How to Export File to Excel in .NET 6
In this article, one of the most popular libraries, IronXL, will be used to compare and contrast how to interact with Microsoft Excel documents programmatically in .NET technologies, whether in CSV format or the standard Excel format.
2.0 IronXL Library Features
Microsoft Excel documents can be read and converted to CSV files using the C# IronXL .NET Excel library. IronXL is a stand-alone .NET software library that can read multiple spreadsheet formats and does not require Microsoft Office or Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel
to be installed.
With the simple C# API of IronXL, you can quickly read, modify, and create Excel spreadsheets in the .NET environment. IronXL fully supports .NET Core, .NET Framework, Xamarin, Mobile, Linux, macOS, and Azure.
- IronXL is one of the best Excel spreadsheet libraries for C#, supporting both the .NET Framework and .NET Core.
- IronXL supports nearly all .NET Frameworks, including Console Applications, Windows Forms, and Web Applications.
- IronXL is compatible with the Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems.
- IronXL can quickly and effortlessly read Excel files.
- IronXL can read a variety of Excel file types, including XLSX, CSV, XLS, XLST, TSV, XLSM, and others. IronXL also offers a lot of options, including the ability to import, update, and export data tables and datasets.
- IronXL is capable of generating calculations for Excel.
- IronXL supports several Excel column data formats, including text, numbers, formulas, dates, currencies, and percentages.
- IronXL supports the following Excel column data types: text, integers, formulas, dates, currencies, and percentages.
Visit the official IronXL website to learn more.
3.0 Creating a .NET Core 6 Project
The following sections of this newsletter provide an example to illustrate how easily the IronXL library generates QR codes.
Open Visual Studio and select "New Project" from the "File" menu option.
In the resulting dialog box, select the "Console App" template and click "Next."
Create a new project in Visual Studio
Enter any project name you choose for the Project name, and then enter the location of the new project in the Location field. Click the Next button to proceed.
Configure your new project
Select a .NET Framework from the Framework drop-down option. Here, we're using .NET 6.0, which has long-term support. Then click Create.
.NET Framework selection
Next, download the required IronXL library for the solution. To do so, use the following command in the Package Manager Console:
Install-Package IronXL.Excel
Package Manager Console tab
Alternatively, the package 'IronXL' can be searched and installed using the NuGet Package Manager. This will list all the NuGet packages related to IronXL, and then you can select the required package to download.
Search and install the IronXL package in NuGet Package Manager UI
The created Form has added a 'Save As' dialog box which allows saving the generated IronXL images to the selected location.
4.0 Export Data using IronXL
Exporting data to Excel format can be easily done using IronXL as well as exporting data into various file types, such as XLS, XLSX, CSV, JSON, and XML, using IronXL.
4.1 Export Data to an Excel File
It is very simple to export data to .xlsx or .xls formats with just a few lines of code. Below is a sample source code to export data from an Excel file into a simple tabular format:
// Load an existing Excel file into a WorkBook object.
var workbook = IronXL.WorkBook.LoadExcel("Demo file.xlsx");
// Save the entire workbook as export.xlsx.
workbook.SaveAs("export.xlsx");
// Alternatively, save as export.xls.
workbook.SaveAs("export.xls");
// Save a specific worksheet, identified by index, as export.xls.
workbook.WorkSheets[0].SaveAs("export.xls");
// Load an existing Excel file into a WorkBook object.
var workbook = IronXL.WorkBook.LoadExcel("Demo file.xlsx");
// Save the entire workbook as export.xlsx.
workbook.SaveAs("export.xlsx");
// Alternatively, save as export.xls.
workbook.SaveAs("export.xls");
// Save a specific worksheet, identified by index, as export.xls.
workbook.WorkSheets[0].SaveAs("export.xls");
' Load an existing Excel file into a WorkBook object.
Dim workbook = IronXL.WorkBook.LoadExcel("Demo file.xlsx")
' Save the entire workbook as export.xlsx.
workbook.SaveAs("export.xlsx")
' Alternatively, save as export.xls.
workbook.SaveAs("export.xls")
' Save a specific worksheet, identified by index, as export.xls.
workbook.WorkSheets(0).SaveAs("export.xls")
In the above example, an existing Excel file is loaded using the LoadExcel
method, which allows passing the file name with the file path as a parameter. This loads the file into the 'Workbook' object. The WorkBook
object provides a method called SaveAs
, which allows saving the Excel document as an XLSX or XLS file. This method saves the entire file into the chosen format.
It is also possible to select a specific Excel worksheet by using the index value of the worksheet or by specifying the name of the sheet. Then, use the SaveAs
function to export the data of the Excel worksheet into a separate file.
4.2 Export Data to a CSV File
We can also export data into CSV using IronXL. Below is an example code to export the data source into CSV format:
// Load an existing Excel file into an WorkBook object.
var excelDoc = IronXL.WorkBook.LoadExcel("Demo file.xlsx");
// Save the loaded Excel document as a CSV file.
excelDoc.SaveAsCsv("export.csv");
// Load an existing Excel file into an WorkBook object.
var excelDoc = IronXL.WorkBook.LoadExcel("Demo file.xlsx");
// Save the loaded Excel document as a CSV file.
excelDoc.SaveAsCsv("export.csv");
' Load an existing Excel file into an WorkBook object.
Dim excelDoc = IronXL.WorkBook.LoadExcel("Demo file.xlsx")
' Save the loaded Excel document as a CSV file.
excelDoc.SaveAsCsv("export.csv")
The above code is similar to exporting to XLS. IronXL provides a separate method called SaveAsCsv
, which helps to export XLSX files into CSV files. It is easy and simple to use. In the above code, an XLSX file is loaded, converted, and saved into a CSV file with just a few lines of code. We can also pass user input such as a password as a parameter on the LoadExcel
method.
4.3 Export Data to a JSON File
Saving XLSX files as JSON has never been easier by using the following code:
// Load the Excel document into an WorkBook object.
var excelDoc = IronXL.WorkBook.LoadExcel("Demo file.xlsx");
// Save the loaded document as a JSON file.
excelDoc.SaveAsJson("export.json");
// Alternatively, save as an XML file.
excelDoc.SaveAsXml("export.xml");
// Load the Excel document into an WorkBook object.
var excelDoc = IronXL.WorkBook.LoadExcel("Demo file.xlsx");
// Save the loaded document as a JSON file.
excelDoc.SaveAsJson("export.json");
// Alternatively, save as an XML file.
excelDoc.SaveAsXml("export.xml");
' Load the Excel document into an WorkBook object.
Dim excelDoc = IronXL.WorkBook.LoadExcel("Demo file.xlsx")
' Save the loaded document as a JSON file.
excelDoc.SaveAsJson("export.json")
' Alternatively, save as an XML file.
excelDoc.SaveAsXml("export.xml")
The above sample code demonstrates that IronXL provides separate methods to save files as XML and JSON, which can be easily implemented.
IronXL offers features such as header rows, font sizes, formulas, colors, and more. Visit IronXL tutorials for more information.
Conclusion
IronXL is one of the most widely used Excel utilities that can operate independently of any other external libraries. It doesn't require Microsoft Excel to be installed and uses a variety of channels to function.
For all tasks related to Microsoft Excel documents that need to be implemented programmatically, IronXL offers an all-in-one solution. You can perform formula calculations, sort strings or numbers, cut and append data, find and replace, merge and unmerge cells, and save files. Additionally, it allows you to set cell data formats and perform spreadsheet data validation. You can also read and write CSV files, enabling interaction with Excel data.
IronXL is available for $749 at launch and provides the option for customers to pay a one-year membership charge for updates and product support. For an additional charge, IronXL provides security for unrestricted redistribution. Visit the licensing page to learn more details about the pricing information.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this library used for Excel operations in .NET?
IronXL is a stand-alone .NET software library that allows for reading, modifying, and creating Excel spreadsheets without requiring Microsoft Office or Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.
How can this Excel library be installed in a .NET 6 project?
IronXL can be installed in a .NET 6 project using the Package Manager Console with the command `Install-Package IronXL.Excel` or through the NuGet Package Manager by searching for 'IronXL'.
What file formats does this library support for exporting data?
IronXL supports exporting data to various file formats including XLS, XLSX, CSV, JSON, and XML.
Can this Excel library be used on multiple operating systems?
Yes, IronXL is compatible with Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems.
Is it necessary to have Microsoft Excel installed to use this library?
No, it is not necessary to have Microsoft Excel installed, as IronXL functions independently of any external Excel application.
What are some of the features provided by this Excel library?
IronXL provides features like reading multiple spreadsheet formats, supporting Excel formulas, setting cell data formats, and exporting data tables and datasets.
What .NET frameworks does this library support?
IronXL supports .NET Core, .NET Framework, Xamarin, Mobile, Azure, and more, including Console Applications, Windows Forms, and Web Applications.
How do you export an Excel file to a CSV using this library?
To export an Excel file to CSV, load the Excel document into a WorkBook object and use the `SaveAsCsv` method to save it as a CSV file.
Can this library handle Excel file types like XLSX and XLS?
Yes, IronXL can read and write a variety of Excel file types including XLSX, XLS, CSV, and more.
What is the licensing model for this Excel library?
IronXL offers a lite license at launch and provides options for a one-year membership for updates and support, along with security for unrestricted redistribution for an additional charge.