Well, I was able to make the xml file and have it work on 2k rows, but when I tried a bigger (260k rows, 200 columns) it was too big for notepad++ and excel couldn't even open it. I'm looking for solutions online now. Would a different file type like csv open quicker?

csv will certainly be faster and smaller, but you lose all formatting/formulas/etc. i thought the whole point of creating an xls was to use these? or is this just a way for you to load the data into excel, then you plan to save..as xls? but if that's the case, you're really better off exporting the xls via your dbms. i think you can set it up to do it on regular intervals for reporting purposes.

can you explain why you're trying to load a lot of data in excel as opposed to just running sql queries on the fly? it seems a little odd that a non-technical person will try to read that much data, but i dont know much about whatever industry you're in.

This post was edited by carteblanche on Jul 15 2013 10:30pm

I need to load my inventory into Amazon.com and they only (or so they tell me) allow bulk uploads by uploading an excel file.

I don't just use the dbms to export a query result to excel because my data manipulation was very complicated and much easier to do with a 3gl language (Ex. Taking the cross product of two tables, randomizing values from a third table as attributes of the cross product and adding to the SKU and title based on certain symbols in the SKU).

My excel file has no formatting or formulas because it just relaying results to Amazon and all the formulas are computed in my program.

I am fairly technical, I just graduated with a bachelors in computer science, but I don't work with any other technical people so I am learning/figuring everything out without inside help. I have greatly appreciated your suggestions.

are you sure its supposed to be an xml file? I thought amazon expected a comma delimited txt file?

tab* delimited, but yes, that's what I need. I'm very new to amazon (obviously) and I got thrown by all their excel template talk and didn't realize you switch the file type before uploading.

I am also reconsidering my entire approach because it takes Amazon about an hour to process 1k rows, so 200k rows may take too long. I'm not sure how much of that time was waiting in a queue however.

maybe i'm missing something, why can't you just write a tab delimited file with your code and avoid Excel completely?

This post was edited by Azrad on Jul 17 2013 10:03am

That's what I can do. I was confused on the formatting.