Command Line Examples: Conversion of Word Tables to Excel

 

NOTE: 'Convert XLS' can be used simply with the graphical user interface (GUI).  If you've never heard of 'Command Line' before, we would recommend not reading this section and instead download and try the software.

This is just a sample from the documentation.   If you have trouble running these examples please see Helpful Hints For Creating a Command Line within the documentation.

Command Line Explained

‘Convert XLS’ can be run without a user interface with command line arguments much like in the good old DOS days.  Alternatively you can initiate command line execution by going to the operating system 'command prompt' or within Windows at the START-RUN menu and typing it in there.  Lastly, the command line interface can be used from Batch files (files with *.BAT extension). 

There are two approaches to using the command line:

     A)  Specify a 'Conversion Job' that was built using the graphical user interface (GUI); or

     B)   Specify a 'Conversion Task' in detail from the command line.

See the  'Convert XLS' documentation for a full explanation and reference.  Below we focus specifically on using 'Convert XLS' to execute an Excel Macro from the command line.

Command Line Examples: Convert Word Tables To Excel

The special process constant associated with copying a sheet is 102.

/P#	Meaning	Extra Parameters: /1{Parameter1} … /n{Nth Parameter}
115	Convert tables from doc, html, xml, rtf, wpd etc. into an Excel worksheet(s)/workbook(s)	/1 = sTablesToImport  (i.e. “1,3-5”) /2 = lTableImportMethod:  Valid values (0,1,2) /3 = sSheetToImportTo    /4 = sPasteToCell    /5 = lRowsBetweenTables     /6 = lColsBetweenTables    /7 = sRowsToDelete     /8 = sColsToDelete      /9 = bRemoveFormatting

This special process can import tables from any file MS Word can open which includes DOC, HTML, XML, RTF, WPD etc. 

Special Parameters Described in Detail

/1 = sTablesToImport    Here you want to specify which tables you want to import.  To import tables 1 3,4 and 5 use “1,3-5”.  To import all tables use the asterisk “*” character (i.e. “/1*” ).

/2 = lTableImportMethod:  Valid values (0,1,2)

There are 3 methods to import the table into MS Excel.  First choice, 0, is to import to a specified sheet. All tables specified will be copied to the same sheet with this option.  Second choice, 1, is to create a new sheet for each table chosen to be imported.  The names of the sheets will be based on the “Target Sheet Name or Number” specified.  The last option, 2, allows you to create a new workbook file for each table specified.  The output file name in this case is based on the input file and table numbers specified.

/3 = sSheetToImportTo    Specify the name or number of the sheet to import the tables to.

/4 = sPasteToCell    Specify the starting cell to begin pasting the tables into (i.e. “B3”)

/5 = lRowsBetweenTables     Row Offset between each table: /5 and /6 are only relevant for when you’ve specified to copy more than one table into a single sheet (e.g. /2 0).  To place each table 2 rows below the last tables data, specify “/5 2” and don’t use /6.  To place each table 3 columns to the right of each other don’t use /5 and specify “/6 3”.  Specify a value of 0 for /5 or /6 to make the data contiguous (no spacing between tables).

/6 = lColsBetweenTables     Column offset between each table.  See /5 for details.

/7 = sRowsToDelete     Remove Rows: You may not want the first row (very common) of each table being imported. So you can easily specify any combination of rows or columns you want removed from the table when being imported.  To remove rows 1, 4, 5 and 6 specify “/7 1,4-6” for example.  To remove the 2^nd column use “/8 2”

/8 = sColsToDelete      See /7 for an explanation.

/9 = bRemoveFormatting   Set to TRUE to only copy table data: Here you may only copy the textual content of the table and ignore any formatting the original/input file had.  Set to FALSE to retain formatting etc.

Examples:

Example 1: Import One or More Tables into a Single Sheet

NOTE: The examples below are shown using Word documents as input, but they can be any file type MS Word can open.

Example 1A: Single Table Import To A Single Sheet

In this example we show how to take the 3^rd table within c:\input\In.DOC and place into C:\Output\Out.XLS, in a worksheet called “Apples” beginning at cell D3.  We remove the formatting.

ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\Input\In.Doc" /T"C:\Output\Out.XLS" /P115 /1“3” /2 0 /3 “Apples” /4 D3 /9 TRUE

Example 1B: Several Table Import To A Single Sheet Remove 1^st Row Of Each Table

In this example we show how to take tables 1,3 and 4 within c:\input\In.DOC and place into C:\Output\Out.XLS, in a worksheet called “Apples” beginning at cell D3.  We remove the formatting and the first row of each table.  Each table is placed 6 rows below the previous one.

ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\Input\In.Doc" /T"C:\Output\Out.XLS" /P115 /1“1,3-4” /2 0 /3 “Apples” /4 D3 /5 6 /7 1 /9 TRUE

 

Example 2: Import One Or More Tables into One or More New Sheets

Example 2A: Single Table Import To A New Sheet

In this example we show how to take the 3^rd table within c:\input\In.DOC and place into C:\Output\Out.XLS, in a new worksheet called “Oranges” beginning at cell D3.  We remove the table formatting.

ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\Input\In.Doc" /T"C:\Output\Out.XLS" /P115 /1“3” /2 1 /3 “Oranges” /4 D3 /9 TRUE

Example 2B: Several Table Import To Several New Sheets

In this example we show how to take tables 1,3 and 4 within c:\input\In.DOC and place into C:\Output\Out.XLS, in several worksheets called “Oranges_1”, “Oranges_3”, and “Oranges_4” respectively.  Tables are placed beginning at cell D3.  We remove the table formatting.

ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\Input\In.Doc" /T"C:\Output\Out.XLS" /P115 /1“1,3-4” /2 1 /3 “Oranges” /4 D3 /5 6 /9 TRUE

 

Example 3: Import one Or More Tables into One or More Workbooks

Example 3A: Single Table Import To A New Workbook

In this example we show how to take the 3^rd table within c:\input\In.DOC and place into a new workbook  C:\Output\Out-3.XLS, in a new worksheet called “Peaches_3” beginning at cell D3.  We remove the table formatting.

ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\Input\In.Doc" /T"C:\Output\Out.XLS" /P115 /1“3” /2 1 /3 “Peaches” /4 D3 /9 TRUE

In this case the following workbook will be created:

C:\Output\Out-3.XLS   (contains a single sheet named “Peaches_3”)

 

Example 3B: Several Table Import To Several New Workbooks

In this example we show how to take tables 1,3 and 4 within c:\input\In.DOC and place into several new workbooks.  Tables are placed beginning at cell D3.  We remove the table formatting.

 

ConvertXLS.EXE /S"C:\Input\In.Doc" /T"C:\Output\Out.XLS" /P115 /1“1,3-4” /2 1 /3 “Peaches” /4 D3 /5 6 /9 TRUE

 

In this case the following workbooks will be created:

C:\Output\Out-1.XLS   (contains a single sheet named “Peaches_1”)

C:\Output\Out-3.XLS   (contains a single sheet named “Peaches_3”)

C:\Output\Out-4.XLS   (contains a single sheet named “Peaches_4”)

 

Note it is highly encouraged that you use the Verbose (/V) switch initially to see what the status of your conversion is.

See Also:

• Web Based Documentation which includes example usage of the command line.

• COM/ActiveX Information