Testing the limits of Excel imports/exports

[Tom Tomasovic]

Hi!

I am trying to use an Excel spreadsheet to import data into EA. In particular, I want my users to be able to update the spreadsheet, so that I can import it into EA. As a part of the creation/maintenance process, I have added data validations to the spreadsheet. It seems, when I reopen the spreadsheet (with all the data validations) and export the EA content, all the data validations (and some formatting) are deleted.

Is this “by design”? I just want to know if I am missing something (which would preserve my modifications) or whether I am limited by the export process.

Thanks!

Tom

[Administrator]

When eaXL exports data into Excel from EA, it deletes row which are already there. So if your validation is in those cells, it will delete them.
We have to do this, for the case where the number of rows exported DECREASES form one export to the next.
We always suggest that you leave the eaXL worksheets alone, and if you need to create additional function in the workbook, add it into new worksheets which eaXL won’t touch. This is how we create charts and tables.
Adding validation logic into eaXL worksheets is not a use case which we support.

[Tom Tomasovic]

I kind of thought that was the way it would work. I can retain my validations in a separate spreadsheet (template) and cut and paste rows from the eaDocX extract into the template. If necessary (likely), I can reapply the validations after copying in the export.

Thanks!

Tom

[Tom Tomasovic]

Okay…

Need another clarification.

I have created an Excel extract, and what I would like to do is to be able to delete all the data rows from the extact, preserving the headings and the column layout. I may be doing something wrong but, when I try this, my column layout is gone (in the profile area of eaDocX). It seems to revert to a “default” layout. When I export again, the file has the default column layout with a previous set of selected columns.

How do I get eaXl to preserve my column layout so that I can reuse the file?

Tom

[Tom Tomasovic]

Looks like I was doing something wrong. Today, my layouts are being preserved, and I can open the file and import/export the way I want to.

Tom

[Author]

Posts