JExcel API – Reading and Writing
Excel file in Java
Datsabk December 15, 2016
In this article, we will discuss about how to read and write an excel file
using JExcel API, a simple library and widely used for simple operations
which do not involve a high level of formatting and complex formulas
based operations.
P.S Tested with JExcel API – 2.6.12
1. Download JExcel
Maven user.
pom.xml
<dependency>
<groupId>net.sourceforge.jexcelapi</groupId>
<artifactId>jxl</artifactId>
<version>2.6.12</version>
</dependency>
Or download directly at this location
2. Write Excel file
JExcel API example to show you how to create an Excel file, and write data
into it.
ExcelWrite.java
package com.mkyong;
import jxl.Workbook;
import jxl.write.*;
import jxl.write.Number;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
public class ExcelWrite {
private static final String EXCEL_FILE_LOCATION = "C:\\temp\\MyFirstExcel.xl
public static void main(String[] args) {
WritableWorkbook myFirstWbook = null;
try {
myFirstWbook = Workbook.createWorkbook(new File(EXCEL_FILE_LOCATION)
WritableSheet excelSheet = myFirstWbook.createSheet("Sheet 1", 0);
Label label = new Label(0, 0, "Test Count");
excelSheet.addCell(label);
Number number = new Number(0, 1, 1);
excelSheet.addCell(number);
label = new Label(1, 0, "Result");
excelSheet.addCell(label);
label = new Label(1, 1, "Passed");
excelSheet.addCell(label);
number = new Number(0, 2, 2);
excelSheet.addCell(number);
label = new Label(1, 2, "Passed 2");
excelSheet.addCell(label);
myFirstWbook.write();
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
} catch (WriteException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
} finally {
if (myFirstWbook != null) {
try {
myFirstWbook.close();
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
} catch (WriteException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
Output, an Excel file is created with the following content :
3. Read Excel file
Example to read above Excel file.
ExcelRead.java
package com.mkyong;
import jxl.Cell;
import jxl.Sheet;
import jxl.Workbook;
import jxl.read.biff.BiffException;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
public class ExcelRead {
private static final String EXCEL_FILE_LOCATION = "C:\\temp\\MyFirstExcel.xl
public static void main(String[] args) {
Workbook workbook = null;
try {
workbook = Workbook.getWorkbook(new File(EXCEL_FILE_LOCATION));
Sheet sheet = workbook.getSheet(0);
Cell cell1 = sheet.getCell(0, 0);
System.out.print(cell1.getContents() + ":");
Cell cell2 = sheet.getCell(0, 1);
System.out.println(cell2.getContents());
Cell cell3 = sheet.getCell(1, 0);
System.out.print(cell3.getContents() + ":");
Cell cell4 = sheet.getCell(1, 1);
System.out.println(cell4.getContents());
System.out.print(cell1.getContents() + ":");
cell2 = sheet.getCell(0, 2);
System.out.println(cell2.getContents());
System.out.print(cell3.getContents() + ":");
cell4 = sheet.getCell(1, 2);
System.out.println(cell4.getContents());
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
} catch (BiffException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
} finally {
if (workbook != null) {
workbook.close();
}
The above code is nearly self-understandable. Each cell or sheet is mapped
as an object in Java. In the above code, we used the JExcel jar to get the
worksheet written. By executing the code, the output is obtained as below:
Test Count:1
Result:Passed
Test Count:2
Result:Passed 2
4. Add formatting to Excel file
An example can be further enhanced by adding some formatting. A short
code to add formatting has been shown below:
ExcelFormat .java
package com.mkyong;
import jxl.Workbook;
import jxl.write.*;
import jxl.write.Number;
import java.io.File;
import java.io.IOException;
public class ExcelFormat {
private static final String EXCEL_FILE_LOCATION = "C:\\temp\\MyFormattedExce
public static void main(String[] args) {
WritableWorkbook mySecondWbook = null;
try {
mySecondWbook = Workbook.createWorkbook(new File(EXCEL_FILE_LOCATION
WritableSheet myFirstSheet = mySecondWbook.createSheet("Sheet 1", 0)
WritableCellFormat cFormat = new WritableCellFormat();
WritableFont font = new WritableFont(WritableFont.ARIAL, 16, Writabl
cFormat.setFont(font);
Label label = new Label(0, 0, "Test Count", cFormat);
myFirstSheet.addCell(label);
Number number = new Number(0, 1, 1);
myFirstSheet.addCell(number);
label = new Label(1, 0, "Result", cFormat);
myFirstSheet.addCell(label);
label = new Label(1, 1, "Passed");
myFirstSheet.addCell(label);
number = new Number(0, 2, 2);
myFirstSheet.addCell(number);
label = new Label(1, 2, "Passed 2");
myFirstSheet.addCell(label);
mySecondWbook.write();
} catch (WriteException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
} finally {
if (mySecondWbook != null) {
try {
mySecondWbook.close();
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
} catch (WriteException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
Output
The code formats the header to Arial, 16px, Bold font. There are several
other supported fonts and sizes available to explore. There are many
additional features of JExcel that can be used to create an even more
refined and well formatted excel. This article gives you a headstart. Refer
to the following links in the references to get going faster.
References
1. JExcel download link
2. JExcel function and object reference
3. Complete JExcel programming guide
4. Apache POI library(alternate to JExcel API) – download
5. Apache POI development guide and examples
6. What is the better API to Reading Excel sheets in java – JXL or
Apache POI
Tags : excel jexcel
