Hello,
I want to create a C# application running on a Windows 2003 server. This application retrieves data from a database, performs some modifications then creates an Excel file on a shared folder on the server. Then at any time, users on the network can get the file to see the formatted data.

There is no web involved. It is a service running on the server that creates periodically the Excel file.

Is there a way to do that without having Excel installed on the server?

Thanks,
David.

How complex is the content? Are there multiple sheets, formulae etc ?
If you can get a handle on the format then you can write out the
content as xml and XL 2K(?)+ should be able to open it.

If it's just a straight tabular format on one sheet then you could try
writing it out an an HTML table and giving it an xls extension.

Otherwise look at a component to do the creation:
http://officewriter.softartisans.com...writer-37.aspx
is a good one I think (but haven't used it myself)

Tim


"David" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I want to create a C# application running on a Windows 2003 server.
This application retrieves data from a database, performs some
modifications then creates an Excel file on a shared folder on the
server. Then at any time, users on the network can get the file to see
the formatted data.

There is no web involved. It is a service running on the server that
creates periodically the Excel file.

Is there a way to do that without having Excel installed on the
server?

Thanks,
David.

Hi Tim,
it is quite simple content. A single sheet, no formula. Actually, it reports data on a formated way. i.e. Column Headers (font, color, etc), Date formats, number formats, etc.

I would really like the xml approach but how can I format the worksheet? I don't want to add VBA code in the Excel sheet?

OfficeWriter looks interesting but a bit pricey...

Thanks,
David.

"Tim Williams" wrote:

How complex is the content? Are there multiple sheets, formulae etc ?
If you can get a handle on the format then you can write out the
content as xml and XL 2K(?)+ should be able to open it.

If it's just a straight tabular format on one sheet then you could try
writing it out an an HTML table and giving it an xls extension.

Otherwise look at a component to do the creation:
http://officewriter.softartisans.com...writer-37.aspx
is a good one I think (but haven't used it myself)

Tim


"David" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I want to create a C# application running on a Windows 2003 server.
This application retrieves data from a database, performs some
modifications then creates an Excel file on a shared folder on the
server. Then at any time, users on the network can get the file to see
the formatted data.

There is no web involved. It is a service running on the server that
creates periodically the Excel file.

Is there a way to do that without having Excel installed on the
server?

Thanks,
David.

A single HTML table should be fine: XL will render a lot of the same
style information (font size, color, bgcolor etc) used to format HTML
documents.

Even formulas are supported. Check the link below:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...ml/ofxml2k.asp


Tim.


"David" wrote in message
...
Hi Tim,
it is quite simple content. A single sheet, no formula. Actually, it
reports data on a formated way. i.e. Column Headers (font, color,
etc), Date formats, number formats, etc.

I would really like the xml approach but how can I format the
worksheet? I don't want to add VBA code in the Excel sheet?

OfficeWriter looks interesting but a bit pricey...

Thanks,
David.

"Tim Williams" wrote:

How complex is the content? Are there multiple sheets, formulae
etc ?
If you can get a handle on the format then you can write out the
content as xml and XL 2K(?)+ should be able to open it.

If it's just a straight tabular format on one sheet then you could
try
writing it out an an HTML table and giving it an xls extension.

Otherwise look at a component to do the creation:
http://officewriter.softartisans.com...writer-37.aspx
is a good one I think (but haven't used it myself)

Tim


"David" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I want to create a C# application running on a Windows 2003
server.
This application retrieves data from a database, performs some
modifications then creates an Excel file on a shared folder on the
server. Then at any time, users on the network can get the file to
see
the formatted data.

There is no web involved. It is a service running on the server
that
creates periodically the Excel file.

Is there a way to do that without having Excel installed on the
server?

Thanks,
David.

Is this also supported in Office XP and 2003?

"Tim Williams" wrote:

A single HTML table should be fine: XL will render a lot of the same
style information (font size, color, bgcolor etc) used to format HTML
documents.

Even formulas are supported. Check the link below:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...ml/ofxml2k.asp


Tim.


"David" wrote in message
...
Hi Tim,
it is quite simple content. A single sheet, no formula. Actually, it
reports data on a formated way. i.e. Column Headers (font, color,
etc), Date formats, number formats, etc.

I would really like the xml approach but how can I format the
worksheet? I don't want to add VBA code in the Excel sheet?

OfficeWriter looks interesting but a bit pricey...

Thanks,
David.

"Tim Williams" wrote:

How complex is the content? Are there multiple sheets, formulae
etc ?
If you can get a handle on the format then you can write out the
content as xml and XL 2K(?)+ should be able to open it.

If it's just a straight tabular format on one sheet then you could
try
writing it out an an HTML table and giving it an xls extension.

Otherwise look at a component to do the creation:
http://officewriter.softartisans.com...writer-37.aspx
is a good one I think (but haven't used it myself)

Tim


"David" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I want to create a C# application running on a Windows 2003
server.
This application retrieves data from a database, performs some
modifications then creates an Excel file on a shared folder on the
server. Then at any time, users on the network can get the file to
see
the formatted data.

There is no web involved. It is a service running on the server
that
creates periodically the Excel file.

Is there a way to do that without having Excel installed on the
server?

Thanks,
David.

Is this also fully supported in Office XP and Office 2003?

"Tim Williams" wrote:

A single HTML table should be fine: XL will render a lot of the same
style information (font size, color, bgcolor etc) used to format HTML
documents.

Even formulas are supported. Check the link below:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...ml/ofxml2k.asp


Tim.


"David" wrote in message
...
Hi Tim,
it is quite simple content. A single sheet, no formula. Actually, it
reports data on a formated way. i.e. Column Headers (font, color,
etc), Date formats, number formats, etc.

I would really like the xml approach but how can I format the
worksheet? I don't want to add VBA code in the Excel sheet?

OfficeWriter looks interesting but a bit pricey...

Thanks,
David.

"Tim Williams" wrote:

How complex is the content? Are there multiple sheets, formulae
etc ?
If you can get a handle on the format then you can write out the
content as xml and XL 2K(?)+ should be able to open it.

If it's just a straight tabular format on one sheet then you could
try
writing it out an an HTML table and giving it an xls extension.

Otherwise look at a component to do the creation:
http://officewriter.softartisans.com...writer-37.aspx
is a good one I think (but haven't used it myself)

Tim


"David" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I want to create a C# application running on a Windows 2003
server.
This application retrieves data from a database, performs some
modifications then creates an Excel file on a shared folder on the
server. Then at any time, users on the network can get the file to
see
the formatted data.

There is no web involved. It is a service running on the server
that
creates periodically the Excel file.

Is there a way to do that without having Excel installed on the
server?

Thanks,
David.

Is this also supported in Office XP and 2003?

"Tim Williams" wrote:

A single HTML table should be fine: XL will render a lot of the same
style information (font size, color, bgcolor etc) used to format HTML
documents.

Even formulas are supported. Check the link below:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...ml/ofxml2k.asp


Tim.


"David" wrote in message
...
Hi Tim,
it is quite simple content. A single sheet, no formula. Actually, it
reports data on a formated way. i.e. Column Headers (font, color,
etc), Date formats, number formats, etc.

I would really like the xml approach but how can I format the
worksheet? I don't want to add VBA code in the Excel sheet?

OfficeWriter looks interesting but a bit pricey...

Thanks,
David.

"Tim Williams" wrote:

How complex is the content? Are there multiple sheets, formulae
etc ?
If you can get a handle on the format then you can write out the
content as xml and XL 2K(?)+ should be able to open it.

If it's just a straight tabular format on one sheet then you could
try
writing it out an an HTML table and giving it an xls extension.

Otherwise look at a component to do the creation:
http://officewriter.softartisans.com...writer-37.aspx
is a good one I think (but haven't used it myself)

Tim


"David" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I want to create a C# application running on a Windows 2003
server.
This application retrieves data from a database, performs some
modifications then creates an Excel file on a shared folder on the
server. Then at any time, users on the network can get the file to
see
the formatted data.

There is no web involved. It is a service running on the server
that
creates periodically the Excel file.

Is there a way to do that without having Excel installed on the
server?

Thanks,
David.

I know it's fine in XP: can't say for 2003 but I would suspect that is
also OK. It's easy enough to test.

Tim


"David" wrote in message
...
Is this also supported in Office XP and 2003?

"Tim Williams" wrote:

A single HTML table should be fine: XL will render a lot of the
same
style information (font size, color, bgcolor etc) used to format
HTML
documents.

Even formulas are supported. Check the link below:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...ml/ofxml2k.asp


Tim.


"David" wrote in message
...
Hi Tim,
it is quite simple content. A single sheet, no formula.
Actually, it
reports data on a formated way. i.e. Column Headers (font, color,
etc), Date formats, number formats, etc.

I would really like the xml approach but how can I format the
worksheet? I don't want to add VBA code in the Excel sheet?

OfficeWriter looks interesting but a bit pricey...

Thanks,
David.

"Tim Williams" wrote:

How complex is the content? Are there multiple sheets,
formulae
etc ?
If you can get a handle on the format then you can write out
the
content as xml and XL 2K(?)+ should be able to open it.

If it's just a straight tabular format on one sheet then you
could
try
writing it out an an HTML table and giving it an xls
extension.

Otherwise look at a component to do the creation:
http://officewriter.softartisans.com...writer-37.aspx
is a good one I think (but haven't used it myself)

Tim


"David" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I want to create a C# application running on a Windows 2003
server.
This application retrieves data from a database, performs some
modifications then creates an Excel file on a shared folder on
the
server. Then at any time, users on the network can get the
file to
see
the formatted data.

There is no web involved. It is a service running on the
server
that
creates periodically the Excel file.

Is there a way to do that without having Excel installed on
the
server?

Thanks,
David.