

IPython in Excel - vj44
https://datanitro.com/blog/2013/9/9/ipython_excel/

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wjnc
I grok why you would want to replace VBA for Excel by Python. But once you've
switched to an iPython way of working, your pretty much above and beyond the
spreadsheet world?

iPython-way: Build or import nice functions, import them, get your (new) data,
run your models and see nice graphs in iPython.

So what the niche is that this product focusses on? Empowering the finance-
via-spreadsheet world where separate programmers are dying to be allowed to
use Python instead of VBA?

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digz
As a heavy user of DataNitro in the finance world, I can attest to how much it
has improved my life. It allows me to interact with my data providers' excel
plugins in a much more expedient manner. I could use their direct data feeds,
but testing things on those is a PITA.

Largely, though, I agree that DN isn't really necessary/useful but for a small
niche... but when you need it, it's EXTREMELY necessary.

~~~
mathattack
In a prior life I used a lot of VBA to process some scenario modeling Excel
spreadsheets. Python would have been much better. Python is also becoming more
and more common in Financial Services.

I haven't used DataNitro, but it would have helped me in the past, and it
fills a very real need. I think the niche may be bigger than you give it
credit for.

~~~
benatkin
I think it's comparable to XMLSpy, in how powerful it is, how niche it is, how
incredibly useful it is to some people, and how expensive it is.
[https://datanitro.com/pricing.html](https://datanitro.com/pricing.html)

~~~
mathattack
The pricing actually isn't that high if the target is Finance. If anything it
may be too low. These are folks who pay ~$20K per user per year for Bloomberg.

~~~
benatkin
I meant in absolute terms. There are people who are happy to pay for XMLSpy,
too. Ditto for AutoCAD.

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omegaham
My own job has some form requirements, one of which is a spreadsheet in Excel.
Looks like I just found a way to automate that...

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Nicholas_C
Why not just use VBA?

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omegaham
Well, I have an Excel version of this: [1]

When I order a part, I have to enter all of this data. Most of the parts I
order are repeat orders; I have all of my previous ones on file. I have a
program right now that makes a LaTeX document for another form I have to fill
out; I put in the NSN, and it populates the form with all of the rest of the
information.

Up until now, I'd thought that I wouldn't be able to do the same thing with an
Excel spreadsheet, and I haven't been able to build a table like that in
LaTeX. So, this extension to Python seems to be the best option.

[1] (PDF)
[http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/infomgt/forms/eforms/dd13...](http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/infomgt/forms/eforms/dd1348-6.pdf)

~~~
sebastianavina
so, you're willing to pay USD $500.00 just for that?

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omegaham
Damn it, I thought it was freeware. That throws a monkey wrench in there...

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nether
Look into xlrd3/xlwt3. They're free and platform independent, not as smooth
interfacing as DataNitro though.

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westurner
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsort_(Unix)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsort_\(Unix\))

* [http://rosettacode.org/wiki/Topological_sort#Python](http://rosettacode.org/wiki/Topological_sort#Python)

* [http://rosettacode.org/wiki/Topological_sort#VBScript](http://rosettacode.org/wiki/Topological_sort#VBScript)

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jaxn
All I want is for a good programmable spreadsheet on the Mac. Is that too much
to ask?

(This is windows only)

~~~
hesdeadjim
I wonder if there is any spreadsheet like functionality written in Python that
could be embedded in an iPython notebook.

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nehalm
Looks great - going to try it out.

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kitag55
Looks great!

