Convert XLSX to XLS With/Without MS Excel

Command Line Examples: Conversion of XLSX to XLS

 

The first example shows how to convert a XLSX file to an XLS file. 

Each switch shown in blue is described in detail below the examples. It is highly recommended you review each switches description before implementing the example, thereby giving you the full power of ‘Convert XLS’.

Example 1 (XLSX File to XLS) 

To convert a single XLSX file,  “C:\in\input.XLSX” to an Excel (XLS) file located in the  “C:\Out\” folder, the following syntax would be used:

 

  ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\input.XLSX"  /T "C:\Out\output.XLS" /C-4143  /F51 /M2 /V

 

To convert a whole folder (and subfolders) of XLSX files located in  C:\in\*.XLSX  to XLS files to be placed within c:\Out\ folder, the following syntax would be used:

  ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\*.XLSX"  /T "C:\out\*.XLS" /C-4143  /F51 /M2 /R /V

 

The /G switch can be used to tell ‘Convert XLS’ to simply place each output file in the same folder as each input file. Therefore the command line above is equivalent to the command line below:

  ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\*.XLSX"  /G  /C-4143  /F51 /M2 /R /V

 

You may simply want to convert a whole folder and its subfolders and place the output into a separate folder/drive. In which case use this syntax:

  ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\*.XLSX"  /T "C:\Out\*.XLS"   /C-4143  /F51 /M2 /R /V

 

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• The /S and /T switches above specify Source (input) and Target (output) path respectively and are both required when converting a single file.  It is always a good idea to use double quotes around the path especially if there are space characters within the path.

• The /C-4143 switch specifies that the target (output) file to be an Excel file whereas the /F51 switch specifies the original (input file) is a XLSX file.  See Excel Conversion File Type Constants (documentation) for all possible values for /C and /F.

• The /M2 switch tells it to use the ‘Convert XLS’ conversion method which is exceptionally fast. Note the /M1 switch could have been used to specify the ‘MS Excel’ conversion method which is a bit slower and requires MS Excel.

• The /R switch tells it to search the original folder and its subfolders for files to convert.

• /G switch can be used to tell ‘Convert XLS’ to simply place each output file in the same folder as each input file.

• /N"{Sheet^Range^DelimChar^FixedWidth^X}"  Is used when converting to/from an Excel, CSV or fixed width text file. It specifies which Sheets to convert, what Range to convert and what delimitation/separation character to use, and the method to import export to a fixed width text file.  The syntax for this parameter is critical, the items are separated by a carrot character "^".  If you do not include Sheet, Range or DelimChar by leaving them blank they will default to all sheets, all used ranges and the comma delimitation character.  Be certain to include the double quotation character around this parameter like: /N"Apples,Oranges^A2:B20^9"

• The /V (for Verbose) switch is used to give instant feedback by having the program report the status of the conversion with a message box.  You can remove this once you have perfected your command line specification.  You can also (or instead of /V) create a Log file that will contain the results of the conversion by using the /L switch.