How can I configure an Excel spreadsheet as a javax.sql.DataSource?

Question

I have a Spring Boot 1.3.0 (Java 8) application that needs to use Excel as a data source. (POI and JXL do not work due to type of Excel file.) The application needs to run in an unix environment. I have the application configured to set the datasource url and driver-class-name via a yml file.

Is there a driver (preferably available in the maven repo) that can use Excel as a data source? What value should I specify for the url?

Edit

Here's the code from an attempt to use the Excel spreadsheet as a javax.sql.DataSource:

src/main/resources/application.yml

---
spring:
    profiles:
        active: development
---        
spring:
    profiles: development
    datasource:
        url: jdbc:odbc:Driver={Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls)};DBQ=C:/dev/testproj/src/main/resources/test.xls
        driver-class-name: sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver

src/main/java/com/test/TestApplication.java

package com.test;

    import org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication;
    import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.SpringBootApplication;

    @SpringBootApplication
    public class TestApplication {

        public static void main(String[] args) {
            SpringApplication.run(TestApplication.class, args);
        }
    }

src/main/java/com/test/batch/BatchConfiguration.java

package com.test.batch;

import java.sql.ResultSet;
import java.sql.SQLException;
import java.util.List;

import javax.sql.DataSource;

import org.springframework.batch.core.Job;
import org.springframework.batch.core.Step;
import org.springframework.batch.core.configuration.annotation.EnableBatchProcessing;
import org.springframework.batch.core.configuration.annotation.JobBuilderFactory;
import org.springframework.batch.core.configuration.annotation.StepBuilderFactory;
import org.springframework.batch.core.launch.support.RunIdIncrementer;
import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemProcessor;
import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemReader;
import org.springframework.batch.item.ItemWriter;
import org.springframework.batch.item.database.JdbcCursorItemReader;
import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
import org.springframework.jdbc.core.RowMapper;

@Configuration
@EnableBatchProcessing
public class BatchConfiguration {

    @Bean
    public ItemReader<String> reader(DataSource dataSource) {

        JdbcCursorItemReader<String> itemReader = new JdbcCursorItemReader<String>();
        itemReader.setDataSource(dataSource);
        System.out.println(dataSource);
        itemReader.setSql("SELECT a from Sheet1");
        itemReader.setRowMapper(new RowMapper<String>() { 
            public String mapRow(ResultSet rs, int rowNum) throws SQLException {
                String here= rs.getString(0);
                System.out.println(here);
                return here;
            }
        });

       return itemReader; 
    }

    @Bean
    public ItemProcessor<String, String> processor() {
        return new ItemProcessor<String, String>() { 
            public String process(final String data) throws Exception {
                return data;
            }
        };
    }

    @Bean
    public ItemWriter<String> writer(DataSource dataSource) {
        return new ItemWriter<String>() {
            public void write(List<? extends String> items) throws Exception {
            }
        };
    }

    @Bean
    public Step step(StepBuilderFactory stepBuilderFactory, ItemReader<String> reader,  ItemProcessor<String, String> processor, ItemWriter<String> writer) {
        return stepBuilderFactory.get("step")
                .<String, String> chunk(1)
                .reader(reader)
                .processor(processor)
                .writer(writer)
                .build();
    }


    @Bean
    public Job importUserJob(JobBuilderFactory jobs, Step step) {
        return jobs.get("importUserJob")
                .incrementer(new RunIdIncrementer())
                .flow(step)
                .end()
                .build();
    }   

}

build.gradle

buildscript {
    ext {
        springBootVersion = '1.3.0.RELEASE'
    }
    repositories {
        mavenCentral()
    }
    dependencies {
        classpath("org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-gradle-plugin:${springBootVersion}") 
    }
}

apply plugin: 'java'
apply plugin: 'eclipse'
apply plugin: 'spring-boot' 

jar {
    baseName = 'test-load'
    version = '1.0'
}
sourceCompatibility = 1.8
targetCompatibility = 1.8

repositories {
    mavenCentral()
}


dependencies {
    compile('org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-batch')
    compile('org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-integration')
    testCompile('org.springframework.boot:spring-boot-starter-test') 
}


eclipse {
    classpath {
         containers.remove('org.eclipse.jdt.launching.JRE_CONTAINER')
         containers 'org.eclipse.jdt.launching.JRE_CONTAINER/org.eclipse.jdt.internal.debug.ui.launcher.StandardVMType/JavaSE-1.8'
    }
}

task wrapper(type: Wrapper) {
    gradleVersion = '2.9'
}

tasks.withType(Test) {
    scanForTestClasses = false
    include "**/*Test.class" 
}

The following error is given when executing the gradle task bootRun:

2015-12-28 16:01:18.530 ERROR 1356 --- [           main] o.s.batch.core.step.AbstractStep         : Encountered an error executing step step in job importUserJob

org.springframework.batch.item.ItemStreamException: Failed to initialize the reader
    at org.springframework.batch.item.support.AbstractItemCountingItemStreamItemReader.open(AbstractItemCountingItemStreamItemReader.java:147) ~[spring-batch-infrastructure-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.item.support.CompositeItemStream.open(CompositeItemStream.java:96) ~[spring-batch-infrastructure-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.core.step.tasklet.TaskletStep.open(TaskletStep.java:310) ~[spring-batch-core-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.core.step.AbstractStep.execute(AbstractStep.java:197) ~[spring-batch-core-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.core.job.SimpleStepHandler.handleStep(SimpleStepHandler.java:148) [spring-batch-core-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.core.job.flow.JobFlowExecutor.executeStep(JobFlowExecutor.java:64) [spring-batch-core-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.core.job.flow.support.state.StepState.handle(StepState.java:67) [spring-batch-core-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.core.job.flow.support.SimpleFlow.resume(SimpleFlow.java:169) [spring-batch-core-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.core.job.flow.support.SimpleFlow.start(SimpleFlow.java:144) [spring-batch-core-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.core.job.flow.FlowJob.doExecute(FlowJob.java:134) [spring-batch-core-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.core.job.AbstractJob.execute(AbstractJob.java:306) [spring-batch-core-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.core.launch.support.SimpleJobLauncher$1.run(SimpleJobLauncher.java:135) [spring-batch-core-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.core.task.SyncTaskExecutor.execute(SyncTaskExecutor.java:50) [spring-core-4.2.3.RELEASE.jar:4.2.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.core.launch.support.SimpleJobLauncher.run(SimpleJobLauncher.java:128) [spring-batch-core-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) ~[na:1.8.0_66]
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62) ~[na:1.8.0_66]
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43) ~[na:1.8.0_66]
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:497) ~[na:1.8.0_66]
    at org.springframework.aop.support.AopUtils.invokeJoinpointUsingReflection(AopUtils.java:302) [spring-aop-4.2.3.RELEASE.jar:4.2.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.invokeJoinpoint(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:190) [spring-aop-4.2.3.RELEASE.jar:4.2.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:157) [spring-aop-4.2.3.RELEASE.jar:4.2.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.core.configuration.annotation.SimpleBatchConfiguration$PassthruAdvice.invoke(SimpleBatchConfiguration.java:127) [spring-batch-core-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:179) [spring-aop-4.2.3.RELEASE.jar:4.2.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.aop.framework.JdkDynamicAopProxy.invoke(JdkDynamicAopProxy.java:208) [spring-aop-4.2.3.RELEASE.jar:4.2.3.RELEASE]
    at com.sun.proxy.$Proxy45.run(Unknown Source) [na:na]
    at org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.batch.JobLauncherCommandLineRunner.execute(JobLauncherCommandLineRunner.java:215) [spring-boot-autoconfigure-1.3.0.RELEASE.jar:1.3.0.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.batch.JobLauncherCommandLineRunner.executeLocalJobs(JobLauncherCommandLineRunner.java:232) [spring-boot-autoconfigure-1.3.0.RELEASE.jar:1.3.0.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.batch.JobLauncherCommandLineRunner.launchJobFromProperties(JobLauncherCommandLineRunner.java:124) [spring-boot-autoconfigure-1.3.0.RELEASE.jar:1.3.0.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.batch.JobLauncherCommandLineRunner.run(JobLauncherCommandLineRunner.java:118) [spring-boot-autoconfigure-1.3.0.RELEASE.jar:1.3.0.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.callRunner(SpringApplication.java:792) [spring-boot-1.3.0.RELEASE.jar:1.3.0.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.callRunners(SpringApplication.java:776) [spring-boot-1.3.0.RELEASE.jar:1.3.0.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.afterRefresh(SpringApplication.java:763) [spring-boot-1.3.0.RELEASE.jar:1.3.0.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.doRun(SpringApplication.java:356) [spring-boot-1.3.0.RELEASE.jar:1.3.0.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:295) [spring-boot-1.3.0.RELEASE.jar:1.3.0.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1112) [spring-boot-1.3.0.RELEASE.jar:1.3.0.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.boot.SpringApplication.run(SpringApplication.java:1101) [spring-boot-1.3.0.RELEASE.jar:1.3.0.RELEASE]
    at com.test.TestApplication.main(TestApplication.java:10) [bin/:na]
Caused by: org.springframework.jdbc.BadSqlGrammarException: Executing query; bad SQL grammar [SELECT a from Sheet1]; nested exception is java.sql.SQLSyntaxErrorException: user lacks privilege or object not found: SHEET1
    at org.springframework.jdbc.support.SQLExceptionSubclassTranslator.doTranslate(SQLExceptionSubclassTranslator.java:91) ~[spring-jdbc-4.2.3.RELEASE.jar:4.2.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.jdbc.support.AbstractFallbackSQLExceptionTranslator.translate(AbstractFallbackSQLExceptionTranslator.java:73) ~[spring-jdbc-4.2.3.RELEASE.jar:4.2.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.jdbc.support.AbstractFallbackSQLExceptionTranslator.translate(AbstractFallbackSQLExceptionTranslator.java:81) ~[spring-jdbc-4.2.3.RELEASE.jar:4.2.3.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.item.database.JdbcCursorItemReader.openCursor(JdbcCursorItemReader.java:131) ~[spring-batch-infrastructure-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.item.database.AbstractCursorItemReader.doOpen(AbstractCursorItemReader.java:406) ~[spring-batch-infrastructure-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    at org.springframework.batch.item.support.AbstractItemCountingItemStreamItemReader.open(AbstractItemCountingItemStreamItemReader.java:144) ~[spring-batch-infrastructure-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    ... 36 common frames omitted
Caused by: java.sql.SQLSyntaxErrorException: user lacks privilege or object not found: SHEET1
    at org.hsqldb.jdbc.JDBCUtil.sqlException(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.jdbc.JDBCUtil.sqlException(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.jdbc.JDBCPreparedStatement.<init>(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.jdbc.JDBCConnection.prepareStatement(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.springframework.batch.item.database.JdbcCursorItemReader.openCursor(JdbcCursorItemReader.java:120) ~[spring-batch-infrastructure-3.0.5.RELEASE.jar:3.0.5.RELEASE]
    ... 38 common frames omitted
Caused by: org.hsqldb.HsqlException: user lacks privilege or object not found: SHEET1
    at org.hsqldb.error.Error.error(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.error.Error.error(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserDQL.readTableName(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserDQL.readTableOrSubquery(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserDQL.XreadTableReference(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserDQL.XreadFromClause(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserDQL.XreadTableExpression(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserDQL.XreadQuerySpecification(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserDQL.XreadSimpleTable(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserDQL.XreadQueryPrimary(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserDQL.XreadQueryTerm(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserDQL.XreadQueryExpressionBody(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserDQL.XreadQueryExpression(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserDQL.compileCursorSpecification(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserCommand.compilePart(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.ParserCommand.compileStatement(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.Session.compileStatement(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.StatementManager.compile(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]
    at org.hsqldb.Session.execute(Unknown Source) ~[hsqldb-2.3.3.jar:2.3.3]

Answer 1

For Excel file c:/temp/test1.xlsx and 'Table' abc. You have to write driver name exactly in this form!

For Java8 you need to copy all sun package classes from jre7 to new jar file plus JdbcOdbc.dll from jre7 bin folder in your project folder.

import java.sql.Connection;
import java.sql.DriverManager;
import java.sql.ResultSet;
import java.sql.SQLException;
import java.sql.Statement;

public class JDBCExcelConnection {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Connection connection = null;
        Statement statement = null;
        ResultSet resultSet = null;

        try {
            Class.forName("sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver");
            connection = DriverManager
                            .getConnection("jdbc:odbc:Driver={Microsoft Excel Driver (*.xls, *.xlsx, *.xlsm, *.xlsb)};DBQ=c:\\Temp\\test1.xlsx;readOnly=false");
            statement = connection.createStatement();
            resultSet = statement.executeQuery("SELECT * FROM [abc$]");
        } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) {
            System.err.println("ClassNotFoundException by driver load - " + e);
        } catch (SQLException e) {
            System.err.println("SQLException by connect - " + e);
        } finally {
            if (connection != null) {
                try {
                    connection.close();
                } catch (Exception e) {
                }
            }
            if (statement != null) {
                try {
                    statement.close();
                } catch (Exception e) {
                }
            }
            if (resultSet != null) {
                try {
                    resultSet.close();
                } catch (Exception e) {
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

Answer 2

You need a ODBC bridge to read from Excel. P Lease take a look at the following sample: http://www.java2s.com/Tutorial/Java/0340__Database/UseJDBCODBCbridgetoreadfromExcel.htm

Answer 3

Use Apache POI if you want to use Excel as your datasource.

Here is an example of how you can use it

/**
 * This example shows how to use the event API for reading a file.
 */
public class EventExample
        implements HSSFListener
{
    private SSTRecord sstrec;

    /**
     * This method listens for incoming records and handles them as required.
     * @param record    The record that was found while reading.
     */
    public void processRecord(Record record)
    {
        switch (record.getSid())
        {
            // the BOFRecord can represent either the beginning of a sheet or the workbook
            case BOFRecord.sid:
                BOFRecord bof = (BOFRecord) record;
                if (bof.getType() == bof.TYPE_WORKBOOK)
                {
                    System.out.println("Encountered workbook");
                    // assigned to the class level member
                } else if (bof.getType() == bof.TYPE_WORKSHEET)
                {
                    System.out.println("Encountered sheet reference");
                }
                break;
            case BoundSheetRecord.sid:
                BoundSheetRecord bsr = (BoundSheetRecord) record;
                System.out.println("New sheet named: " + bsr.getSheetname());
                break;
            case RowRecord.sid:
                RowRecord rowrec = (RowRecord) record;
                System.out.println("Row found, first column at "
                        + rowrec.getFirstCol() + " last column at " + rowrec.getLastCol());
                break;
            case NumberRecord.sid:
                NumberRecord numrec = (NumberRecord) record;
                System.out.println("Cell found with value " + numrec.getValue()
                        + " at row " + numrec.getRow() + " and column " + numrec.getColumn());
                break;
                // SSTRecords store a array of unique strings used in Excel.
            case SSTRecord.sid:
                sstrec = (SSTRecord) record;
                for (int k = 0; k < sstrec.getNumUniqueStrings(); k++)
                {
                    System.out.println("String table value " + k + " = " + sstrec.getString(k));
                }
                break;
            case LabelSSTRecord.sid:
                LabelSSTRecord lrec = (LabelSSTRecord) record;
                System.out.println("String cell found with value "
                        + sstrec.getString(lrec.getSSTIndex()));
                break;
        }
    }

    /**
     * Read an excel file and spit out what we find.
     *
     * @param args      Expect one argument that is the file to read.
     * @throws IOException  When there is an error processing the file.
     */
    public static void main(String[] args) throws IOException
    {
        // create a new file input stream with the input file specified
        // at the command line
        FileInputStream fin = new FileInputStream(args[0]);
        // create a new org.apache.poi.poifs.filesystem.Filesystem
        POIFSFileSystem poifs = new POIFSFileSystem(fin);
        // get the Workbook (excel part) stream in a InputStream
        InputStream din = poifs.createDocumentInputStream("Workbook");
        // construct out HSSFRequest object
        HSSFRequest req = new HSSFRequest();
        // lazy listen for ALL records with the listener shown above
        req.addListenerForAllRecords(new EventExample());
        // create our event factory
        HSSFEventFactory factory = new HSSFEventFactory();
        // process our events based on the document input stream
        factory.processEvents(req, din);
        // once all the events are processed close our file input stream
        fin.close();
        // and our document input stream (don't want to leak these!)
        din.close();
        System.out.println("done.");
    }
}

Taken from: https://poi.apache.org/spreadsheet/how-to.html

While this may not answer your question of how to use it as a javax.sql.DataSource, this would be a well supported way of doing it.

If you do want to use it via JDBC then look into this http://www.jguru.com/faq/view.jsp?EID=32876 .

Since Excel comes with an ODBC driver, we'll use the JDBC-ODBC bridge driver that comes packaged with Sun's JDK to connect to our spreadsheet.

sun.jdbc.odbc.JdbcOdbcDriver has been removed since Java 8, so you will have to use other alternatives for that or use Java 7. I am not aware of any good Jdbc Obdc bridge in Java 8.