From: Joel Pearson <lists@...>
Date: 2013-02-20T17:25:10+09:00
Subject: Re: Select "columns" from multidimensional array?

Thanks Timo.

I have used the spreadsheet gem and parseexcel, but I switched to using 
win32ole for more advanced options and for full compatibility with 
office 2010 formats. I haven't been keeping up to date with their 
progress since, it's always worth looking into them. I haven't seen 
hyogen or statsample before, I'll have a look.

There are a few reasons I've set out to build my own class(es) for this:

1) To create an API which feels natural for me. My previous scripting 
experience is mostly in VBA, so I'm accustomed to using Excel's API and 
my own custom functions. I wanted to get as close to this feel as 
possible in order to get comfortable learning Ruby. Of course, in the 
process I'm picking up on the concepts of OOP, so my approach is 
starting to change as well.

2) To work alongside my existing code. This is a side-project to my main 
one, which is a sort of web-scraper specifically designed to work with 
my company's online database. I have a few other classes which perform 
tasks such as automated reporting with advanced criteria, filling in 
forms quickly with minimal user input, and just general helper 
applications to improve productivity. It seemed only natural to create a 
class capable of handling all the data analysis tasks which I had 
previously written using standard Array methods.

3) The actual interaction I have with Excel tends to be minimal. I have 
a few data dump methods which will take an array or a hash of arrays, 
and output a TSV or Excel file automatically. The focus of the gems you 
mentioned seems to be more on read-write operations like this, and I was 
after something which would let me analyse and restructure large amounts 
of data into an ordered summary. The reason I tend to order my 
operations as if it were manual Excel interactions is this is how 
customers give me their current methodology, and my API makes it easier 
for me to translate their approach into code.

4) To learn how to do it myself rather than relying on existing programs 
:)

I'd be happy to share my newfound knowledge with you, although I have to 
give the credit mostly to Robert. I'd never have made it this far 
without his guidance.

Incidentally I wrote a Matrix movie "Digital Rain" effect (which works 
via win32ole) while I was trying to work out how to interact with Excel 
efficiently. I've attached it in case you're interested.

Attachments:
http://www.ruby-forum.com/attachment/8160/matrix.rbw


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