Export to HTML

Many organizations maintain their product inventories, hiring positions, price lists etc. in Excel files. However, it is very convenient to publish such data on websites to share it with relevant customers. Hence, exporting to HTML files becomes an important feature in such cases.

GcExcel allows users to export a workbook, worksheet or any specific range to an HTML file. By default, it exports an HTML file and a folder containing additional files. These additional files can be images in a worksheet, htm files of other worksheets in a workbook or css file used for styling the html files. However, a single HTML file can also be exported while exporting a worksheet or any range of a worksheet.

With various properties in HtmlSaveOptions class, the exported content can be controlled in various ways like exporting headings, gridlines, document properties or apply other settings like scalable width, page title, displaying tooltip text etc.

CssExportType property in HtmlSaveOptions class provides options for a user to decide how to export a CSS file with the HTML file using CssExportType enumeration. CssExportType enumeration allows a user to export CSS to a separate file (in the additional folder), within the style tag in HTML, or in the style attribute inside an HTML element.

Note: If unlicensed version of GcExcel is used:

• While exporting a workbook to HTML: An "Evaluation warning" sheet is appended to the workbook along with an "Evaluation warning" message at the head of each worksheet.

• While exporting a worksheet or range to HTML: An "Evaluation warning" message is added at the head of worksheet or range file.

Export workbook to HTML

The Save method of IWorkbook interface can be used to export a workbook to HTML file.

Refer to the following example code to export workbook to a zip folder containing workbook's HTML file and folder carrying additional files.

//create a zip file stream
FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("saveworkbooktohtml.zip", FileMode.Create);

//create a new workbook
var workbook = new Workbook();

workbook.Open("pricelist.xlsx");

//save workbook to html format
workbook.Save(outputStream, SaveFileFormat.Html);

//close the zip stream
outputStream.Close();

Export worksheet to HTML

The Save method of IWorkbook interface can be used to export a worksheet to HTML file. The headings and gridlines of the worksheet can also be exported by using ExportHeadings and ExportGridlines properties of HtmlSaveOptions class. The ExportSheetName property can be used to define which worksheet needs to be exported.

Refer to the following example code to export worksheet to a zip folder containing worksheet's HTML file and a folder carrying additional files.

//create a zip file stream
FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("saveworksheettohtml.zip", FileMode.Create);

//create a new workbook
var workbook = new Workbook();

workbook.Open("hiringpositions.xlsx");

HtmlSaveOptions options = new HtmlSaveOptions();

//set exporting row/column headings
options.ExportHeadings = true;

//set exporting gridlines
options.ExportGridlines = true;

//export first sheet
options.ExportSheetName = workbook.Worksheets[0].Name;

//set exported html file name
options.ExportFileName = "hiringdetails";

workbook.Save(outputStream, options);

//close the zip stream
outputStream.Close();

A worksheet can also be exported to a single HTML file when the specific properties of HtmlSaveOptions class are set, as in the code below.

Workbook workbook = new Workbook();

//open an xlsx file         
workbook.Open("productlist.xlsx");

IWorksheet worksheet = workbook.Worksheets[0];

//create HtmlSaveOptions
HtmlSaveOptions options = new HtmlSaveOptions();

//export first sheet
options.ExportSheetName = workbook.Worksheets[0].Name;

//set exported image as base64
options.ExportImageAsBase64 = true;

//set exported css style in html file
options.ExportCssSeparately = false;

//set not to export single tab in html
options.ExportSingleTab = false;

//save first worksheet to html        
workbook.Save("saveworksheettosinglehtml.html", options);

Export worksheet range to HTML

The Save method of IWorkbook interface can be used to export any range of a worksheet to HTML file. The ExportArea property of HtmlSaveOptions class can be used to define the range which needs to be exported.

Refer to the following example code to export range in a worksheet to a zip folder containing range's HTML file and a folder carrying additional files.

//create a zip file stream
FileStream outputStream = new FileStream("saverangetohtml.zip", FileMode.Create);

//create a new workbook
var workbook = new Workbook();

workbook.Open("projecttracker.xlsx");

HtmlSaveOptions options = new HtmlSaveOptions();

//export first sheet
options.ExportSheetName = workbook.Worksheets[0].Name;

//set export area
options.ExportArea = "D2:G23";

//set exported html file name
options.ExportFileName = "range";

//set html with scalable width
options.IsWidthScalable = true;

workbook.Save(outputStream, options);

//close the zip stream
outputStream.Close();

A range in a worksheet can also be exported to a single HTML file when the specific properties of HtmlSaveOptions class are set, as in the code below.

// Create a new workbook.
var workbook = new GrapeCity.Documents.Excel.Workbook();

// Open en Excel file.
FileStream fileStream = new FileStream("BreakEven.xlsx", FileMode.Open);
workbook.Open(fileStream);

IWorksheet worksheet = workbook.Worksheets[0];

// Initialize HtmlSaveOptions.
HtmlSaveOptions options = new HtmlSaveOptions();

// Export first sheet.
options.ExportSheetName = workbook.Worksheets[0].Name;

// Set export area.
options.ExportArea = "D2:G23";

// Set exported image as base64.
options.ExportImageAsBase64 = true;

// Set the css export type to internal CSS.
options.CssExportType = CssExportType.Internal;

// Or, set the css export type to inline CSS.
// options.CssExportType = CssExportType.Inline;

// Set not to export single tab in HTML.
options.ExportSingleTab = false;

// Save the specified range of first worksheet to HTML.
workbook.Save("SaveSpecificRangetoSingleHTML.html", options);

type=warning

Note: ExportCssSeparately property is now obsolete, but the existing applications with this property will continue to function properly.

Limitations

The following features are not supported while exporting to html file:

• Vertical text

• Picture's texture or picture fill

• Pictures's brightness or contrast

• Shape with gradient line

• Shape with rectangular gradient fill and path gradient fill

• Text alignment in shape-like distribution

• Font: Alignment preferences like Center across selection, Fill alignment, Orientation, Text reading order etc.

• Shrink to fit

• Chart

  • The following chart types are not supported: 3D, Pie of Pie, Bar of Pie, Combo chart with Pie or Doughnut or Radar, Map, Treemap, Sunburst, Histogram, Box & Whisker, Waterfall and Funnel.

  • The chart layout, major unit and min or max value of the chart axis may not be exactly same as Excel after exporting to HTML file.

  • The following chart features are not supported:

    • Line marker and round corners

    • Chart elements: Stock's upBar, data table and label callout

    • Fill settings: Gradient, Picture or Texture and Pattern

• Slicer

  • Pivot table slicers or report connections

  • Custom height of slicer items

  • Slicer settings

  • Slicer styles (except the color property)

  • Slicer header styles

  • Scroll viewer which surrounds the items panel

  • Slicer item styles for "No data" visual state groups