Spreadsheet::Excel

Description
===========
A module for generating Excel compatable files on any platform.

Version 0.2.3, based on version .26 of Spreadsheet::WriteExcel.

Synopsis
========
require "spreadsheet"
include Spreadsheet

workbook = Excel.new("test.xls")

# Three ways to add formats
format1 = workbook.add_format(:color=>"blue", :bold=>1, :underline=>1)

format2 = Format.new(
   :color     => "green",
   :bold      => true,
   :underline => true
)
workbook.add_format(format2)

format3 = Format.new{ |f|
   f.color     = "red"
   f.bold      = true
   f.underline = true
}
workbook.add_format(format3)

worksheet1 = workbook.add_worksheet
worksheet2 = workbook.add_worksheet("Numbers")
worksheet3 = workbook.add_worksheet("Text")

worksheet1.write(0,0,"Hello",format1)
worksheet1.write(1,1,["Matz","Larry","Guido"])

worksheet2.write(1,3,8876,format2)
worksheet2.write_column(4,4,[5,6,7])

worksheet3.write(2,2,"World",format3)

workbook.close

Excel
===================
new(<filename>)
   Returns a workbook object.  You may only have one workbook per file. A
   '.xls' extension for your filename is recommended but not enforced.

Workbook
===========================
add_worksheet([sheetname])
   Adds and returns a Worksheet object.  You may optionally pass a sheet
   name. Otherwise, it will default to 'Sheet1', 'Sheet2', etc.

add_format([attributes])
   Adds a format object to the workbook, which is then applied to cells
   in the 'write' method

close
   Close the workbook (and the file).

Worksheet
============================
write(row,col,data,<format>)
   Writes data at the given row and column (cell).  If a format is provided,
   the cells are formatted appropriately.

   Also accept data as an Array , in which case write_row is called internally.

write_row(row,col,Array,<format>)
   Writes a row of data starting at <row> and <column> in a left to right
   manner, with one array element per cell.

   Any formatting will be applied to each cell.

write_column(row,column,Array,<format>)
   Writes a column of data starting at <row> and <column> in a top to bottom
   manner, with one array element per cell.

   Any formattnig will be applied to each cell.

Format
============================
new({attributes})
   Creates a new format object.  See the format.html file for a list of all
   possible attributes and their description.

Notes
=====
This is a port of John McNamara's Spreadsheet::WriteExcel module, version .26
There is no support for formulas yet.

Design Changes
==============
The only somewhat major change was to make OLEWriter a subclass of File,
rather than store a filehandle as an attribute within the class.  This
seems to have worked out fine.

Other changes consisted mostly of minor code optimizations.  Occasionally
I was more terse than John was (for better or for worse)

Questions
=========
Questions about MS Excel should be directed to Microsoft.
Questions about the MS Excel format should be directed to Microsoft.
Questions about why I use the hex values that I use should be directed to
John McNamara (jmcnamara at cpan dot org)

Future Plans
============
Add formulas.
Improve Performance.
Make some methods private that should be private
Improve the installation/configuration
Add comments - for now you can find all appropriate comments in John's
module. ;)

Thanks
======
Many thanks go to John McNamara for his tireless dedication to a very useful
(and probably very popular) module.  I also thank him for taking the time
to answer some of the questions I had for him while porting his code.

Author
======
Daniel J. Berger
djberg96 at yahoo dot com