Create Excel file without installing Microsoft Excel
Syncfusion Excel (XlsIO) library is a .NET Excel library used to create, read, and edit Excel documents. Also, converts Excel documents to PDF files. Using this library, you can create Excel file without installing Microsoft Excel.
XlsIO is a non-UI component that provides a full-fledged object model that facilitates accessing and manipulating the spreadsheets without any dependency of Microsoft Office COM libraries and Microsoft Office. This article explains with an example, how to create Excel file without installing Microsoft Excel.
Steps to programmatically create Excel file without installing Microsoft Excel:
Step 1: Create a new C# console application project.
Create a new C# console application
Step 2: Install Syncfusion.XlsIO.WinForms NuGet package as a reference to your .NET Framework applications from the NuGet.org.
Install NuGet package
Step 3: Include the following namespace in the Program.cs file.
C#
using Syncfusion.XlsIO;
VB.NET
Imports Syncfusion.XlsIO
Step 4: Add the following code snippet to create Excel file without installing Microsoft Excel.
C#
//Create an instance of ExcelEngine using (ExcelEngine excelEngine = new ExcelEngine()) { //Set the default application version as Excel 2016 excelEngine.Excel.DefaultVersion = ExcelVersion.Excel2016; //Create a workbook with a worksheet IWorkbook workbook = excelEngine.Excel.Workbooks.Create(1); //Access first worksheet from the workbook instance IWorksheet worksheet = workbook.Worksheets[0]; //Insert sample text into cell “A1” worksheet.Range["A1"].Text = "Hello World"; //Save the workbook to disk in xlsx format workbook.SaveAs("Output.xlsx"); }
VB.NET
'Create an instance of ExcelEngine Using excelEngine As ExcelEngine = New ExcelEngine 'Set the default application version as Excel 2016 excelEngine.Excel.DefaultVersion = ExcelVersion.Excel2016 'Create a workbook with a worksheet Dim workbook As IWorkbook = excelEngine.Excel.Workbooks.Create(1) 'Access first worksheet from the workbook instance Dim worksheet As IWorksheet = workbook.Worksheets(0) 'Insert sample text into cell “A1” worksheet.Range("A1").Text = "Hello World" 'Save the workbook to disk in xlsx format workbook.SaveAs("Output.xlsx") End Using
A complete working example to create Excel file without installing Microsoft Excel can be downloaded from Create Excel File.zip.
By executing the program, you will get the Excel file as shown below.
Take a moment to peruse the documentation, where you can find basic worksheet data manipulation options along with features like Conditional Formatting, worksheet calculations through Formulas, adding Charts in worksheet or workbook, organizing and analyzing data through Tables and Pivot Tables, appending multiple records to worksheet using Template Markers, and most importantly PDF and Image conversions with code examples.
Refer here to explore the rich set of Syncfusion Excel (XlsIO) library features.
An online sample link to generate Excel file.
See Also:
Create an Excel file in Windows Forms
Create an Excel file in ASP.NET Core
Create an Excel file in ASP.NET MVC
Create an Excel file in Xamarin
Starting with v16.2.0.x, if you reference Syncfusion assemblies from trial setup or from the NuGet feed, include a license key in your projects. Refer the link to learn about generating and registering Syncfusion license key in your application to use the components without trail message.