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Reading API

xlmake can read existing Excel files to get cell values and styles.

Basic Usage

import { read } from "xlmake";

const workbook = await read("report.xlsx");

read()

Read Excel files from file path or Buffer.

// From file path
const workbook = await read("./report.xlsx");

// From Buffer
const buffer = fs.readFileSync("./report.xlsx");
const workbook = await read(buffer);

WorkbookReader

Object for manipulating the entire workbook.

Getting Sheet List

const workbook = await read("report.xlsx");

console.log(workbook.sheetNames); // ["Sales", "Stock"]
console.log(workbook.sheetCount); // 2

Getting Sheets

// By name
const sheet = workbook.sheet("Sales");

// By index (starting from 0)
const firstSheet = workbook.sheetAt(0);

SheetReader

Object for manipulating sheets.

Sheet Information

const sheet = workbook.sheet("Sales");

console.log(sheet.name); // "Sales"
console.log(sheet.rowCount); // 100
console.log(sheet.columnCount); // 5

Getting Merge Information

console.log(sheet.mergedCells);  // ["A1:B1", "C1:C2"]

Accessing Cells

// A1 notation
const cell1 = sheet.cell("A1");
const cell2 = sheet.cell("B2");

// Row/column numbers (starting from 0)
const cell3 = sheet.cellAt(0, 0); // Same as A1
const cell4 = sheet.cellAt(1, 1); // Same as B2

CellReader

Object for getting cell values and styles.

Getting Values

const cell = sheet.cell("A1");

console.log(cell.value); // "Product" or 100 or true or null

Getting Styles

const style = sheet.cell("A1").style;

console.log(style?.bold); // true
console.log(style?.fill); // "#4472C4"
console.log(style?.color); // "#FFFFFF"
console.log(style?.fontSize); // 11

Getting Borders

const border = sheet.cell("A1").border;

console.log(border?.top); // { style: "thin", color: "#000000" }
console.log(border?.bottom); // { style: "thin", color: "#000000" }
console.log(border?.left); // { style: "thin", color: "#000000" }
console.log(border?.right); // { style: "thin", color: "#000000" }

Complete Example

import { read } from "xlmake";

async function analyzeExcel() {
const workbook = await read("./report.xlsx");

// Show sheet list
console.log("Sheets:", workbook.sheetNames);

// Get first sheet
const sheet = workbook.sheetAt(0);
console.log(`Sheet name: ${sheet.name}`);
console.log(`Row count: ${sheet.rowCount}`);
console.log(`Column count: ${sheet.columnCount}`);

// Read header row
console.log("\nHeaders:");
for (let col = 0; col < sheet.columnCount; col++) {
const cell = sheet.cellAt(0, col);
console.log(` ${String.fromCharCode(65 + col)}1: ${cell.value}`);
}

// Read data rows
console.log("\nData:");
for (let row = 1; row < Math.min(sheet.rowCount, 5); row++) {
const rowData = [];
for (let col = 0; col < sheet.columnCount; col++) {
rowData.push(sheet.cellAt(row, col).value);
}
console.log(` Row ${row + 1}: ${rowData.join(", ")}`);
}

// Show merge info
if (sheet.mergedCells.length > 0) {
console.log("\nMerged cells:", sheet.mergedCells);
}

// Check specific cell style
const headerStyle = sheet.cell("A1").style;
if (headerStyle) {
console.log("\nA1 style:");
console.log(" Bold:", headerStyle.bold);
console.log(" Fill:", headerStyle.fill);
console.log(" Color:", headerStyle.color);
}
}

analyzeExcel();

Supported Features

FeatureSupported
Cell values
Cell styles
Merge info
Sheet names
Column width/row height