Reading Data in Excel Files

Applies to TestComplete 14.71, last modified on April 22, 2021

When testing, you may need to read data from Excel files and then use them in your test. The recommended approach depends on your test type:

In keyword tests

Operations

Note: To work with Excel files in your tests, you do not need to have Microsoft Office Excel installed on your computer.

To read data from the specified Excel cell, use the Excel - Read Value operation as described below:

  1. Add the Excel - Read Value operation to your keyword test. TestComplete will display the Operation Parameters wizard.

  2. On the first page of the wizard, specify Excel parameters.

    • In the File Name edit box, click the ellipsis button. In the Value edit box of the subsequent dialog, specify the fully qualified file name of your Excel file.

      Click OK.

    • In the Cell edit box, select a cell from which data will be read. If the file is loaded correctly, the Cell edit box displays the content of the file, and you can choose one of the existing cells. Otherwise, you can enter a cell identifier manually, for instance, Sheet1!B3.

    Excel - Read Value operation's parameters

    Click Next.

  3. On the next page of the wizard, review the parameters you have created and change them if needed.

    Click Finish. TestComplete will add the operation to your test.

Save the received data into a variable. For this purpose, select Last Operation Result when you specify the variable value.

Excel - Read Value operation

DB Table variables

Note: Microsoft Office Excel must be installed on your computer. For more information, see Requirements for Working With Microsoft Office Excel.

To access data stored in Excel files, you can use DB Table variables. These variables store links to Excel files and provide serial access to data rows stored in these files.

You can create variables:

  • On the Variables pages of the Project and ProjectSuite editors.

    – or –

  • When adding specific test operations to a test, for example, the Data-Driven Loop operation.

Typically, in keyword tests, you use the Data-Driven Loop operation to iterate through Excel file rows. To learn how to use the Data-Driven Loop operation in your tests, see Creating Data-Driven Loops and Data-Driven Testing With Keyword Tests - Tutorial.

In script tests

Excel object

Note: To work with Excel files in your tests, you do not need to have Microsoft Office Excel installed on your computer.

To read data from Excel cells, use the Excel runtime object.

JavaScript, JScript

function ExcelExample()
{
  // Get the sheet of the Excel file
  var excelFile = Excel.Open("C:\\temp\\DataStorageExcel.xlsx");
  var excelSheet = excelFile.SheetByTitle("Sheet1");
  
  // Read data from the Excel file
  var valueA = excelSheet.Cell("A", 3).Value;
  var valueB = excelSheet.Cell(2, 3).Value;
  var valueC = excelSheet.CellByName("C3").Value;
  
  // Write the obtained data into a new row of the file
  var rowIndex = excelSheet.RowCount + 1;
  excelSheet.Cell("A", rowIndex).Value = valueA;
  excelSheet.Cell(2, rowIndex).Value = valueB;
  excelSheet.Cell("C", rowIndex).Value = valueC;
  
  // Save the file to apply the changes
  excelFile.Save();
  
  // Save the file with another name
  // excelFile.SaveAs("C:\\temp\\DataStorageExcel_new.xlsx");
}

Python

def ExcelExample():
  
  # Get the sheet of the Excel file
  excelFile = Excel.Open("C:\\temp\\DataStorageExcel.xlsx")
  excelSheet = excelFile.SheetByTitle["Sheet1"]
  
  # Read data from the Excel file
  valueA = excelSheet.Cell["A", 3].Value
  valueB = excelSheet.Cell[2, 3].Value
  valueC = excelSheet.CellByName["C3"].Value
  
  # Write the obtained data into a new row of the file
  rowIndex = excelSheet.RowCount + 1
  excelSheet.Cell["A", rowIndex].Value = valueA
  excelSheet.Cell[2, rowIndex].Value = valueB
  excelSheet.Cell("C", rowIndex).Value = valueC

  # Save the file to apply the changes
  excelFile.Save()
  
  # Save the file with another name
  # excelFile.SaveAs("C:\\temp\\DataStorageExcel_new.xlsx")

VBScript

Sub ExcelExample
  Dim excelFile, excelSheet, valueA, valueB, valueC, rowIndex
  
  ' Get the sheet of the Excel file
  Set excelFile = Excel.Open("C:\temp\DataStorageExcel.xlsx")
  Set excelSheet = excelFile.SheetByTitle("Sheet1")
  
  ' Read data from the Excel file
  valueA = excelSheet.Cell("A", 3).Value
  valueB = excelSheet.Cell(2, 3).Value
  valueС = excelSheet.CellByName("C3").Value
  
  ' Write the obtained data into a new row of the file
  rowIndex = excelSheet.RowCount + 1
  excelSheet.Cell("A", rowIndex).Value = valueA
  excelSheet.Cell(2, rowIndex).Value = valueB
  excelSheet.Cell("C", rowIndex).Value = valueC
  
  ' Save the file to apply the changes
  excelFile.Save()
  
  ' Save the file with another name
  ' excelFile.SaveAs("C:\temp\DataStorageExcel_new.xlsx")
End Sub

DelphiScript

procedure ExcelExample;
var
  excelFile, excelSheet, valueA, valueB, valueC, rowIndex;
begin
  // Get the sheet of the Excel file
  excelFile := Excel.Open('C:\\temp\\DataStorageExcel.xlsx');
  excelSheet := excelFile.SheetByTitle('Sheet1');
  
  // Read data from the Excel file
  valueA := excelSheet.Cell('A', 3).Value;
  valueB := excelSheet.Cell(2, 3).Value;
  valueC := excelSheet.CellByName('C3').Value;
  
  // Write the obtained data into a new row of the file
  rowIndex := excelSheet.RowCount + 1;
  excelSheet.Cell('A', rowIndex).Value := valueA;
  excelSheet.Cell(2, rowIndex).Value := valueB;
  excelSheet.Cell('C', rowIndex).Value := valueC;
  
  // Save the file to apply the changes
  excelFile.Save();
  
  // Save the file with another name
  // excelFile.SaveAs('C:\\temp\\DataStorageExcel_new.xlsx');
end;

C++Script, C#Script

function ExcelExample()
{
  // Get the sheet of the Excel file
  var excelFile = Excel["Open"]("C:\\temp\\DataStorageExcel.xlsx");
  var excelSheet = excelFile["SheetByTitle"]("Sheet1");
  
  // Read data from the Excel file
  var valueA = excelSheet["Cell"]("A", 3)["Value"];
  var valueB = excelSheet["Cell"](2, 3)["Value"];
  var valueC = excelSheet["CellByName"]("C3")["Value"];
  
  // Write the obtained data into a new row of the file
  var rowIndex = excelSheet["RowCount + 1"];
  excelSheet["Cell"]("A", rowIndex)["Value"] = valueA;
  excelSheet["Cell"](2, rowIndex)["Value"] = valueB;
  excelSheet["Cell"]("C", rowIndex)["Value"] = valueC;
  
  // Save the file to apply the changes
  excelFile["Save"]();
  
  // Save the file with another name
  // excelFile["SaveAs"]("C:\\temp\\DataStorageExcel.xlsx");
}

In some advanced cases, for instance, when you work with ranges of cells in Excel files, you can use the Excel.Application COM object.

Note: Microsoft Office Excel must be installed on your computer.

For more information, see Working With Excel Files via COM.

DDTDriver object

Note: Microsoft Office Excel must be installed on your computer. For more information, see Requirements for Working With Microsoft Office Excel.

The DDTDriver object simplifies retrieving data from Excel files and iterating through data rows in your scripts. It represents Excel data in the form of a table, where the number of its columns and rows is specified by the number of columns and rows of the Excel file. Using properties and methods of the DDTDriver object, you can get the number of columns and rows in the Excel file, obtain the value of the specified cell, etc.

The code below illustrates the use of DDT.ExcelDriver. This code creates a DDT driver for an Excel sheet, runs through records of the driver’s table and posts values stored in record fields to the test log:

JavaScript, JScript

var RecNo;
  
// Posts data to the log (helper routine)
function ProcessData()
{
  var Fldr, i;
  
  Fldr = Log.CreateFolder("Record: " + aqConvert.VarToStr(RecNo));
  Log.PushLogFolder(Fldr);
  
  for(i = 0; i < DDT.CurrentDriver.ColumnCount; i++)
    Log.Message(DDT.CurrentDriver.ColumnName(i) + ": " + aqConvert.VarToStr(DDT.CurrentDriver.Value(i)));
  
  Log.PopLogFolder();
  RecNo = RecNo + 1;
}
  
// Creates the driver (main routine)
function TestDriver()
{
  var Driver;
  
  // Creates the driver
  // If you connect to an Excel 2007 sheet, use the following method call:
  // Driver = DDT.ExcelDriver("C:\\MyFile.xlsx", "Sheet1", true);
  Driver = DDT.ExcelDriver("C:\\MyFile.xls", "Sheet1");
  
  // Iterates through records
  RecNo = 0;
  while (! Driver.EOF() )
  {
    ProcessData(); // Processes data
    Driver.Next(); // Goes to the next record
  }
  
  // Closing the driver
  DDT.CloseDriver(Driver.Name);
}

Python

RecNo = 0
  
# Posts data to the log (helper routine)
def ProcessData():
  global RecNo
  Fldr = Log.CreateFolder("Record: " + aqConvert.VarToStr(RecNo))
  Log.PushLogFolder(Fldr)
  
  for i in range(DDT.CurrentDriver.ColumnCount):
    Log.Message(DDT.CurrentDriver.ColumnName[i] + ": " + aqConvert.VarToStr(DDT.CurrentDriver.Value[i]))
  
  Log.PopLogFolder()
  RecNo = RecNo + 1

# Creates the driver (main routine)
def TestDriver():

  # Creates the driver
  # If you connect to an Excel 2007 sheet, use the following method call:
  # Driver = DDT.ExcelDriver("C:\\MyFile.xlsx", "Sheet1", True)
  Driver = DDT.ExcelDriver("C:\\MyFile.xls", "Sheet1")
  
  global RecNo
  # Iterates through records
  RecNo = 0
  while not Driver.EOF():
    ProcessData() # Processes data
    Driver.Next() # Goes to the next record

  # Closing the driver
  DDT.CloseDriver(Driver.Name)

VBScript

Dim RecNo
  
' Posts data to the log (helper routine)
Sub ProcessData
  Dim Fldr, i
  
  Fldr = Log.CreateFolder("Record: " + aqConvert.VarToStr(RecNo))
  Log.PushLogFolder Fldr
  
  For i = 0 To DDT.CurrentDriver.ColumnCount - 1
    Log.Message DDT.CurrentDriver.ColumnName(i) + ": " + aqConvert.VarToStr(DDT.CurrentDriver.Value(i))
  Next
  
  Log.PopLogFolder
  RecNo = RecNo + 1
End Sub
  
' Creates the driver (main routine)
Sub TestDriver
  Dim Driver
  
  ' Creates the driver
  ' If you connect to an Excel 2007 sheet, use the following method call:
  ' Set Driver = DDT.ExcelDriver("C:\MyFile.xlsx", "Sheet1", True)
  Set Driver = DDT.ExcelDriver("C:\MyFile.xls", "Sheet1")
  
  ' Iterates through records
  RecNo = 0
  While Not Driver.EOF
    Call ProcessData() ' Processes data
    Call Driver.Next() ' Goes to the next record
  WEnd
  
  ' Closing the driver
  Call DDT.CloseDriver(Driver.Name)
End Sub

DelphiScript

var RecNo;
  
  
// Posts data to the log (helper routine)
procedure ProcessData;
var
  Fldr, i : OleVariant;
begin
  Fldr := Log.CreateFolder('Record: ' + aqConvert.VarToStr(RecNo));
  Log.PushLogFolder(Fldr);
  
  for i := 0 to DDT.CurrentDriver.ColumnCount - 1 do
    Log.Message(DDT.CurrentDriver.ColumnName[i] + ': ' + aqConvert.VarToStr(DDT.CurrentDriver.Value[i]));
  
  Log.PopLogFolder;
  RecNo := RecNo + 1;
end;
  
  // Creates the driver (main routine)
procedure TestDriver;
var
  Driver : OleVariant;
begin
  // Creates the driver
  // If you connect to an Excel 2007 sheet, use the following method call:
  // Driver := DDT.ExcelDriver('C:\MyFile.xlsx', 'Sheet1', true);
  Driver := DDT.ExcelDriver('C:\MyFile.xls', 'Sheet1');
  
  // Iterates through records
  RecNo := 0;
  while not Driver.EOF do
  begin
    ProcessData; // Processes data
    Driver.Next; // Goes to the next record
  end;
  
  // Closing the driver
  DDT.CloseDriver(Driver.Name);
end;

C++Script, C#Script

var RecNo;
  
// Posts data to the log (helper routine)
function ProcessData()
{
  var Fldr, i;
  
  Fldr = Log["CreateFolder"]("Record: " + aqConvert.VarToStr(RecNo));
  Log["PushLogFolder"](Fldr);
  
  for(i = 0; i < DDT["CurrentDriver"]["ColumnCount"]; i++)
    Log.Message(DDT["CurrentDriver"]["ColumnName"](i) + ": " + aqConvert.VarToStr(DDT["CurrentDriver"]["Value"](i)));
  
  Log["PopLogFolder"]();
  RecNo = RecNo + 1;
}
  
// Creates the driver (main routine)
function TestDriver()
{
  var Driver;
  
  // Creates the driver
  // If you connect to an Excel 2007 sheet, use the following method call:
  // Driver = DDT["ExcelDriver"]("C:\\MyFile.xlsx", "Sheet1", true);
  Driver = DDT["ExcelDriver"]("C:\\MyFile.xls", "Sheet1");
  
  // Iterates through records
  RecNo = 0;
  while (! Driver["EOF"]() )
  {
    ProcessData(); // Processes data
    Driver["Next"](); // Goes to the next record
  }
  
  // Closing the driver
  DDT["CloseDriver"](Driver["Name"]);
}

Note: There are some specifics of using the DDTDriver scripting object to read data from Excel worksheets. For more information about this, see Using Excel Files as Data Storages.

You can also use the DDTDriver object in keyword tests. In this case, to call the DDT.ExcelDriver method and properties and methods of the returned object, use the Run Code Snippet and Call Object Method operations. However, the best way to access Excel data from keyword tests is to use DB Table variables. For more information about this, see Using DB Table Variables to Retrieve Data From Excel Files.

DB Table variables

Note: Microsoft Office Excel must be installed on your computer. For more information, see Requirements for Working With Microsoft Office Excel.

To access data stored in Excel files, you can use DB Table variables. These variables store links to Excel files and provide serial access to data rows stored in these files. To create a new DB Table variable, use the Variables pages of the Project and ProjectSuite editors.

See Also

Working with Microsoft Excel Files
Writing Data in Excel Files
Validating Data in Excel Files

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