c# - Create excel without interop and template with or without row and columnspan

Question

Which dll or library can be used to create the excelsheet which is not of a particular format such that a template can be used in this context. While the rows and columns may be merged. Number of columns are not fixed.

For example: In the first row column 1 and 2 are merged while in the second row the 2 rows of second column are merged. Say first row is containing 5 columns while the second row is of 4 columns.

Interop is not desired as the system running the program may not have Microsoft office installed with it.

Any suggestions would be a great helping.

Answer 1

There are several options out there (free and commercial):

• OpenXML 2.0 from MS (free)
• EPPlus (free)
• NPOI (free)
• Flexcel (commercial)
• Aspose.Cells (commercial)
• SpreadsheetGear (commercial)

Another option (though not really recommended) is to generate a HTML file with specific tags - supported by Excel as per MS documentation http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/Aa155477%28office.10%29.aspx . For a sample of this including source code see http://www.c-sharpcorner.com/UploadFile/kaushikborah28/79Nick08302007171404PM/79Nick.aspx