Create Excel XML files from Python

Question

I need to create Excel XML files from Python.

The Excel XML format is fairly simple. I looked at a a sample xml file saved from Excel 2003 and it is fairly simple.

I'm looking for a a Pythonic, ready made library to create such xml files instead of reinventing one.

Something that I can use as below:

book = Expy.Workbook()
s1 = book.add_sheet()
s1[0, 2] = "A3"
s1[0, 0] = 12
s1[0, 9] = Expy.Formula("=Sum(A1:A3)")

book.write("excelfile.xml")

Anybody know of something like that?

xlwt seems outdated, supporting python 2.x only, and seems to write xls files, not xml.

Be aware that the XML generated by Excel 2003 is totally different from the Open XML (xlsx) files from Excel 2007/2010 — Mark Baker
– Mark Baker, Commented Jul 27, 2010 at 16:43

Nikolaus Gradwohl · Accepted Answer · 2010-07-27 16:07:09Z

3

answered Jul 27, 2010 at 16:07

Nikolaus Gradwohl

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1 Comment

Looks promising. But seems a bit outdated.

Daren Thomas · Accepted Answer · 2010-07-27 16:05:15Z

1

If you are on windows with Excel installed, you could look into Excel Automation.

from win32com import client
excel_app = client.Dispatch("Excel.Application")
# check VBA documentation on automating excel...

answered Jul 27, 2010 at 16:05

Daren Thomas

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Good idea, but I may not have Excel installed.

Leopd · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-10 06:54:52Z

1

xlwt will write Excel files from python, but I'm not sure if it handles the newer XML file formats. http://pypi.python.org/pypi/xlwt

answered Feb 10, 2011 at 6:54

Leopd

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