Connect - Import Tables - requires Excel

When trying to import an .xlsx file it appears MicroStation requires Excel to be installed.

  • Unknown said:
    So much for basic functions not requiring other programs to be installed

    True but the browser comes install with the OS, its free and I even have a choice about what browser I can use.  Help works on an out of the box default Windows install. I don't have to purchase and install a browser to use help. 

    Do I have my choice of Google Doc, Open office, Numbers or Excel?  No.  I have to buy Excel.  I'm only talking about importing.  I'm not asking for dynamic interaction.      xlsx is an open file format.  There is certainly no a technical reason that Excel be required.  I don't need Excel installed to import an .xlsx file into any other software programs I have.

  • I agree, you have a point, but where do you draw the line?

    Should Bentley then include OpenOffice or better LibreOffice in their packages and force you to install that, even if you have Excel installed? Free Office Online is nice, but automation might be a bit of a challenge.

    Microsoft once claimed that around 85% of Windows machines have Office installed on them. It may be even more in a business environment. So what would you have Bentley do? Ignore reality? Ship a License of Office with MicroStation?
    They'll never please everybody unless LibreOffice VBA is an exact copy of Microsoft VBA. They look similar, but a "choose your office of choice"-approach is going to cost Bentley (and thus their customers) money as well.
  • We don't need Rhino to import 3dm, and so on...

    José

  • All I want to do in import a some data into a table. I don't care if its xls, .dbf or .csv (as long as it is not one of those BSI %SECTION pseudo .csv files). Many other area of the program let you bring in data this way. Its not like they don't already have code written to import data.

    Inputting data into these new tables is cumbersome and painfully slow. I can easily do it Numbers in 1/4 of the time. I could probably do it in note pad in 1/4 of the time.
  • Unknown said:
    The most robust and up-to-date such API is provided by Microsoft and requires Excel to be installed

    Is that a technical requirement or a Microsoft marketing requirement?  That is...

    1. can I install any version of Excel?
    2. one of those versions of Excel that comprehends the .xlsx file format?
    3. the latest version of Excel? 

    Does the API simply check whether Excel is installed, or is it looking for a specific version of Excel?

     
    Regards, Jon Summers
    LA Solutions