Method: Writexlsx::Worksheet#write

Defined in:
lib/write_xlsx/worksheet.rb

#write(*args) ⇒ Object

:call-seq:

write(row, column [ , token [ , format ] ])

Excel makes a distinction between data types such as strings, numbers, blanks, formulas and hyperlinks. To simplify the process of writing data the write() method acts as a general alias for several more specific methods:

write_string
write_number
write_blank
write_formula
write_url
write_row
write_col

The general rule is that if the data looks like a something then a something is written. Here are some examples in both row-column and A1 notation:

                                                # Same as:
worksheet.write(0, 0, 'Hello'                ) # write_string()
worksheet.write(1, 0, 'One'                  ) # write_string()
worksheet.write(2, 0,  2                     ) # write_number()
worksheet.write(3, 0,  3.00001               ) # write_number()
worksheet.write(4, 0,  ""                    ) # write_blank()
worksheet.write(5, 0,  ''                    ) # write_blank()
worksheet.write(6, 0,  nil                   ) # write_blank()
worksheet.write(7, 0                         ) # write_blank()
worksheet.write(8, 0,  'http://www.ruby.com/') # write_url()
worksheet.write('A9',  'ftp://ftp.ruby.org/' ) # write_url()
worksheet.write('A10', 'internal:Sheet1!A1'  ) # write_url()
worksheet.write('A11', 'external:c:\foo.xlsx') # write_url()
worksheet.write('A12', '=A3 + 3*A4'          ) # write_formula()
worksheet.write('A13', '=SIN(PI()/4)'        ) # write_formula()
worksheet.write('A14', [1, 2]                ) # write_row()
worksheet.write('A15', [ [1, 2] ]            ) # write_col()

# Write an array formula. Not available in writeexcel gem.
worksheet.write('A16', '{=SUM(A1:B1*A2:B2)}' ) # write_formula()

The format parameter is optional. It should be a valid Format object.

format = workbook.add_format
format.set_bold
format.set_color('red')
format.set_align('center')

worksheet.write(4, 0, 'Hello', format)    # Formatted string

The write() method will ignore empty strings or nil tokens unless a format is also supplied. As such you needn’t worry about special handling for empty or nil in your data. See also the write_blank() method.

One problem with the write() method is that occasionally data looks like a number but you don’t want it treated as a number. For example, zip codes or ID numbers often start with a leading zero. If you want to write this data with leading zero(s), use write_string.

The write methods return:

0 for success.



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# File 'lib/write_xlsx/worksheet.rb', line 1651

def write(*args)
  # Check for a cell reference in A1 notation and substitute row and column
  token = row_col_notation(args)[2] || ''

  # Match an array ref.
  if token.respond_to?(:to_ary)
    write_row(*args)
  elsif token.respond_to?(:coerce)  # Numeric
    write_number(*args)
  elsif token =~ /^\d+$/
    write_number(*args)
  # Match http, https or ftp URL
  elsif token =~ %r|^[fh]tt?ps?://|
    write_url(*args)
  # Match mailto:
  elsif token =~ %r|^mailto:|
    write_url(*args)
  # Match internal or external sheet link
  elsif token =~ %r!^(?:in|ex)ternal:!
    write_url(*args)
  # Match formula
  elsif token =~ /^=/
    write_formula(*args)
  # Match array formula
  elsif token =~ /^\{=.*\}$/
    write_formula(*args)
  # Match blank
  elsif token == ''
    args.delete_at(2)     # remove the empty string from the parameter list
    write_blank(*args)
  else
    write_string(*args)
  end
end