Can I save the web page as an Excel workbook?

No, there is no direct saving functionality in the resulting web page.

However, since all of the fields are contained within a HTML-form, you can submit the form to a web server and store all of the field values in a file on the web server.

If you do not want to build this solution yourself, SpreadsheetConverter for HTML has built-in submit support, called the Advanced Service.

Another alternative is to use a web server enabled with the FrontPage server extensions, all fields will be stored into a tab-separated file on the server.

Does SpreadsheetConverter allow me to persist state?

Not out of the box. Since SpreadsheetConverter is run inside the browser it is forbidden to store any data on the user’s harddisk.

You can persist the data by handling it on your web server using ASP, ASP.NET, JSP, PHP.

I need to convert an Excel spreadsheet and allow users to update it over the web.

SpreadsheetConverter can only calculate and collect data, not show previously saved data. It seems to me that you need some kind of online database. We have created such a solution:

The turn-key solution called SpreadsheetServer will let you view, edit and save spreadsheets using any browser. You can share a spreadsheet online and the users do not need Excel at all. All data will be stored in a relational database. The data can be filtered, consolidated and accessed through reports and as Excel spreadsheets. Spreadsheets or single worksheets can be protected by password.

It is intended for applications like custom-made time-reporting, expense reporting, task lists, calendars schedules etc.

You can read more at

http://www.spreadsheetserver.com

We are not selling SpreadsheetServer at this time but a new version will be released for sale in 2009.

I want PHP to save the resulting order configuration to MySQL using PHP.

SpreadsheetConverter creates a standard webform, you can either convert it into an php-file or just set the action of the post to php-script that takes all the parameters and saves them into a database.

If you name the input cells and calculated cells in Excel, then these names will be used in the web form.

Can I use SpreadsheetConverter as a database?

SpreadsheetConverter can only calculate and collect data. If you wish to create a form – where data is entered and where additional data can be entered during a subsequent visit, picking up where you left off last time – you need an online database.

The turn-key solution called SpreadsheetServer will let you view, edit and save forms created from spreadsheets using any browser. You can share the form online and your users do not need Excel at all. All data will be stored in a database. The data can be auto-filtered online, just as in Excel. All data including formulas can be downloaded into Excel. Advanced authentication decides what data a user is allowed to see, edit and download.

It is intended for online databases and applications like custom-made time-reporting, expense reporting, task lists, calendars schedules etc.

We are currently not selling SpreadsheetServer but a new version will be released for sale in 2009.

More information, demos, pricing etc at

http://www.spreadsheetserver.com

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