.xls microsoft spreadsheets cannot be uploaded.

Chrissakes! Since 8:05pm when the first post went up in this thread, there is another 48 replies??? You guys need hobbies!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

1) Viruses
2) Bandwidth
3) Not an open format

1) Anti-virus software, which anyone on the net should have an up-to-date copy of.
2) Come on Bart! I know bandwidth is a problem at the moment which IMHO needs to be addressed. The site is becoming a victim of it's own success. However, do you really think people will be uploading massive xls files, files which are so big that worthwhile savings would be made by using a different application? The typical spreadsheet is only 20 to 30KB.
3) Openoffice will open excel files and allow one to interact with them. If you want to just view them, Excel viewer allows that.

If you wanted to encourage people to use OO et al, then fine. Put a note in the file upload page and provide soms tips as to how people can work with the various files.

Allowing files from an application which is used by a tiny proportion of people whilst at the same time blocking files produced in an industry-standard application such as Excel just makes no sense to me.

Incidently. If PDF is indeed an open format, why can't I open a PDF file for editing in Open Office? - I've searched the menus etc. but can't see an obvious way of doing it.

Can Star Office open a PDF for editing?

No, because pdfs are a final publishing format, and not meant for editing. There is scope in the specification for modifying pdf's but the OO logic has been that since its a final format you dont need to edit it. If you do need to edit it then you should change the source document. Then again if you feel like implementing pdf editing into openoffice feel free Its not at all high on the developers priority list.

Its an open format for a given definition of open Adobe specifiy the pdf standard, the standard is published and adobe and others stick to it and so applications like openoffice can export to pdf safe in the knowledge that it will work. Unlike doc, xls etc. whereby others have to guess what the format is, then microsoft (its been alleged) change it slightly so that other peoples implementations dont work right.

I suppose pdf's are a bit like Java in that sense. Where Sun controls the specification of the language, but there is nothing stopping you making your own compiler, class libraries, run time environment etc. but you need to pass a compatability test before you can call it Java. That way its guarnteed that Java can run anywhere. Similarly by having just one unforkable version of pdf's its guarnteed that pdf's can be read anywhere.

Cheers,
~Al
--
Expressed in this posting are my opinions. They are in no way related to opinions held by my employer, Sun Microsystems. Statements on Sun, or other, products included here are not gospel and may be fiction rather than truth.

I like your sig Al !

BTW, is there any way I could convert an xls file to java?

BTW, is there any way I could convert an xls file to java?

I'm really not sure if thats a serious question or not

1. What do you mean by convert a spreadsheet into a programming language?

2. Why would you want to anyway?

3. Can you read xls files in a java ap? Apparently yes, but I dont have a clue how to. Something to do with a Jdbc Odbc Driver...

Cheers,
~Al

Incidently, the 'official' open document format is not PDF, it's OpenDocument;

" OpenDocument is the only standard for editable office documents that has been vetted by an independent recognized standards body, has been implemented by multiple vendors, and can be implemented by any supplier"

But then, getting everyone to download a PDF printer driver is only mildly inconveniencing compared to getting everyone to download, install and learn a 70Mb app, just so they can create OpenDocument docs!