writing to excel files

[wes415]

Hello:

I would like to use javascript to write to an already opened Excel file. Each time a button is clicked, a value is written to the same place on this excel file. I need to do this without opening, saving, and closing the file each time. Thank you.

[c010depunkk]

Where is the Excel file opened? In another program?

[wes415]

The file is just opened in Excel. I have coded a simple tool in Excel that has a GUI and buttons that a user clicks through. At some point, I call up google maps, and using javascript, write some values back to the Excel file. I want this to be seamless, that is why I do not want to close the Excel file before I present the google maps to the user.

[c010depunkk]

You don't think that two processes can access the same file at once: Windows file handles - only one process can have a handle to a file at once.

[wes415]

Thanks. I suspected so. Can you help me with javascript code to find the pathname of a currently opened excel file, if I supply the filename? I ask because I will use javascript to write to another unopened Excel file, but I want to make sure it is in the same directory as the main Excel file of interest.

[c010depunkk]

Not at all sure if this is possible. Javascript can't create files on the client machine - security issue. Maybe you could do this with some kind of server-side language like PHP or ASP and then let the user download the file. If I were you I would consider writing a program that does this and not try to do it out of the browser.

[alexgeek]

Isn't this more application programming than anything web design/development related?

[c010depunkk]

Originally Posted by alexgeek

Isn't this more application programming than anything web design/development related?

Yop, that it is. A C# application would be my solution for this. There are some really nice classes for creating and writing Excel files.