Question 1

How to fix encoding errors with ExcelDataReader in .NET Core?

Accepted Answer

Add the System.Text.Encoding.CodePages NuGet package and register the encoding provider during app startup with System.Text.Encoding.RegisterProvider(System.Text.CodePagesEncodingProvider.Instance). This is required for reading legacy Excel files with non-UTF8 encodings.

Question 2

ExcelDataReader vs EPPlus: which is better for reading Excel files?

Accepted Answer

ExcelDataReader excels at fast, read-only access with broad format support and no dependencies, while EPPlus offers both reading and writing capabilities with a more intuitive API but may have licensing costs for commercial use. Choose based on whether you need writing features or maximum compatibility.

Question 3

How to read password protected Excel files with ExcelDataReader?

Accepted Answer

Set the Password property in the ExcelReaderConfiguration object when creating the reader. For example, pass new ExcelReaderConfiguration { Password = "yourpassword" } to CreateReader() to access protected workbooks.

Question 4

How to skip the header row when using AsDataSet()?

Accepted Answer

Configure AsDataSet() with UseHeaderRow = true in the ExcelDataTableConfiguration. Use the ReadHeaderRow callback to customize header selection, such as skipping rows, as shown in the configuration examples.

Question 5

Can ExcelDataReader handle large Excel files efficiently?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it streams data for performance, but for very large files, use the low-level reader methods to process data iteratively. The AsDataSet() method loads all data into memory, so for memory optimization, avoid it with huge files.

Question 6

How to get formatted cell values from ExcelDataReader?

Accepted Answer

Use GetNumberFormatString() to retrieve the format string and integrate a library like ExcelNumberFormat. The README provides a helper method example for formatting values based on culture and format strings.

ExcelDataReader

What is ExcelDataReader?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions