Re: Iseries file to an Excel spreadsheet

[Albert York <alfromme@xxxxxxxxx>]

You can also create a symbolic link (SLK) file which a spreadsheet
program will load like an XLS file and allows you to do some
formatting but is easier to create. You just create a text file with
SLK commands in it.

Albert

On Tue, Feb 8, 2011 at 4:14 PM, Joe Pluta <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Your memory is correct, Pete.  You can indeed create an area of the
> spreadsheet that refreshes itself.  In fact, you can then use that area
> as the basis of a VLOOKUP function which would allow you to enter a
> value into a cell (say an item number) and then retrieve one or more
> fields (such as description, or price) dynamically from that rectangle.
>
> So, Willie, you have a few basic choices here.
>
> 1. Dump the data directly to a comma-delimited file.  Also know as a
> CSV, Excel recognizes these files and can open them.  However, you don't
> get all the cool bells and whistles of a real spreadsheet.
>
> 2. Modify or create a real .XLS file.  This takes rather more
> programming and a library that understands the Excel format.  Libraries
> exist for both Java and RPG (the latter is HSSFR4, one of Scott
> Klement's fantastic creations).
>
> 3. Add a dynamic database connection to an existing spreadsheet.  This
> would refresh every time you open the spreadsheet.
>
> Those are the three main ones.  There's also a fourth one that isn't
> used that much but is actually pretty cool:
>
> 4. Create a simple HTML table and display it in an HTTP server.  The
> user can then right click on it to download it as a spreadsheet.  We do
> that for a couple of our data lists; it's easier than finding a unique
> spot on the network for the user to open.
>
> Which seems closest to your needs?  How is the spreadsheet going to be
> used?
>
> Joe