Q: How to parse CSV files with custom delimiters using Roo?

Pass csv_options: {col_sep: '\t'} when opening the file with Roo::CSV.new or Roo::Spreadsheet.open to handle tab-delimited or other custom formats, as detailed in the CSV support section.

Question 1

How to read an Excel file in Ruby with Roo?

Accepted Answer

Use Roo::Spreadsheet.open('file.xlsx') or Roo::Excelx.new('file.xlsx') to open the file, then access rows and columns using methods like sheet.row(1). The README provides examples for different formats and options like streaming.

Question 2

Does Roo support writing to Excel files?

Accepted Answer

No, Roo is a read-only library. It can export data to CSV, XML, YAML, or matrix formats, but not modify or create native spreadsheet files like .xlsx or .ods.

Question 3

Roo vs RubyXL: which is better for reading spreadsheets?

Accepted Answer

Roo offers a unified API across multiple formats including OpenOffice and CSV, while RubyXL focuses on Excel files. Choose Roo for multi-format support, but if you only need Excel and want more control over cell data, RubyXL might be better.

Question 4

How to handle large Excel files with Roo without running out of memory?

Accepted Answer

Use the streaming feature with each_row_streaming for Excelx files, which processes rows incrementally. Options like pad_cells and max_rows help manage memory usage, as shown in the README examples.

Question 5

Can Roo read password-protected spreadsheets?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for OpenOffice/LibreOffice .ods files, use Roo::OpenOffice.new('file.ods', password: 'password'). Excel encrypted files have limited support; check the documentation for specifics.

Question 6

How to parse CSV files with custom delimiters using Roo?

Accepted Answer

Pass csv_options: {col_sep: '	'} when opening the file with Roo::CSV.new or Roo::Spreadsheet.open to handle tab-delimited or other custom formats, as detailed in the CSV support section.

Question 7

Is Roo compatible with Ruby 3?

Accepted Answer

The current version has a planned major release for better Ruby 3.x support, so while it works, there might be issues. Refer to the GitHub issues for updates and consider testing thoroughly in your environment.

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