How Can I Visualize an Excel Spreadsheet in LabVIEW?

Updated Aug 22, 2023

Reported In

Software

  • LabVIEW

Issue Details

I am working with a spreadsheet file and I would like to visualize it in the front panel in my application in LabVIEW. How can I do it?

Solution

Unfortunately, Excel does not have an ActiveX control. It has an ActiveX interface allowing you to programmatically open/create workbooks, but no visual control. A possible workaround is inserting the spreadsheet file an ActiveX container, to do it:

1. Add an ActiveX Container to the front panel.
2. Right-click the ActiveX Container
3. Select Insert ActiveX Object from the shortcut menu to display the Select ActiveX Object dialog box.
4. Select Create Object From File from the top pull-down menu in the Select ActiveX Object dialog box.
5. Click the Browse button and navigate to the spreadsheet file you want to insert. You can select an object anywhere on the computer. Place a checkmark in the Link To File checkbox to update the control or document when you update the ActiveX object. If you do not place a checkmark in the Link To File checkbox, LabVIEW inserts a static version of the control or document.
6. Click the OK button. The ActiveX control or document appears in the ActiveX Container.