NOTE: After installation, you can find simple batch files (XLStoTXT.bat and XLSXtoTXT.bat) for quick and easy usage by
going to Start\All Programs\Convert XLS\Example Batch Files. These will work
immediately if the installation was done in the default folder.
if you have any questions or need additional examples. We will get you up and running fast!
Although we'll discuss the use of the command line here, it's only to give you a taste. For the full, accurate, and up to date
information see the 'Convert XLS' command line documentation.
If you have trouble running these examples see
Helpful Hints For Creating a Command Line.
There are two approaches to using the command line:
- Specify one or more conversion tasks in a 'Conversion Job'
- Specify a single conversion task in detail
A 'Conversion Job' is easily built using the 'Convert XLS' graphical user interface.
All the details of the job are saved in a single conversion job file (e.g. 'c:\myjobs\Do-Multi-Step-Conversion.SII).
Specifying a conversion job file with the command line is very easy by using the /J switch. You can have hundreds or thousands of tasks
specified in the conversion job file, all of which will get executed in one fell
swoop. For example:
ConvertXLS.EXE /J"D:\Job Files\Convert
Excel to Text.SII"
Specifying a single conversion task requires a bit more effort, but does not require
the prior creation of a 'Conversion Job' file. Everything that follows below will be about
creating a 'conversion task' to convert from Excel to TXT by command line.
Note: If MS Excel says there is a problem with the output file see
how to add the output folder as a trusted folder.
The first example shows how
to convert from an Excel file(s) to a
fixed width text file. In this example each column width can be specified
since it uses the 'Convert XLS' conversion method (/M2). We also show
how you can specify a range of cells to convert.
The second example shows how
to convert from an Excel file to a fixed width text file using a column
auto-sizing feature. This too requires the use of the 'Convert XLS' conversion
method (/M2).
The last example shows how to
use the 'MS Excel' conversion method (/M1) to convert from Excel to a
fixed width text file.
All the examples below create
an ASCII text file. To create Unicode text files, swap out /C21 with /C42.
Furthermore, you can easily change the examples below
to convert XLSX files by changing all instances of XLS to
XLSX and changing all instances of /F-4143
to /F51.
Each
switch shown in blue is described in detail at the bottom of this page. It is highly recommended
you review each switches description before implementing the example,
thereby giving you the full power of 'Convert XLS'.
Example 1: Convert XLS to TXT by Command Line
First specify your fixed width text file format using the
Using the Fixed Width Text Profile Editor. You give a profile a name, in
this case lets call it MyColumnWidths.
To convert a sheet named "Apples" in a single Excel file, "C:\in\input.XLS"
to a fixed width text file and applying the fixed width profile MyColumnWidths
the following syntax would be used:
ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\input.XLS"
/T "C:\out\out.txt" /C21
/F-4143 /M2
/N"Apples^^^2^MyColumnWidths"
/V
Next we show how to convert
a whole folder (and sub-folders /R) of XLS files (C:\in\*.XLS) to fixed
width text files located in the same folder. We'll also show how to specify
how to convert the 7th worksheet
(/N) in each workbook. The following syntax would be used for such a case:
ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\*.XLS" /T
"C:\in\*.txt" /C21 /F-4143 /M2 /N"7^^^2^MyColumnWidths" /R /V
The /G switch can be used to
tell 'Convert XLS' to 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\*.XLS"
/G
/C21 /F-4143
/M2 /N"7^^^2^MyColumnWidths"
/R /V
You may simply want to convert
a whole folder and its sub-folders and place the output into a separate
folder/drive. In which case use this syntax:
ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\*.XLS"
/T "C:\Out\*.txt" /C21
/F-4143 /M2
/N"7^^^2^MyColumnWidths" /R
/V
Building on the last example,
say you want to specify a range, say A1:B10 within a sheet to convert.
No problem, modify the /N switch as shown below:
ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\*.XLS"
/T "C:\Out\*.txt" /C21
/F-4143 /M2
/N"7^A1:B10^^2^MyColumnWidths"
/R /V
Specifying ranges can be very
powerful. For example if you want to only extract column N you can use
"N:N" for the range.
Example 2: Convert XLS to TXT (Autosize Columns) by Command Line
This is identical to the first
example of Example 1, however this time we don't specify each column width,
rather, we allow 'Convert XLS' to automatically size the columns to fit
all the data. Notice the only change is in the /N switch.
ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\input.XLS"
/T "C:\out\out.txt" /C21
/F-4143 /M2
/N"Apples^^^0"
/V
Of course the example immediately
above can be adapted to do whole folders and sub-folders similar to what
we did in Example 1.
Example 3: Convert XLS to TXT (Using 'MS Excel' Conversion Method) by Command Line
In this case we use the 'MS
Excel' conversion method (/M1) to convert from a XLS file to a Fixed Width
Text file. Notice that
when using the 'MS Excel'
conversion method we
can't specify each column width
and this will be a slower conversion.
ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\in\input.XLS"
/T "C:\out\out.txt" /C21
/F-4143 /M1 /N"Apples^^"
/V
Command line switches used to convert Excel to text
- 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 /C21
switch specifies that the target (output) file to be a fixed width
text file whereas the /F-4143 switch specifies the input
file is a XLS file. See
Excel Conversion File Type Constants for all possible values for /C and /F.
- The /M2
switch tells it to use the 'Convert XLS' conversion method which is
exceptionally fast and allows for
the specification of each columns width. /M1 switch is 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 input folder
and its sub-folders for files to convert.
- /G
switch can be used to tell 'Convert XLS' to place each output file
in the same folder as each input file.
- /N"{Sheet^Range^DelimChar^FixedWidth^Profile}" 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.
Sheet:
Use "*" or "" for all sheets. You can use names of
sheets, or the numeric index. If using numeric indices, you can specify
ranges of sheets (i.e. "1,4,10-20" and "4-10,9" etc.).
Range:
Not used in these examples. You could optionally specify a range; say
if you only wanted to convert a portion of the input XLS file. Use the
same syntax as an Excel range (e.g. A1:B10, B:B).
DelimChar:
is for specifying the ASCII
value of the delimitation character used in a CSV
file. 44 for comma, 124 for Bar "|", 9 for the tab etc.
FixedWidth:
'Convert XLS' Conversion Method only (/M2). Here you can specify how to
import/export a fixed width text file. The following numeric values are
valid:
0 = Auto
size column widths to fit all data (Default)
1 = Use same
widths as specified in the Excel file
2 = Use widths
specified by the Profile. Widths
can be specified in the user interfaces
Fixed Width Text Profile Editor.
Profile
= If you are specifying a fixed width text profile to use do it
with this parameter. Use the Fixed Width Text Profile Editor to generate a profile.
The full path to the txt file could be used. As an example if you want to specify to convert
sheets called 'Apples' and 'Oranges', and use the range "A2:B20"
and a fixed width text file profile named MyFixedWidth
you would do so like this:
/N"Apples,Oranges^A2:B20^^2^MyFixedWidth"
- 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.
Note:
It is highly encouraged that you use the Verbose (/V) switch initially
to see what the status of your conversion is and to help you perfect your
command line. When in verbose mode the program will tell you what went
wrong or right with your command line using message boxes.
