• Products
  • Solutions
  • Made with Unity
  • Learning
  • Support & Services
  • Community
  • Asset Store
  • Get Unity

UNITY ACCOUNT

You need a Unity Account to shop in the Online and Asset Stores, participate in the Unity Community and manage your license portfolio. Login Create account
  • Blog
  • Forums
  • Answers
  • Evangelists
  • User Groups
  • Beta Program
  • Advisory Panel

Navigation

  • Home
  • Products
  • Solutions
  • Made with Unity
  • Learning
  • Support & Services
  • Community
    • Blog
    • Forums
    • Answers
    • Evangelists
    • User Groups
    • Beta Program
    • Advisory Panel

Unity account

You need a Unity Account to shop in the Online and Asset Stores, participate in the Unity Community and manage your license portfolio. Login Create account

Language

  • Chinese
  • Spanish
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Portuguese
  • Ask a question
  • Spaces
    • Default
    • Help Room
    • META
    • Moderators
    • Topics
    • Questions
    • Users
    • Badges
  • Home /
  • Help Room /
avatar image
Question by Sepi-Please · Oct 18, 2017 at 10:17 PM · c#reading dataexcel

How to read Excel files in Unity?

Hello!

I've been working on a little project where I need a 2D array of strings. I thought a good way of storing those would be an Excel file. Its easy to edit and everyone knows how to use it. Only then I discovered that reading Excel files isn't a standard thing you can do in Unity. I did find something called NPOI but it wasn't clear to me how I could use it in unity.

So my question is :

Is there a way to read Excel files through C# in Unity?

I'm also open for other ways that make it possible to make a file that stores a 2D array of strings that can then be read with C#.

Comment
DVeen

People who like this

1 Show 0
10 |3000 characters needed characters left characters exceeded
▼
  • Viewable by all users
  • Viewable by moderators
  • Viewable by moderators and the original poster
  • Advanced visibility
Viewable by all users

5 Replies

  • Sort: 
avatar image
Best Answer

Answer by schnarch33 · Oct 19, 2017 at 02:09 PM

If you just need a 2D array stored in a seperate file, CSV files are definitely the way to go! They are simple and since you don't need any type of formation there shouldn't be any problems.


Related thread on Stackoverflow: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3507498/reading-csv-files-using-c-sharp

Comment
Sepi-Please

People who like this

1 Show 1 · Share
10 |3000 characters needed characters left characters exceeded
▼
  • Viewable by all users
  • Viewable by moderators
  • Viewable by moderators and the original poster
  • Advanced visibility
Viewable by all users
avatar image Sepi-Please · Oct 23, 2017 at 10:41 PM 0
Share

This was exactly what I needed! Reading the CSV files was fairly easy and the only thing that took some work was putting it all into a 2D Array. Thank you for your answer!

avatar image

Answer by UnityCoach · Oct 19, 2017 at 01:19 PM

Excel files are using an xml structure, so, in theory, you could use an xml parser to read it. Although, if you want to edit it outside of Unity, you can still use Excel (or Apple Numbers) and export a CSV file. It's quite easy to parse.

Otherwise, you can also create your own structure, edit it in the Editor and save it.

Here's some information on xml parsing. Or Json.

You could also save it as a ScriptableObject, and use an EditorWindow to display it.

Comment
FabioScarcella

People who like this

1 Show 0 · Share
10 |3000 characters needed characters left characters exceeded
▼
  • Viewable by all users
  • Viewable by moderators
  • Viewable by moderators and the original poster
  • Advanced visibility
Viewable by all users
avatar image

Answer by Kishotta · Oct 18, 2017 at 10:46 PM

Microsoft does provide an Excel interop .dll, but I think you'd be better served with either:


1. PlayerPrefs, assuming the data you're storing is not vital to the game. (PlayerPrefs is just a .txt file in the game files. It can be edited by players.)


2. A database like SQLite. Databases take more time to setup, but have several advantages over an excel or text file (such as being more secure and more easily searchable for specific data).

Comment

People who like this

0 Show 0 · Share
10 |3000 characters needed characters left characters exceeded
▼
  • Viewable by all users
  • Viewable by moderators
  • Viewable by moderators and the original poster
  • Advanced visibility
Viewable by all users
avatar image

Answer by MyUnitydream · Sep 12, 2018 at 05:03 AM

you can use Uni-Excel Package for Read, Write, and edit excel files

https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/tools/uni-excel-47540

Comment

People who like this

0 Show 0 · Share
10 |3000 characters needed characters left characters exceeded
▼
  • Viewable by all users
  • Viewable by moderators
  • Viewable by moderators and the original poster
  • Advanced visibility
Viewable by all users
avatar image

Answer by Priyanka-Rajwanshi · Dec 21, 2019 at 05:34 PM

The most convenient way to parse an excel sheet in Unity3D is to convert it into CSV. Check out this link:

http://codesaying.com/unity-parse-excel-in-unity3d/

Comment

People who like this

0 Show 0 · Share
10 |3000 characters needed characters left characters exceeded
▼
  • Viewable by all users
  • Viewable by moderators
  • Viewable by moderators and the original poster
  • Advanced visibility
Viewable by all users

Unity Answers is in Read-Only mode

Unity Answers content will be migrated to a new Community platform and we are aiming to launch a public beta on June 13. Please note, Unity Answers is now in read-only so we can prepare for the final data migration.

For more information and updates, please read our full announcement thread in the Unity Forum.

Follow this Question

Answers Answers and Comments

456 People are following this question.

avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image avatar image

Related Questions

Reading .txt file c# problem 0 Answers

Cycle through different txt files to update positions 0 Answers

Need Help Fixing Camera 0 Answers

error CS1061: Type `UnityEngine.Component' does not contain a definition for `AddForce' and no extension method `AddForce' of type `UnityEngine.Component' could be found. Are you missing an assembly reference? 1 Answer

Checking which direction an object faces 1 Answer


Enterprise
Social Q&A

Social
Subscribe on YouTube social-youtube Follow on LinkedIn social-linkedin Follow on Twitter social-twitter Follow on Facebook social-facebook Follow on Instagram social-instagram

Footer

  • Purchase
    • Products
    • Subscription
    • Asset Store
    • Unity Gear
    • Resellers
  • Education
    • Students
    • Educators
    • Certification
    • Learn
    • Center of Excellence
  • Download
    • Unity
    • Beta Program
  • Unity Labs
    • Labs
    • Publications
  • Resources
    • Learn platform
    • Community
    • Documentation
    • Unity QA
    • FAQ
    • Services Status
    • Connect
  • About Unity
    • About Us
    • Blog
    • Events
    • Careers
    • Contact
    • Press
    • Partners
    • Affiliates
    • Security
Copyright © 2020 Unity Technologies
  • Legal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Cookies Settings
"Unity", Unity logos, and other Unity trademarks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Unity Technologies or its affiliates in the U.S. and elsewhere (more info here). Other names or brands are trademarks of their respective owners.
  • Anonymous
  • Sign in
  • Create
  • Ask a question
  • Spaces
  • Default
  • Help Room
  • META
  • Moderators
  • Explore
  • Topics
  • Questions
  • Users
  • Badges