How to create an Excel file in Xamarin?
Syncfusion Essential XlsIO is a .NET Excel library used to create, read, and edit Excel documents. Using this library, you can start creating an Excel document in Xamarin.
Steps to create Excel file programmatically:
- Create a new C# Xamarin.Forms application project.
- Select a project template and required platforms to deploy the application. In this application the portable assemblies to be shared across multiple platforms, the .NET Standard code sharing strategy has been selected. For more details about code sharing refer here.
Note: If .NET Standard is not available in the code sharing strategy, the Portable Class Library (PCL) can be selected.
- Install Syncfusion.Xamarin.XlsIO NuGet package as a reference to the .NET Standard project in your Xamarin applications from NuGet.org.
- Add new Forms XAML page in portable project If there is no XAML page is defined in the App class. Otherwise proceed to the next step.
- To add the new XAML page, right click on the project and select Add > New Item and add a Forms XAML Page from the list. Name it as MainXamlPage.
- In App class of portable project (App.cs), replace the existing constructor of App class with the code snippet given below which invokes the MainXamlPage.
public App() { // The root page of your application MainPage = new MainXamlPage(); }
- In the MainXamlPage.xaml add new button as shown below.
<ContentPage xmlns="http://xamarin.com/schemas/2014/forms" xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml" x:Class="GettingStarted. MainXamlPage"> <StackLayout VerticalOptions="Center"> <Button Text="Generate Document" Clicked="OnButtonClicked" HorizontalOptions="Center"/> </StackLayout> </ContentPage>
- Include the following namespace in the MainXamlPage.xaml.cs file.
using Syncfusion.XlsIO;
- Include the below code snippet in the click event of the button in MainXamlPage.xaml.cs, to create an Excel file and save it in a stream.
void OnButtonClicked(object sender, EventArgs args) { //Create an instance of ExcelEngine. using (ExcelEngine excelEngine = new ExcelEngine()) { //Set the default application version as Excel 2013. excelEngine.Excel.DefaultVersion = ExcelVersion.Excel2013; //Create a workbook with a worksheet IWorkbook workbook = excelEngine.Excel.Workbooks.Create(1); //Access first worksheet from the workbook instance. IWorksheet worksheet = workbook.Worksheets[0]; //Adding text to a cell worksheet.Range["A1"].Text = "Hello World"; //Save the workbook to stream in xlsx format. MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream(); workbook.SaveAs(stream); workbook.Close(); //Save the stream as a file in the device and invoke it for viewing Xamarin.Forms.DependencyService.Get<ISave>().SaveAndView("GettingStared.xlsx", "application/msexcel", stream); } }
- Download the helper files from this link and add them into the mentioned project. These helper files allow you to save the stream as a physical file and open the file for viewing.
Project | File Name | Summary |
Protable project | ISave.cs | Represent the base interface for save operation |
iOS Project | SaveIOS.cs | Save implementation for iOS device |
PreviewControllerDS.cs | Helper class for viewing the Excel file in iOS device | |
Android project | SaveAndroid.cs | Save implementation for Android device |
WinPhone project | SaveWinPhone.cs | Save implementation for Windows phone device |
UWP project | SaveWindows.cs | Save implementation for UWP device. |
Windows(8.1) project | SaveWindows81.cs | Save implementation for WinRT device. |
- Compile and execute the application. Now this application creates a simple Excel document.
By executing the program, you will get the Excel file as follows.
A complete working example of how to create Excel File in Xamarin can be downloaded from Create-Excel-file.zip.
Take a moment to peruse the documentation, where you can find basic worksheet data manipulation options along with features like Conditional Formatting, worksheet calculations through Formulas, adding Charts in worksheet or workbook, organizing and analyzing data through Tables and Pivot Tables, appending multiple records to worksheet using Template Markers, and most importantly PDF and Image conversions etc. with code examples.
Refer here to explore the rich set of Syncfusion Essential XlsIO features.
An online sample link to generate Excel file.
See Also:
Create a Excel file in ASP.NET MVC
Create a Excel file in ASP.NET Core
Create a Excel file in Windows Forms
Note:
Starting with v16.2.0.x, if you reference Syncfusion assemblies from trial setup or from the NuGet feed, include a license key in your projects. Refer to link to learn about generating and registering Syncfusion license key in your application to use the components without trail message.