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Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql

From Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org>
Newsgroups comp.lang.c
Subject Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql
Date 2016-12-09 11:00 -0800
Organization None to speak of
Message-ID <ln1sxhylk9.fsf@kst-u.example.com> (permalink)
References <b9ac974a-c352-4094-9259-f8a035b168b5@googlegroups.com>

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Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> writes:
> I will be grateful for your help on this matter: I have searched
> google, and have found numerous suggestions how to convert excel
> spreadsheet into mysql table with php, but I need to do this using
> C. Please, without providing the ready solution, let me know if it is
> at all possible using reasonably basic tools appropriate for a
> student? If yes, I will continue the search, and will be grateful for
> tips on this issue (but, please, do not write a code for me; please).

There are a number of different data formats at play here.

Microsoft Excel uses its own format for spreadsheet files; such files
typically have a ".xls" extension.  That format is tremendously
complex, and though it would be theoretically possible to parse
and process it in pure C, it would be neither feasible nor, most
likely, useful.  (The developers of OpenOffice and LibreOffice
have probably done something like that, but it must have been a
lot of work.)  There are other binary formats such as ".ods".

Excel can also export a spreadsheet in ".csv" (comma separated
values) format.  That's a plain-text format holding one record per
line, with fields within a record separated by commas.  It's not
quite that simple; there have to be special rules for fields that
contain commas, and there doesn't seem to be a single universally
accepted standard.  It can lose some of the information that exists
in the .xls format, but the information it retains is often all
you need.

Excel can *read* either a ".xls" or a ".csv" file and display
its contents for you -- but what it displays is a summary of the
contents, not the raw contents of the file.  For example, if you
load a ".csv" file, Excel won't show you the commas.  To see what's
actually in a ".csv" file, use a text editor or pager, some tool that
operates on text in general and not on spreadsheets in particular.

A MySQL database also is generally stored in a complex binary format.

Converting an Excel spreadsheet to a MySQL database without using
any external libraries is an entirely unreasonable task.

Converting a ".csv" file to a sequence of SQL commands that can
then be used to *create* a MySQL database is quite reasonable.
Excel can generate the ".csv" file for you, and MySQL can execute
the SQL commands and create a database.

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst-u@mib.org  <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
Working, but not speaking, for JetHead Development, Inc.
"We must do something.  This is something.  Therefore, we must do this."
    -- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"

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Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 02:50 -0800
  Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-09 11:13 +0000
    Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 03:50 -0800
      Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2016-12-09 08:43 -0800
        Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 09:09 -0800
    Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 07:06 -0800
      Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-09 15:50 +0000
        Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 09:07 -0800
          Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-09 17:23 +0000
            Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 09:29 -0800
            Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> - 2016-12-09 12:43 -0500
              Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 10:00 -0800
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Manfred <noname@invalid.add> - 2016-12-09 19:49 +0100
              Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-09 18:15 +0000
            Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 09:55 -0800
              Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-09 18:22 +0000
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-11 00:23 -0800
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-11 01:33 -0800
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-11 03:38 -0800
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-11 12:35 -0800
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-12 01:08 -0800
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-12 10:14 +0000
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-12 02:42 -0800
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-12 09:02 -0800
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-11 00:23 -0800
              Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-12-09 13:44 -0500
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> - 2016-12-09 13:57 -0500
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-11 02:57 -0800
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-12-11 11:43 +0000
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-11 15:51 +0000
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-11 02:42 -0800
          Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-09 18:09 +0000
            Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 10:15 -0800
            Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-09 12:16 -0800
              Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-11 15:56 +0000
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2016-12-11 08:27 -0800
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-11 16:37 +0000
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-11 12:40 -0800
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-12 01:13 -0800
      Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Barry Schwarz <schwarzb@dqel.com> - 2016-12-09 08:53 -0800
        Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 09:20 -0800
    Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-09 11:05 -0800
      Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Manfred <noname@invalid.add> - 2016-12-09 20:27 +0100
      Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-11 03:19 -0800
        Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-11 15:48 +0000
          Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-11 12:32 -0800
          Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-12 01:16 -0800
            Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-12 10:31 +0000
              Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-12 02:46 -0800
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-12 10:51 +0000
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-12 09:09 -0800
      Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-11 03:31 -0800
      Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-11 14:48 +0000
  Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 03:16 -0800
    Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 03:50 -0800
      Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-09 12:00 +0000
        Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 06:47 -0800
        Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 07:48 -0800
          Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-09 16:17 +0000
          Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 08:37 -0800
          Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 08:45 -0800
            Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql "Rick C. Hodgin" <rick.c.hodgin@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 08:50 -0800
              Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-09 16:55 +0000
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-12-09 12:28 -0500
                Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-12-09 18:10 +0000
  Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql "Mr. Man-wai Chang" <toylet.toylet@gmail.com> - 2016-12-09 19:48 +0800
  Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-12-09 11:00 -0800
    Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-11 03:03 -0800
  Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql andre <ahr@blabla.be> - 2016-12-10 10:43 +0100
    Re: Using C to convert excel spreadsheet into mysql Alla _ <modelling.data@gmail.com> - 2016-12-11 03:33 -0800

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