Busy Developers' Guide to HSSF Features

Want to use HSSF read and write spreadsheets in a hurry? This guide is for you. If you're after more in-depth coverage of the HSSF user-API please consult the HOWTO guide as it contains actual descriptions of how to use this stuff.

  • How to create a new workbook
  • How to create a sheet
  • How to create cells
  • How to create date cells
  • Working with different types of cells
  • Aligning cells
  • Working with borders
  • Fills and color
  • Merging cells
  • Working with fonts
  • Custom colors
  • Reading and writing
  • Use newlines in cells.
  • Create user defined data formats.
  • Set print area for a sheet.
  • Set page numbers on the footer of a sheet.
  • Shift rows.
  • Set a sheet as selected.
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet1 = wb.createSheet("new sheet"); HSSFSheet sheet2 = wb.createSheet("second sheet"); FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("new sheet"); // Create a row and put some cells in it. Rows are 0 based. HSSFRow row = sheet.createRow((short)0); // Create a cell and put a value in it. HSSFCell cell = row.createCell((short)0); cell.setCellValue(1); // Or do it on one line. row.createCell((short)1).setCellValue(1.2); row.createCell((short)2).setCellValue("This is a string"); row.createCell((short)3).setCellValue(true); // Write the output to a file FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("new sheet"); // Create a row and put some cells in it. Rows are 0 based. HSSFRow row = sheet.createRow((short)0); // Create a cell and put a date value in it. The first cell is not styled // as a date. HSSFCell cell = row.createCell((short)0); cell.setCellValue(new Date()); // we style the second cell as a date (and time). It is important to // create a new cell style from the workbook otherwise you can end up // modifying the built in style and effecting not only this cell but other cells. HSSFCellStyle cellStyle = wb.createCellStyle(); cellStyle.setDataFormat(HSSFDataFormat.getFormat("m/d/yy h:mm")); cell = row.createCell((short)1); cell.setCellValue(new Date()); cell.setCellStyle(cellStyle); // Write the output to a file FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("new sheet"); HSSFRow row = sheet.createRow((short)2); row.createCell((short) 0).setCellValue(1.1); row.createCell((short) 1).setCellValue(new Date()); row.createCell((short) 2).setCellValue("a string"); row.createCell((short) 3).setCellValue(true); row.createCell((short) 4).setCellType(HSSFCell.CELL_TYPE_ERROR); // Write the output to a file FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException { HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("new sheet"); HSSFRow row = sheet.createRow((short) 2); createCell(wb, row, (short) 0, HSSFCellStyle.ALIGN_CENTER); createCell(wb, row, (short) 1, HSSFCellStyle.ALIGN_CENTER_SELECTION); createCell(wb, row, (short) 2, HSSFCellStyle.ALIGN_FILL); createCell(wb, row, (short) 3, HSSFCellStyle.ALIGN_GENERAL); createCell(wb, row, (short) 4, HSSFCellStyle.ALIGN_JUSTIFY); createCell(wb, row, (short) 5, HSSFCellStyle.ALIGN_LEFT); createCell(wb, row, (short) 6, HSSFCellStyle.ALIGN_RIGHT); // Write the output to a file FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close(); } /** * Creates a cell and aligns it a certain way. * * @param wb the workbook * @param row the row to create the cell in * @param column the column number to create the cell in * @param align the alignment for the cell. */ private static void createCell(HSSFWorkbook wb, HSSFRow row, short column, short align) { HSSFCell cell = row.createCell(column); cell.setCellValue("Align It"); HSSFCellStyle cellStyle = wb.createCellStyle(); cellStyle.setAlignment(align); cell.setCellStyle(cellStyle); }
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("new sheet"); // Create a row and put some cells in it. Rows are 0 based. HSSFRow row = sheet.createRow((short) 1); // Create a cell and put a value in it. HSSFCell cell = row.createCell((short) 1); cell.setCellValue(4); // Style the cell with borders all around. HSSFCellStyle style = wb.createCellStyle(); style.setBorderBottom(HSSFCellStyle.BORDER_THIN); style.setBottomBorderColor(HSSFColor.BLACK.index); style.setBorderLeft(HSSFCellStyle.BORDER_THIN); style.setLeftBorderColor(HSSFColor.GREEN.index); style.setBorderRight(HSSFCellStyle.BORDER_THIN); style.setRightBorderColor(HSSFColor.BLUE.index); style.setBorderTop(HSSFCellStyle.BORDER_MEDIUM_DASHED); style.setTopBorderColor(HSSFColor.BLACK.index); cell.setCellStyle(style); // Write the output to a file FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("new sheet"); // Create a row and put some cells in it. Rows are 0 based. HSSFRow row = sheet.createRow((short) 1); // Aqua background HSSFCellStyle style = wb.createCellStyle(); style.setFillBackgroundColor(HSSFColor.AQUA.index); style.setFillPattern(HSSFCellStyle.BIG_SPOTS); HSSFCell cell = row.createCell((short) 1); cell.setCellValue("X"); cell.setCellStyle(style); // Orange "foreground", foreground being the fill foreground not the font color. style = wb.createCellStyle(); style.setFillForegroundColor(HSSFColor.ORANGE.index); style.setFillPattern(HSSFCellStyle.SOLID_FOREGROUND); cell = row.createCell((short) 2); cell.setCellValue("X"); cell.setCellStyle(style); // Write the output to a file FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("new sheet"); HSSFRow row = sheet.createRow((short) 1); HSSFCell cell = row.createCell((short) 1); cell.setCellValue("This is a test of merging"); sheet.addMergedRegion(new Region(1,(short)1,1,(short)2)); // Write the output to a file FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("new sheet"); // Create a row and put some cells in it. Rows are 0 based. HSSFRow row = sheet.createRow((short) 1); // Create a new font and alter it. HSSFFont font = wb.createFont(); font.setFontHeightInPoints((short)24); font.setFontName("Courier New"); font.setItalic(true); font.setStrikeout(true); // Fonts are set into a style so create a new one to use. HSSFCellStyle style = wb.createCellStyle(); style.setFont(font); // Create a cell and put a value in it. HSSFCell cell = row.createCell((short) 1); cell.setCellValue("This is a test of fonts"); cell.setCellStyle(style); // Write the output to a file FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet(); HSSFRow row = sheet.createRow((short) 0); HSSFCell cell = row.createCell((short) 0); cell.setCellValue("Default Palette"); //apply some colors from the standard palette, // as in the previous examples. //we'll use red text on a lime background HSSFCellStyle style = wb.createCellStyle(); style.setFillForegroundColor(HSSFColor.LIME.index); style.setFillPattern(HSSFCellStyle.SOLID_FOREGROUND); HSSFFont font = wb.createFont(); font.setColor(HSSFColor.RED.index); style.setFont(font); cell.setCellStyle(style); //save with the default palette FileOutputStream out = new FileOutputStream("default_palette.xls"); wb.write(out); out.close(); //now, let's replace RED and LIME in the palette // with a more attractive combination // (lovingly borrowed from freebsd.org) cell.setCellValue("Modified Palette"); //creating a custom palette for the workbook HSSFPalette palette = wb.getCustomPalette(); //replacing the standard red with freebsd.org red palette.setColorAtIndex(HSSFColor.RED.index, (byte) 153, //RGB red (0-255) (byte) 0, //RGB green (byte) 0 //RGB blue ); //replacing lime with freebsd.org gold palette.setColorAtIndex(HSSFColor.LIME.index, (byte) 255, (byte) 204, (byte) 102); //save with the modified palette // note that wherever we have previously used RED or LIME, the // new colors magically appear out = new FileOutputStream("modified_palette.xls"); wb.write(out); out.close();
POIFSFileSystem fs = new POIFSFileSystem(new FileInputStream("workbook.xls")); HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(fs); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.getSheetAt(0); HSSFRow row = sheet.getRow(2); HSSFCell cell = row.getCell((short)3); if (cell == null) cell = row.createCell((short)3); cell.setCellType(HSSFCell.CELL_TYPE_STRING); cell.setCellValue("a test"); // Write the output to a file FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet s = wb.createSheet(); HSSFRow r = null; HSSFCell c = null; HSSFCellStyle cs = wb.createCellStyle(); HSSFFont f = wb.createFont(); HSSFFont f2 = wb.createFont(); cs = wb.createCellStyle(); cs.setFont( f2 ); //Word Wrap MUST be turned on cs.setWrapText( true ); r = s.createRow( (short) 2 ); r.setHeight( (short) 0x349 ); c = r.createCell( (short) 2 ); c.setCellType( HSSFCell.CELL_TYPE_STRING ); c.setCellValue( "Use \n with word wrap on to create a new line" ); c.setCellStyle( cs ); s.setColumnWidth( (short) 2, (short) ( ( 50 * 8 ) / ( (double) 1 / 20 ) ) ); FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream( "workbook.xls" ); wb.write( fileOut ); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("format sheet"); HSSFCellStyle style; HSSFDataFormat format = wb.createDataFormat(); HSSFRow row; HSSFCell cell; short rowNum = 0; short colNum = 0; row = sheet.createRow(rowNum++); cell = row.createCell(colNum); cell.setCellValue(11111.25); style = wb.createCellStyle(); style.setDataFormat(format.getFormat("0.0")); cell.setCellStyle(style); row = sheet.createRow(rowNum++); cell = row.createCell(colNum); cell.setCellValue(11111.25); style = wb.createCellStyle(); style.setDataFormat(format.getFormat("#,##0.0000")); cell.setCellStyle(style); FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("format sheet"); HSSFPrintSetup ps = sheet.getPrintSetup() sheet.setAutobreaks(true) ps.setFitHeight((short)1); ps.setFitWidth((short)1); // Create various cells and rows for spreadsheet. FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("format sheet"); HSSFFooter footer = sheet.getFooter() footer.setRight( "Page " + HSSFFooter.page() + " of " + HSSFFooter.numPages() ); // Create various cells and rows for spreadsheet. FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();

The convience functions live in contrib and provide utility features such as setting borders around merged regions and changing style attributes without explicitly creating new styles.

HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet1 = wb.createSheet( "new sheet" ); // Create a merged region HSSFRow row = sheet1.createRow( (short) 1 ); HSSFRow row2 = sheet1.createRow( (short) 2 ); HSSFCell cell = row.createCell( (short) 1 ); cell.setCellValue( "This is a test of merging" ); Region region = new Region( 1, (short) 1, 4, (short) 4 ); sheet1.addMergedRegion( region ); // Set the border and border colors. final short borderMediumDashed = HSSFCellStyle.BORDER_MEDIUM_DASHED; HSSFRegionUtil.setBorderBottom( borderMediumDashed, region, sheet1, wb ); HSSFRegionUtil.setBorderTop( borderMediumDashed, region, sheet1, wb ); HSSFRegionUtil.setBorderLeft( borderMediumDashed, region, sheet1, wb ); HSSFRegionUtil.setBorderRight( borderMediumDashed, region, sheet1, wb ); HSSFRegionUtil.setBottomBorderColor(HSSFColor.AQUA.index, region, sheet1, wb); HSSFRegionUtil.setTopBorderColor(HSSFColor.AQUA.index, region, sheet1, wb); HSSFRegionUtil.setLeftBorderColor(HSSFColor.AQUA.index, region, sheet1, wb); HSSFRegionUtil.setRightBorderColor(HSSFColor.AQUA.index, region, sheet1, wb); // Shows some usages of HSSFCellUtil HSSFCellStyle style = wb.createCellStyle(); style.setIndention((short)4); HSSFCellUtil.createCell(row, 8, "This is the value of the cell", style); HSSFCell cell2 = HSSFCellUtil.createCell( row2, 8, "This is the value of the cell"); HSSFCellUtil.setAlignment(cell2, wb, HSSFCellStyle.ALIGN_CENTER); // Write out the workbook FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream( "workbook.xls" ); wb.write( fileOut ); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("row sheet"); // Create various cells and rows for spreadsheet. // Shift rows 6 - 11 on the spreadsheet to the top (rows 0 - 5) sheet.shiftRows(5, 10, -5); FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();
HSSFWorkbook wb = new HSSFWorkbook(); HSSFSheet sheet = wb.createSheet("row sheet"); sheet.setSelected(true); // Create various cells and rows for spreadsheet. FileOutputStream fileOut = new FileOutputStream("workbook.xls"); wb.write(fileOut); fileOut.close();