Converting XLS and XLSX Files to CSV Using Command Prompt and Command-Line Tools

Need to convert your Excel files into a CSV format using command prompt or command-line tools? This comprehensive guide will provide you with the necessary steps and tools to seamlessly convert your XLS and XLSX files into CSV format, ensuring that your data remains structured and easily accessible.

Converting XLS and XLSX Files on Windows and Linux

Converting XLS or XLSX files to CSV is straightforward, especially if you are using open-source tools such as OpenOffice or LibreOffice. These tools are widely recognized for their ability to handle various file types and are available for both Windows and Linux operating systems.

Using OpenOffice or LibreOffice

Open the XLS or XLSX file you want to convert. Go to File and then select Save As. A dialog box will open with the file name pre-populated. Click the down arrow in the drop-down file type menu and select CSV. Click Save to export your file as CSV.

It's important to note that this method works best with data in a tabular format. If you have merged cells or other structural formats, the conversion may not be as ideal. Also, ensure that any cells containing text do not include commas, as this can cause issues during the import process.

Using Command Line Tools for XLSX Conversion on Unix

If you are working on a Unix or Linux system and need to convert an XLSX file to CSV, you can use various command-line tools. These tools require the installation of specific packages and command-line utilities. Here are two popular methods:

Using Gnumeric and ssconvert

In a Linux environment, you can install Gnumeric, a powerful spreadsheet application. Once installed, you can use the ssconvert command to convert XLSX files to CSV.

Open your terminal. Install Gnumeric using the package manager. For example, on Debian-based systems, you can use the following command:

sudo apt-get install gnumeric

Use the ssconvert command to convert your XLSX file to CSV. For example:

ssconvert input.xlsx output.csv

Using unoconv for Advanced Conversions

unoconv is another powerful tool that can handle various file formats, including Excel files. It is particularly useful if you need to convert XLSX files to CSV on a Unix system.

Install unoconv using the package manager. For example, on a Debian-based system:

sudo apt-get install unoconv

Use the unoconv command to convert your XLSX file to CSV:

unoconv -e csv input.xlsx -o output.csv

Alternative Conversions Using Scripting Languages

For more advanced users, scripting languages like Perl, Python, and Ruby offer modules and libraries that can be used to convert XLSX files to CSV. However, these methods often require additional installation and configuration.

Using Perl

Perl is a versatile scripting language that can be used to convert XLSX files to CSV. There are several Perl modules available, such as Spreadsheet::ParseExcel, that can handle this conversion.

Install the necessary Perl package using CPAN.

cpan Spreadsheet::ParseExcel

Write a custom Perl script to read the XLSX file and write it to CSV:

 use Spreadsheet::ParseExcel::Utils qw( num2col );
 use Spreadsheet::ParseExcel;
 use File::Slurp qw(read_file write_file);
 my $parser  Spreadsheet::ParseExcel-new();
 my $workbook  $parser-parse('input.xlsx');
 my $worksheet  $workbook-worksheet(0);
 my @rows  ();
 for my $rownum ( 1 .. $worksheet-last_row ) {
     my @rowdata  ();
     for my $colnum ( 0 .. $worksheet-last_col ) {
         my $cell  $worksheet-get_cell($rownum, $colnum);
         push @rowdata, $cell ? $cell-value: '';
     }
     push @rows, @rowdata;
 }
 write_file('output.csv', join("
", map { join(",", @$_) } @rows));

Using Python with Libraries Like xlsx2csv and csvkit

Python offers several libraries such as xlsx2csv and csvkit that can easily convert XLSX files to CSV.

Install the necessary Python package using pip:

pip install xlsx2csv or pip install csvkit

Use the xlsx2csv or csvkit command to convert your XLSX file to CSV:

xlsx2csv input.xlsx -o output.csv or csvkit input.xlsx --to csv output.csv

Using LibreOffice for Conversion

LibreOffice is a full-fledged office suite that can also be used to convert XLSX files to CSV.

Open the XLSX file in LibreOffice Calc. Go to File and then select Export. Select Text CSV (.csv) as the file format and click Export.

This method is straightforward, but it requires the presence of LibreOffice on your system.

Conclusion

There are multiple ways to convert XLS and XLSX files to CSV, depending on your operating system and available tools. Whether you choose to use open-source applications, command-line tools, or scripting languages, you can easily achieve the desired format for your data.