Importing Excel into runtime solution

[mbangler]

I have a solution built in 5.5 to import excel documents. As I found out the runtime cannot import excel docs. Does FM6 have this capability for the runtime to import excel docs? I've looked on the FM website but was unable to find reference to it.

[DanBrill]

No, you still can't in FM 6 Dev., which is just silly since you can get just about everything else imported.

Could you save your excel docs as something that an FM runtime could import, such as a 1-2-3 (*.wk1) spreadsheet, and then bring this into your runtime?

In fact, you could probably get your FM runtime to trigger an excel macro that would automate the excel file conversion for you, and then import from the result.

[Lee Smith]

Hi Dan,

This is a big surprise to me. I have always been under the impression that there were *no* differences between the regular edition and the developer edition, except for the tools of course.

Any other surprised that those of us who don't have the Developer Edition should be aware of before purchasing it?

Lee

[DanBrill]

Hi Lee,

Let me clarify. You can import Excel in FM 6 Dev., but not in one of the stand-alone runtimes that you create from FM 6 Dev. At least I don't know how. I've tried putting all of the data extensions into the runtime solution folder (as well as a runtimesystem folder) but no dice with excel. You can import sylk, wks, tab, txt, csv, and host of other formats, but not excel.

Unless I'm missing something, which is entirely possible. I'm hoping someone can correct me on this.

However, for regular *.fp5 files, importing excel doesn't cause a problem with FM 6 Dev.

I'm a big fan of the Developer's version. I've got some cool tricks with runtimes, and the debug and database report tools are well worth the price of admission.

[Lee Smith]

Hey Dan,

Check this Thread and what Fenton had to say about a similar question.

Fenton's

Lee

[DanBrill]

Hey,

Thanks for making me dig deeper. Sure enough, it can be done. In fact, I was doing everything right except for 1 really stupid thing. In the Import dialog box, where you select the file type, the drop down box only shows the first 10 types. Unless you use the scroll bar to go to the bottom of the list where the excel option is! Duh.

So yes, mbangler, there is a Santa Claus, and yes, you can import excel into your runtimes.

Sorry my first answer was so wrong.

Thanks, Lee.

Dan

[mbangler]

Thanks guys. Fenton was correct. Interesting and important note though. I had tried to copy the "excel" extension from the FileMaker Developer/FileMaker Extensions folder rather than (as the developer documentation said too) the excel extension from the "FileMaker Developers Tools/Runtime Files/FileMaker Extensions" folder. The extensions are both the same version ie: Excel Translator 5.5v1, with the exception of the the word Run or Dev at the end. The Dev one had allowed me to view and select the excel doc but an error stating "The translator for this file format could not be found or could not be initialized." would come up.

Thanks again.