openpyxl: How can I use lists with Data Validation when creating Excel worksheets using Python?

Question

I'm still pretty new to using Python... and I'm trying to work out how to apply Data Validation to a region of an Excel worksheet using a named range of cells... amongst other things.

For the code below, I'm looking to find out how to:-

• use a list and/or a named range for the forumla1 item in DataValidation()

...as well as finding better ways to:-

• build a range specification, like I've used in DefinedName() attr_text and when applying a validation object to a (named) range

I've done much with Google search and Stack Overflow... but without much success. I've also been through the relevant parts of https://openpyxl.readthedocs.io/en/stable/ and whilst the examples have been helpful, the actual definitions, etc of the objects, their usage, etc have been less so.

I'm using (Anaconda) Python v3.6.5 under Windows 10 64-bit, openpyxl 3.0.3.

I'd appreciate any pointers or suggestions...

The code:

import openpyxl
from openpyxl import Workbook
from openpyxl.worksheet.datavalidation import DataValidation

# ---- Create the 'Data' worksheet - to set-up defined ranges

data_headers = [ "StatusValues", "ActivityValues" ]
status_values = [ "ROOKIE", "ACTIVE", "SUSPENDED", "RETIRED" ]
activity_values = [ "ASSIGNED", "TRAINING", "TRAVELLING" ]

# ----

wb = Workbook()
ws_name = wb.create_sheet('Data')              # Does NOT make it active (current)
ws = wb.get_sheet_by_name('Data')

ws.append(data_headers)                        # Create header line
for idx, row in enumerate(status_values):      # Populate the worksheet with 'Status' items...
   ws.cell(column=1, row=idx+2, 
                  value=status_values[idx])

for idx, row in enumerate(activity_values):    # ...and 'Activity' items
   ws.cell(column=2, row=idx+2, 
                  value=activity_values[idx])

# ---- Set-up the named ranges for the entire workbook
#      There HAS to be a BETTER way of specifying the 'worksheet:range' thing(!)

lo = 2
hi = len(status_values) + 1
sbuf = 'Data!$A$%s:$A$%s'%(lo, hi)
sv_range = openpyxl.workbook.defined_name.DefinedName('StatusValues', attr_text=sbuf)
wb.defined_names.append(sv_range)

lo = 2
hi = len(activity_values) + 1
sbuf = 'Data!$B$%s:$B$%s'%(lo, hi)
av_range = openpyxl.workbook.defined_name.DefinedName('ActivityValues', attr_text=sbuf)
wb.defined_names.append(av_range)

# ---- Get some data into the 'main' worksheet

ws = wb.worksheets[0]   # Use the 'original' worksheet
ws.title = "Operatives"
ws.append(["Beast", "Status", "Activity"])     
ws["A2"] = "Dog"
ws["A3"] = "Cat"
ws["A4"] = "Wombat"
ws["A5"] = "Serval"
ws["A6"] = "Camel"

# Create a data-validation object with list validation

dv = DataValidation(type="list", 
                    formula1='"ROOKIE,ACTIVE,SUSPENDED,RETIRED"',  # How can I use 'status_values'...
                    allow_blank=True)

dv2 = DataValidation(type="list", 
                    formula1='"ASSIGNED,TRAINING,TRAVELLING"',     # ...and 'activity_values' lists?
                    allow_blank=True)


# Add the data validation objects to the worksheet
ws.add_data_validation(dv)
ws.add_data_validation(dv2)

# ...and to specific range (ugh... so ugly.. again, has to be a better way..)
dv_app = "B2:B" + str(ws.max_row)
dv.add(dv_app)

dv_app = "C2:C" + str(ws.max_row)
dv2.add(dv_app)

# ----

wb.save(filename = 'validation.xlsx')

exit(0)

Answer 1

I have the same problem. You code, Skeeve, was very helpful and I believe that, after 9 months you have found a solution to use the list name as argument to formula1 parameter. Thanks

Actually, I found a way:

str1 = ','.join(status_values)                                    
str1 = '"'+str1+'"'                                               
                                                                                                       
dv = DataValidation(type="list", formula1=str1, allow_blank=True)

Answer 2

There is also an alternative way of doing this. You can provide a range address eg =Data:$A$2.$A$5 as the argument to the formula1 parameter (and remember that this does not need double quotes around it).

Linking to a range prevents bloating of your spreadsheet in case there is a large number of items in that list and you are doing data validation on a lot of cells. It will also take care of a scenario where a user updates one of the values on the Data tab of the spreadsheet

To make this work, I updated the code that Skeeve had posted as follows:

• replaced his sbuf variable with subf1 and sbuf2 as we have two different data ranges (makes it a little easier to follow)
• inserted a = before sbuf1 and sbuf2 in the argument for formula1
• Also ws = wb.get_sheet_by_name('Data') is now deprecated so replaced that with ws = wb['Data']

import openpyxl
from openpyxl import Workbook
from openpyxl.worksheet.datavalidation import DataValidation

# ---- Create the 'Data' worksheet - to set-up defined ranges

data_headers = [ "StatusValues", "ActivityValues" ]
status_values = [ "ROOKIE", "ACTIVE", "SUSPENDED", "RETIRED" ]
activity_values = [ "ASSIGNED", "TRAINING", "TRAVELLING" ]

# ----

wb = Workbook()
ws_name = wb.create_sheet('Data')              # Does NOT make it active (current)
ws = wb['Data']

ws.append(data_headers)                        # Create header line
for idx, row in enumerate(status_values):      # Populate the worksheet with 'Status' items...
   ws.cell(column=1, row=idx+2, 
                  value=status_values[idx])

for idx, row in enumerate(activity_values):    # ...and 'Activity' items
   ws.cell(column=2, row=idx+2, 
                  value=activity_values[idx])

# ---- Set-up the named ranges for the entire workbook
#      There HAS to be a BETTER way of specifying the 'worksheet:range' thing(!)

lo = 2
hi = len(status_values) + 1
sbuf1 = 'Data!$A$%s:$A$%s'%(lo, hi)
sv_range = openpyxl.workbook.defined_name.DefinedName('StatusValues', attr_text=sbuf1)
wb.defined_names.append(sv_range)

lo = 2
hi = len(activity_values) + 1
sbuf2 = 'Data!$B$%s:$B$%s'%(lo, hi)
av_range = openpyxl.workbook.defined_name.DefinedName('ActivityValues', attr_text=sbuf2)
wb.defined_names.append(av_range)

# ---- Get some data into the 'main' worksheet

ws = wb.worksheets[0]   # Use the 'original' worksheet
ws.title = "Operatives"
ws.append(["Beast", "Status", "Activity"])     
ws["A2"] = "Dog"
ws["A3"] = "Cat"
ws["A4"] = "Wombat"
ws["A5"] = "Serval"
ws["A6"] = "Camel"

# Create a data-validation object with list validation

dv = DataValidation(type="list", 
                    formula1='=' + sbuf1,  
                    allow_blank=True)

dv2 = DataValidation(type="list", 
                    formula1='=' + sbuf2,    
                    allow_blank=True)


# Add the data validation objects to the worksheet
ws.add_data_validation(dv)
ws.add_data_validation(dv2)

# ...and to specific range (ugh... so ugly.. again, has to be a better way..)
dv_app = "B2:B" + str(ws.max_row)
dv.add(dv_app)

dv_app = "C2:C" + str(ws.max_row)
dv2.add(dv_app)

# ----

wb.save(filename = 'validation.xlsx')

exit(0)