'Convert XLS' FAQ

(MS Excel Conversion and Sheet Manipulation Utility)

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How Do I take the contents of a CSV file and place it into a pre-formatted Excel (XLS) file?
When using the 'Convert XLS' conversion method, some characters (i.e. diacritic marks like in Czech, Polish, Swedish, Spanish, French, etc.) are not coming out properly.
How do I use PERL script with it?
How do I interface with .NET via command line
How can I fix a permission denied error when using the application through a Web page? Other issues related to permissions.
Cannot create Object errors
How To Run A Scheduled Task While Logged Out
Installation Issues?
I get the following error when I run from the command line: "'ConvertXLS' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."
Can this application run on Linux?
Converting to Excel when a file begins with "ID..."
How do I convert an XLS file to a DOC file?
Which versions of Excel can 'Convert XLS' read without using MS Excel?
Any Other Known Bugs or Issues?

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How Do I take the contents of a CSV file and place it into a pre-formatted Excel (XLS) file?

One of our on-line training videos illustrates how to do this. Briefly:

The secret is to have a ‘master template Excel’ file, let’s call it Template.XLS. Template.XLS will have all the formatting you want, even formula’s if you so desire, but it will be empty of data. You’ll need to do the following steps:

Convert the CSV file to a simple Excel file with data only in it, call it Simple.XLS
Copy the data from Simple.XLS to Template.XLS using special process 101

You could optionally do it more elaborately:

Convert the CSV file to a simple Excel file with data only in it, call it Simple.XLS
Make a copy of Template.XLS and call it Target.XLS
Copy the data from Simple.XLS to Target.XLS using special process 101

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When using the 'Convert XLS' conversion method, some characters (i.e. diacritic marks like in Czech, Polish, Swedish, Spanish, French, etc.) are not coming out properly.

Be certain you have the properly installed/setup language settings in the Control Panels\Regional Settings.

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I get the following error when I run from the command line

"'ConvertXLS' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file."

Important: To use the command line successfully you must do one of the following:

Set the path in your environment variables to the location of ConvertDoc.EXE
Copy ConvertDoc.EXE to the same folder as the batch file.
Use the full path in the command line (with double quotes) like so:

"C:\Program Files\Softinterface, Inc\Convert XLS\ConvertXLS.EXE" /S"C:\test\test.csv" /T "C:\test\test.xls" /C-4143 /F6 /M2 /V

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Converting to Excel when a file begins with "ID..."

If your original file begins with the letters "ID", your file will not convert to Excel. You need to move the letters "ID" out of the position where it is the first thing in the file to another location in the file.

For example, if your CSV file looks like this:

ID1234, comma, delimited, data
more, comma, delimited, data...

removing the ID, or placing it after the 1234 will fix the problem.

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How do I convert an XLS file to a DOC file?

Convert the worksheet first to an HTML file, and give it a *.DOC extension. For example the target file should be something like:

D:\MyOutput\AppleSheet.DOC

And the target file type should be HTML.