Excel to HTML Conversion

[Keith Young]

I basically developed the way a website looks, as well as the content, in an
Excel workbook. I realize that this is likely not a good way to develop a
website but I am very familiar with Excel and it was easiest to at least
develop the "look" using Excel.

Included in this Excel "website" file are different sheets for the different
pages, pictures, lots of background coloring, different fonts, text boxes
with special coloring effects, etc. I have also included hyperlinks in the
cells to jump to the appropriate page (i.e., worksheet).

I basically know nothing about creating websites or html programming but I
did discover the "save-as" option that will convert the workbook to an html
file. Everything looks pretty good in Internet Explorer when I open the
html file (even the hyperlinks in the Excel file were converted to
hyperlinks in html) and everything works as planned. I was surprised to see
that the "Worksheet Tabs" were preserved in the conversion as well so it
still sort of maintains the look of a multiple sheet workbook.

So here are my questions: (1) Can the converted html file (and associated
directory with all of the pictures, graphics etc) simply be uploaded and
used as the basis for a web site? (2) Or, do some adjustments to the code
need to be made? (3) Or, is this type of html file not even usable as a
starting point for an actual web site. (4) If it can be used, what happens
to the "Worksheet Tabs" in the html file - is it possible to have this sort
of thing on a web page (I have never seen it)?

I did read some of David McRitchie's information on his site that seems to
indicate that all sorts of extra code specific to Excel is generated in the
conversion; however, even with all of this extra code, the file(s) are
relatively small. I also see that Mr. McRitchie also has some VBA code to
convert an Excel file without all of the "junk" but I would need to preserve
all of the formatting, colors, pictures etc.

If I need to, the converted html file can be given to a web site
designer/programmer and they can use it as the basis for developing some
decent/efficient code, but I am wondering if I can somehow skip this step
altogether and maybe use what I have as a starting point while I am learning
html programming.

Any advice, suggestions, comments would be appreciated.

Using Excel 2002.

Thanks in advance, Keith

 

[Jim Rech]

I've never developed a web site so I can't dispense much advise about that.
But I just want to make sure you're clear about what you're doing. When you
save a workbook in HTML format "with interactivity" (which you obviously did
since you got worksheet tabs) you get a file that is designed to work with
the Office Spreadsheet Component. The SSC is similar to Excel but it is not
Excel. Only users who have Office (possibly your specific version) and the
SSC installed will be able to see what you see. Most internet users will
not meet this requirement.

So, unless you're doing a little intranet page for your office, where you
know everyone has the right version of Office installed as well as the SSC,
this is probably not the way to develop a site.

And beyond the SSC issue I'd have to think that you'd be much, much, much
better off using Frontpage or a similar dedicated tool than Excel. It's
like you have a hammer in your hand and you're eyeing these screws that need
driving in. Now wouldn't you be better off going out and buying a screw
driver?


--
Jim Rech
Excel MVP
|I basically developed the way a website looks, as well as the content, in
an
| Excel workbook. I realize that this is likely not a good way to develop a
| website but I am very familiar with Excel and it was easiest to at least
| develop the "look" using Excel.
|
| Included in this Excel "website" file are different sheets for the
different
| pages, pictures, lots of background coloring, different fonts, text boxes
| with special coloring effects, etc. I have also included hyperlinks in
the
| cells to jump to the appropriate page (i.e., worksheet).
|
| I basically know nothing about creating websites or html programming but I
| did discover the "save-as" option that will convert the workbook to an
html
| file. Everything looks pretty good in Internet Explorer when I open the
| html file (even the hyperlinks in the Excel file were converted to
| hyperlinks in html) and everything works as planned. I was surprised to
see
| that the "Worksheet Tabs" were preserved in the conversion as well so it
| still sort of maintains the look of a multiple sheet workbook.
|
| So here are my questions: (1) Can the converted html file (and associated
| directory with all of the pictures, graphics etc) simply be uploaded and
| used as the basis for a web site? (2) Or, do some adjustments to the
code
| need to be made? (3) Or, is this type of html file not even usable as a
| starting point for an actual web site. (4) If it can be used, what happens
| to the "Worksheet Tabs" in the html file - is it possible to have this
sort
| of thing on a web page (I have never seen it)?
|
| I did read some of David McRitchie's information on his site that seems to
| indicate that all sorts of extra code specific to Excel is generated in
the
| conversion; however, even with all of this extra code, the file(s) are
| relatively small. I also see that Mr. McRitchie also has some VBA code to
| convert an Excel file without all of the "junk" but I would need to
preserve
| all of the formatting, colors, pictures etc.
|
| If I need to, the converted html file can be given to a web site
| designer/programmer and they can use it as the basis for developing some
| decent/efficient code, but I am wondering if I can somehow skip this step
| altogether and maybe use what I have as a starting point while I am
learning
| html programming.
|
| Any advice, suggestions, comments would be appreciated.
|
| Using Excel 2002.
|
| Thanks in advance, Keith
|
|

 

[Keith Young]

Jim:

I like the hammer/screwdriver analogy - thats exactly the way I felt when I
began looking into this.

Note that I did not check the "Add Interactivity" box when saving the file
as a web page - it produces the "sheet tabs" even if you dont check this. I
am not trying to add interactivity.

I do realize that this is not the best way to create a web page. However, I
guess is is not clear to me why this option is even included in Excel if you
cant at least use the code generated as a starting point for a web page(s)?

I would still be interested in finding out if it is or is not possible to
use the html file as the basis for a web site.

Thanks for your help.