I need to create a script that extracts some data from a complex Excel 2003 file (with multiple sheets and different tables inside a single sheet) and produces different XML files that need to be validated against a given XSD file.
My preferred language is Python;
to create and validate XML files i would go with lxml.
What do you suggest for parsing XLS files?
Is xlrd the right tool to use for complex Excel files?
Or do i need to convert all the sheets in CSV manually, and read files line by line, splitting and getting data?
I accept C#, VB6, VBA suggestions too.
[disclaimer: I’m the author of xlrd]
xlrd is quite suited for this kind of job. Get the latest version from PyPI. Get the flavour from the tutorial found here. XLSX support is in alpha test; e-mail me if you need it. The awkwardness and lossiness of the save-as-CSV approach was one of the things that prompted me to write xlrd.