fortunately, there's a gem called roo that comes to the rescue! It's a versatile and powerful gem that supports both XLS and XLSX file formats. Let's see how easy it is to parse XLS and XLSX files with Ruby using this gem.

1️⃣ Install the Gem:

Start by installing the roo gem using your favorite package manager:

gem install roo

2️⃣ Require the Gem:

Once the gem is installed, require it in your Ruby code:

require 'roo'

3️⃣ Open and Parse the File:

To open and parse an XLSX file, you can use the following code:

xlsx = Roo::Excelx.new('path/to/file.xlsx')
xlsx.each_row do |row|
  # Access row data here
end

Or if you're dealing with an XLS file, you can use the following code:

xls = Roo::Excel.new('path/to/file.xls')
xls.each_row do |row|
  # Access row data here
end

And that's it! You can now easily parse XLS and XLSX files using Ruby with the help of the roo gem.

💥🏁

Wrapping Up:

Parsing XLSX and XLS files with Ruby is no longer a headache. By using the roo gem, you have a simple, reliable, and robust solution that supports both file formats. Say goodbye to compatibility issues and hello to smooth file parsing.

🤓🎉

We hope this guide has helped you overcome any parsing challenges you were facing. If you have any questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out to us in the comments below. Happy coding!

👍📝💬 Let's Chat: Have you ever struggled with parsing XLSX and XLS files in Ruby? How did you solve it? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!