C# Excel Interop Workaround

1. Download IronXL Library

Download IronXL Library or install with NuGet to access the free library and then follow step by step to work through this tutorial on using Excel without Interop. Licenses available if you want to go live with your project.

Install-Package IronXL.Excel

How to Tutorial

2. Access Excel File Data

To develop business applications, we need easy and perfect access to data from Excel files and the ability to manipulate them programmatically according to a variety of requirements. With IronXL, use the WorkBook.Load() function, which grants access to reading a specific Excel file.

After accessing the WorkBook, you can then choose a specific WorkSheet using the WorkBook.GetWorkSheet() function. Now you have all Excel file data available. See the following example for how we used these functions to get Excel file data in a C# project.

// Import the IronXL library to access its functionality
using IronXL;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Access Excel file
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    // Access WorkSheet of Excel file
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");

    // Get a specific cell value, convert it to a string, and print it
    string a = ws["A5"].Value.ToString();
    Console.WriteLine("Getting Single Value:\n\n   Value of Cell A5: {0}", a);

    Console.WriteLine("\nGetting Many Cells Value using Loop:\n");
    // Get multiple cell values using range function and iterate through them
    foreach (var cell in ws["B2:B10"])
    {
        Console.WriteLine("   Value is: {0}", cell.Text);
    }

    Console.ReadKey(); // Pause the console to view output
}

// Import the IronXL library to access its functionality
using IronXL;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Access Excel file
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    // Access WorkSheet of Excel file
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");

    // Get a specific cell value, convert it to a string, and print it
    string a = ws["A5"].Value.ToString();
    Console.WriteLine("Getting Single Value:\n\n   Value of Cell A5: {0}", a);

    Console.WriteLine("\nGetting Many Cells Value using Loop:\n");
    // Get multiple cell values using range function and iterate through them
    foreach (var cell in ws["B2:B10"])
    {
        Console.WriteLine("   Value is: {0}", cell.Text);
    }

    Console.ReadKey(); // Pause the console to view output
}

' Import the IronXL library to access its functionality
Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic
Imports IronXL

Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
	' Access Excel file
	Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx")
	' Access WorkSheet of Excel file
	Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1")

	' Get a specific cell value, convert it to a string, and print it
	Dim a As String = ws("A5").Value.ToString()
	Console.WriteLine("Getting Single Value:" & vbLf & vbLf & "   Value of Cell A5: {0}", a)

	Console.WriteLine(vbLf & "Getting Many Cells Value using Loop:" & vbLf)
	' Get multiple cell values using range function and iterate through them
	For Each cell In ws("B2:B10")
		Console.WriteLine("   Value is: {0}", cell.Text)
	Next cell

	Console.ReadKey() ' Pause the console to view output
End Sub

This code will produce the following outcome:

With the Excel file looking like this:

We can see that our Excel file, sample.xlsx, has small business in the A5 cell. The other values from B2 to B10 are the same and displayed in the output.

// Access WorkBook and WorkSheet
WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");

// Convert workbook to DataSet
DataSet ds = wb.ToDataSet();

// Convert worksheet to DataTable
DataTable dt = ws.ToDataTable(true);

// Access WorkBook and WorkSheet
WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");

// Convert workbook to DataSet
DataSet ds = wb.ToDataSet();

// Convert worksheet to DataTable
DataTable dt = ws.ToDataTable(true);

' Access WorkBook and WorkSheet
Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx")
Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1")

' Convert workbook to DataSet
Dim ds As DataSet = wb.ToDataSet()

' Convert worksheet to DataTable
Dim dt As DataTable = ws.ToDataTable(True)

3. Create New Excel File

We can easily create a new Excel spreadsheet and insert data in it programmatically in our C# project. To accomplish this, IronXL provides the WorkBook.Create() function, which creates a new Excel file.

We can then create as many WorkSheets as needed using the WorkBook.CreateWorkSheet() function.

After that, we can also insert data, as shown in the example below:

// Import the IronXL library
using IronXL;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Create a new WorkBook
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Create();

    // Create a new WorkSheet in the workbook
    WorkSheet ws = wb.CreateWorkSheet("sheet1");

    // Insert data into cells
    ws["A1"].Value = "New Value A1";
    ws["B2"].Value = "New Value B2";

    // Save the newly created Excel file
    wb.SaveAs("NewExcelFile.xlsx");
}

// Import the IronXL library
using IronXL;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Create a new WorkBook
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Create();

    // Create a new WorkSheet in the workbook
    WorkSheet ws = wb.CreateWorkSheet("sheet1");

    // Insert data into cells
    ws["A1"].Value = "New Value A1";
    ws["B2"].Value = "New Value B2";

    // Save the newly created Excel file
    wb.SaveAs("NewExcelFile.xlsx");
}

' Import the IronXL library
Imports IronXL

Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
	' Create a new WorkBook
	Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Create()

	' Create a new WorkSheet in the workbook
	Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.CreateWorkSheet("sheet1")

	' Insert data into cells
	ws("A1").Value = "New Value A1"
	ws("B2").Value = "New Value B2"

	' Save the newly created Excel file
	wb.SaveAs("NewExcelFile.xlsx")
End Sub

The above code will create a new Excel file with the name NewExcelFile.xlsx, and insert new data in cell addresses A1 and B2 with values New Value A1 and New Value B2 respectively. With this setup, you can insert data in the same way, as much as you need.

Note: If you are creating a new Excel file or modifying an existing one, don't forget to save the file as shown in the example above.

Dig deeper into how to Create new Excel SpreadSheets using C# and try the code in your project.

4. Modify Existing Excel File

We can modify existing Excel files and insert updated data in them programmatically. In Excel file modifications, we will see the following aspects:

• Update the cell value
• Replace old values with new ones
• Remove rows or columns

Let's see how to implement the above topics in our C# project.

// Import the IronXL library
using IronXL;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Access the WorkBook and WorkSheet
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");

    // Update A3 cell value
    ws["A3"].Value = "New Value of A3";

    // Save the updated Excel file
    wb.SaveAs("sample.xlsx");
}

// Import the IronXL library
using IronXL;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Access the WorkBook and WorkSheet
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");

    // Update A3 cell value
    ws["A3"].Value = "New Value of A3";

    // Save the updated Excel file
    wb.SaveAs("sample.xlsx");
}

' Import the IronXL library
Imports IronXL

Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
	' Access the WorkBook and WorkSheet
	Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx")
	Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1")

	' Update A3 cell value
	ws("A3").Value = "New Value of A3"

	' Save the updated Excel file
	wb.SaveAs("sample.xlsx")
End Sub

ws["A3:C3"].Value = "New Value";

ws["A3:C3"].Value = "New Value";

ws("A3:C3").Value = "New Value"

ws.Replace("old value", "new value");

ws.Replace("old value", "new value");

ws.Replace("old value", "new value")

ws.Rows[RowIndex].Replace("old value", "new value");

ws.Rows[RowIndex].Replace("old value", "new value");

ws.Rows(RowIndex).Replace("old value", "new value")

ws.Columns[ColumnIndex].Replace("old value", "new Value");

ws.Columns[ColumnIndex].Replace("old value", "new Value");

ws.Columns(ColumnIndex).Replace("old value", "new Value")

ws["From:To"].Replace("old value", "new value");

ws["From:To"].Replace("old value", "new value");

ws("From:To").Replace("old value", "new value")

// Import the IronXL library
using IronXL;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Access the WorkBook and WorkSheet
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");

    // Specify a range from B5 to G5 and replace "Normal" value with "Good"
    ws["B5:G5"].Replace("Normal", "Good");

    // Save the updated Excel file
    wb.SaveAs("sample.xlsx");
}

// Import the IronXL library
using IronXL;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Access the WorkBook and WorkSheet
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");

    // Specify a range from B5 to G5 and replace "Normal" value with "Good"
    ws["B5:G5"].Replace("Normal", "Good");

    // Save the updated Excel file
    wb.SaveAs("sample.xlsx");
}

' Import the IronXL library
Imports IronXL

Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
	' Access the WorkBook and WorkSheet
	Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx")
	Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1")

	' Specify a range from B5 to G5 and replace "Normal" value with "Good"
	ws("B5:G5").Replace("Normal", "Good")

	' Save the updated Excel file
	wb.SaveAs("sample.xlsx")
End Sub

Remove Rows of Excel File

In application development, we sometimes need to remove whole rows of existing Excel files programmatically. For this task, we use the Remove() function of IronXL. Here's an example:

// Import the IronXL library
using IronXL;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Access the WorkBook and WorkSheet
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");

    // Remove the row number 2
    ws.Rows[2].Remove();

    // Save the updated Excel file
    wb.SaveAs("sample.xlsx");
}

// Import the IronXL library
using IronXL;

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    // Access the WorkBook and WorkSheet
    WorkBook wb = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx");
    WorkSheet ws = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1");

    // Remove the row number 2
    ws.Rows[2].Remove();

    // Save the updated Excel file
    wb.SaveAs("sample.xlsx");
}

' Import the IronXL library
Imports IronXL

Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)
	' Access the WorkBook and WorkSheet
	Dim wb As WorkBook = WorkBook.Load("sample.xlsx")
	Dim ws As WorkSheet = wb.GetWorkSheet("Sheet1")

	' Remove the row number 2
	ws.Rows(2).Remove()

	' Save the updated Excel file
	wb.SaveAs("sample.xlsx")
End Sub

$vbLabelText   $csharpLabel

The above code will remove row number 2 of sample.xlsx.

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Tutorial Quick Access

IronXL Reference

Read the API Reference for IronXL to read more about all the functions, features, classes, and namespaces.

IronXL Reference