OpenDocument Spreadsheet - Set cell(s)

Declaration

<AMODS ACTIVITY="set_cell" SESSION="text" SETTERTYPE="text (options)" DATASET="text" CELLREF="text" INCLUDECOLUMNNAMES="YES/NO" WORKSHEET="text" />

Related Topics    

Description

Sets text onto one or more cells in a workbook.

NOTE: Unlike the Excel action, the OpenDocument Spreadsheet action does not rely on Microsoft's Excel engine to perform their work, therefore, Microsoft Excel does not need to be installed on the system in order to use these activities. Supported file types include Excel (*.xls, *.xlsx, *.xlsb, *.xlsm ), Open document spreadsheet (*.ods) and CSV (Comma Separated Value) files (*.csv).

Practical Usage

Used to set or modify the contents of an individual cell or group of cells contained in a workbook that was previously created or opened using the Open/Create workbook activity.

Parameters

Resource

Property Type Required Default Markup Description
Resource --- --- --- ---

Indicates where the source workbook document should originate from. This is a design mode parameter used only during task construction and configuration, thus, comprises no markup. The available options are:

  • File (default) - The source document derives from a file located on the system. This option is normally selected if only a single activity is required to complete the operation.

  • Session - The source document is obtained from a pre-configured session created in an earlier step with the use of the Open/Create workbook activity. This option is normally selected if a combination of related activities are required to complete an operation. Consolidating several activities to a single session can eliminate redundancy. Moreover, a single task supports multi-session executions which can improve efficiency and speed up production.

Session Text Yes, if Resource is set to Session OPENDOCSession1 SESSION="mySession" The name of an existing session to associate this activity with. The default session name is OPENDOCSession1. This parameter is active only if the Resource parameter is set to Session.
Get document by Text (options) Yes, if Resource is set to File Open
  • CONNECTBY="open_workbook"
  • CONNECTBY="create_workbook"
 Specifies whether this activity will be performed on an existing document or on a new one. This parameter is active only if the Resource parameter is set to File. The available options are:
  • Open (default) - This activity will be performed on an existing document that will be opened during runtime.
  • Create - This activity will be performed on a new document to be created during runtime.
File name Text Yes (Empty) WORKBOOK="C:\Temp\fileName.xls" If the Get document by parameter is set to Open, specifies the path and file name of the document in which to open. If the Get document by parameter is set to Create, specifies the path and file name in which to save the newly created document.
Password to open (optional) Text Yes, if Get document by parameter is set to Open (Empty) OPENPASSWORD="encrypted" The password required to open the document if it is password protected. This parameter is active only if the Get document by parameter is set to Open.
Create from template Text Yes, if Get document by parameter is set to Create No WORKBOOKTEMPLATE="C:\Temp\file.xls" If enabled, specifies the path and file name of a template file that already has preferred formatting in which to base the new workbook on. A template can include formatting, styles, standardized text such as page headers and row and column labels. This parameter is active only if the Get document by parameter is set to Create. It is disabled by default.
On completion Text (options) No Save
  • SAVETYPE="save"
  • SAVETYPE="save_as"
  • SAVETYPE="do_not_save"
Specifies what to do with the document upon completion of this activity. The available options are:
  • Save - Save changes to the default location. If this activity is performed on an existing document, changes will be saved to its current location. If performed on a new document, changes will be saved to the location specified under the File name parameter.
  • Save as - Save changes to the specified path and file name.
  • Do not save changes - Changes will not be saved.  
File Text Yes, if On completion parameter is set to Save as (Empty) DESTINATION="c:\temp\dest.xls" The path and file name of the file in which changes will be saved. Click the folder icon to open a standard Explorer dialog in order to navigate to the desired file or simply enter the path and file name in the provided text box. This parameter is active only if the On completion parameter is set to Save as.
Overwrite if workbook already exists Yes/No Yes, if On completion parameter is set to Save as No OVERWRITE="YES" If selected, the saved workbook will overwrite any workbook with the same name that exists in the destination. If disabled (default), an existing workbook with the same name will not be overwritten, however, an error will occur during runtime as a result of matching file names. This parameter is active only if the On completion parameter is set to Save as.

Cell

Property Type Required Default Markup Description
Data source Text (options) Yes Single value
  • SETTERTYPE="single_value"
  • SETTERTYPE="dataset"
  • SETTERTYPE="list"
 The data source to set. Subsequent parameters vary depending on which option is selected. The available options are:
  • Single value(default) - A single value will be set.
  • Dataset - The data to set derives from a dataset.
  • List - The data to set derives from a list.
New value Text Yes, if Data source set to Single value (Empty) NEWVALUE="text" The value to set. This parameter can be left blank to denote a cell with no value. This parameter is active only if the Data source parameter is set to Single value.
Dataset Text Yes , if Data source set to Dataset (Empty) DATASET="theDataset" The name of the dataset to set values from. This parameter is active only if the Data source parameter is set to Dataset.
Set cell by --- --- --- --- Dictates how the cells to set should be identified. This is a design-time parameter only used during task construction, therefore, contains no parameters or markup. The available options are:
  • Reference - Cells should be identified by reference (for example, A10, B12).
  • Position - Cells should be identified by position (for example, Row 2, Column 3).
Cell reference Text See Description (Empty)
  • CELLREF="B3"
  • CELLREF="A10"
  • CELLREF="C2"
 The location reference of the cell in which text should be set (for example, A1 or B4). This parameter is active only if the Data source parameter is set to Single cell and the Set cell by parameter is set to Reference.
Upper left cell reference Text See Description (Empty) UPPERLEFTREF="A1" The upper left cell reference in the range of cells to set (for example, A1 or B4). This parameter is available only if the Data source parameter is set to Dataset or List  and the Set cell by parameter is set to Reference.
Row Number See Description 1 CELLROW="3" The location reference of the cell in which text should be set (for example, A1 or B4). This parameter is active only if the Data source parameter is set to Single cell and the Set cell by parameter is set to Position.
Column Number See Description 1 CELLCOLUMN="2" The location reference of the cell in which text should be set (for example, A1 or B4). This parameter is active only if the Data source parameter is set to Single cell and the Set cell by parameter is set to Position.
Upper left cell row Number Yes, if selection method set to Range of cells by position (Empty) UPPERLEFTROW="1" The row of the upper left cell in the range of cells to set. This parameter is available only if the Data source parameter is set to Dataset or List  and the Set cell by parameter is set to Position.
Upper left cell column Number Yes, if selection method set to Range of cells by position (Empty) UPPERLEFTCOLUMN="1" The column of the upper left cell in the range of cells to set. This parameter is available only if the Data source parameter is set to Dataset or List  and the Set cell by parameter is set to Position.
List value Text Yes, if Data source set to List (Empty) List="text" The list to set values from. This parameter is active only if the Data source parameter is set to List.
Delimiter

Text (options)

 Yes, if Data source set to List Comma
  • DELIMITER="comma"
  • DELIMITER="new_line"
  • DELIMITER="semi_colon"
  • DELIMITER="space"
  • DELIMITER="tab"
  • DELIMITER="custom"
 The character to delimit each value in the list. This parameter is active only if the Data source parameter is set to List. The available options are:
  • Comma - The list will be comma delimited.
  • New line - The list will be delimited by a new line.
  • Semi colon - The list will be semi colon delimited.
  • Space - The list will be delimited by a space.
  • Tab - The list will be tab delimited.
  • Custom - The list will be delimited using the character specified.
Custom delimiter text Text Yes, if Delimiter parameter set to Custom (Empty) CUSTOMDELIMITER="text" The character to define as a delimiter. This parameter is available only if the Delimiter parameter is set to Custom.
NOTE: A percent (%) sign is a special character in Automate used to indicate the beginning and end of a variable or expression. Therefore, if you wish to use the percent sign as a delimiter, you must escape the character in order to invoke an alternative interpretation. To escape the percent sign, simply duplicate the character (that is, %%). This way, Automate will view it as a literal (single) percent sign. See Percent signs in Automate for more details.
Insert list Text (options) No Horizontally TRAVERSBY="vertical" Determines how the list should be aligned. This parameter is active only if the Data source parameter is set to List. The available options are:
  • Horizontally - The list will be aligned from top to bottom.
  • Vertically - The list will be aligned from left to right.
Upper left cell Text Yes, if Get parameter set to Range of cells by reference (Empty) UPPERLEFTREF="A1" The reference of the upper left cell in the range of cells to retrieve (for example, A1 or B4). This value will be used along with the value entered in the Lower left cell parameter in order to reference a specific cell. This parameter is active only if the Get parameter is set to Cell by reference.
Use active worksheet --- --- --- --- If enabled, specifies that this activity will be performed on the currently active worksheet. This is a design time parameter, therefore, contains no markup or parameters.
Use specific worksheet Text No Sheet1 WORKSHEET="Sheet3" If enabled, indicates that this activity will be performed on a specific worksheet instead of the currently active one. Enter the name of the appropriate worksheet in the provided text box. If left blank or omitted, the currently active worksheet will take precedence.
Include column names Yes/No No No INCLUDECOLUMNNAMES="YES" If selected, specifies that column names will be set as well. If disabled (default), column names will not be set. This parameter is available only if the Data source parameter is set to Dataset.

Description

Error Causes

On Error

Example

NOTE:
  • The sample AML code below can be copied and pasted directly into the Steps Panel of the Task Builder.
  • Parameters containing user credentials, files, file paths, and/or other information specific to the task must be customized before the sample code can run successfully.

Description:

Write text "theValue" in Excel cell located at row:1 and column:1. Use worksheet "Sheet1". Excel file "C:\temp\Employees.xls".

EXAMPLE:
<AMODS ACTIVITY="set_cell" CONNECTBY="create_workbook" WORKBOOK="C:\temp\Employees.xls" SAVETYPE="save_as" DESTINATION="C:\temp3\newFile.xls" OVERWRITEDESTINATION="YES" NEWVALUE="theValue" CELLROW="1" CELLCOLUMN="1" WORKSHEET="Sheet1" />