SQL*XL online help

This topic describes how to export external data directly into Excel. This is done by executing a select statement or query from Excel. There is specific help for some databases below.

• Access databases
• Active Directory
• Indexing Service
• MS Project files
• Oracle databases
• SQL Server databases

To get data from a database into Excel you execute a query or select statement. If you are familiar with SQL you will feel right at home. If you are not so very proficient in SQL you'll find it easy to learn.

Select statements are executed from the SQL dialog. Execute menu item SQL*XL|SQL to start it. In this dialog type the select statement you wish to execute. It describes the data you want to retrieve from the database. Examples:

select * from employees;
will retrieve all rows from an employees table

select * from employees where salary > 1000;
will retrieve all employees with a salary above 1000.

To find out which tables are in your database use the SQL Editor. You can start it from the SQL dialog. You can also describe a table by executing the following command in the SQL dialog:

desc table_name;

There are a lot of options in the SQL dialog that you can set. If you are new to SQL*XL I suggest you leave everything at the default. If you are curious what these settings do you can find out about them in the SQL dialog help topic. You are welcome to try the options out. When the dialog is opened the next time the default values will be set again so you don't risk misconfiguring SQL*XL. Be welcome to experiment a little.

After you execute a select statement SQL*XL will present the Resultset options dialog. It is here where you specify where you want the data to go. Leave all the default settings and SQL*XL will put it in the active spreadsheet. You have the choice to send the data anywhere within any open spreadsheet or you can even send it to Outlook as an email or to MS Word. Read all about these options in the Resultset options dialog help topic. Again here feel free to experiment with the settings. The next time you open the Resultset options dialog the default settings will be reset so you don't risk misconfiguring SQL*XL.

SQL*XL is a now all set to get the data and put it into your spreadsheet. It will show progress information in the statusbar as % completed. It will format the data so you can see most of your data easially. If you don't like our preset settings execute SQL*XL|Preferences to change the defaults. You can change all formatting options including, colors, fonts, heading styles and alignments. Basically all the formatting options Excel allows you to set.

Tip:

• To re-execute a query, select the cell with the comment that shows the SQL and open the SQL dialog (SQL*XL|Query...). SQL*XL will load the SQL text back into the editor.
• You may change the comment within Excel as well and effectively edit the SQL there.
• When your SQL statements get very large you may wish to load the SQL from the worksheet or from a file.

See also:

• SQL dialog
• Resultset Options dialog
• Features
• Dialogs
• Menu and Toolbar Items
• SQL*XL Home