Missing Leading Zeros in SQL Export to Excel Loop - sql

Question

New VB programmer here. I am exporting a SQL table to an Excel file using the following method below. However, when I create the file in excel, my leading zeros for my primary key are missing due to being converted to numbers instead of text. This is due to the information coming from the datatable to excel. I am wondering what I can do to keep my leading zeros.
FYI - my primary key is 6 digits with only a few that are missing a single 0 in the beginning of them. There are many other columns and rows that get put into the excel file after the first column which all work perfectly. It is only the first column primary keys which i need to change the format somehow.
Also, I am using this excel file to then upload into SQL and the missing 0 on some of the primary keys maks my program create a new record.
I was thinking the main change could take place here but I cannot figure out how to do so:
'Export the Columns to excel file
For Each dc In datatableMain.Columns
colIndex = colIndex + 1
oSheet.Cells(1, colIndex) = dc.ColumnName
Next
For Each dr In datatableMain.Rows
rowIndex = rowIndex + 1
colIndex = 1
For Each dc In datatableMain.Columns
colIndex = colIndex + 1
oSheet.Cells(rowIndex + 1, colIndex) = dr(dc.ColumnName)
Next
Next
Full Code Below:
Private Sub Button2_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
Dim dataAdapter As New SqlClient.SqlDataAdapter()
Dim dataSet As New DataSet
Dim command As New SqlClient.SqlCommand
Dim datatableMain As New System.Data.DataTable()
Dim connection As New SqlClient.SqlConnection
connection.ConnectionString = "Server=myserver;Database=mydatabase;User Id=xxxx;Password=xxxxx"
command.Connection = connection
command.CommandType = CommandType.Text
'You can use any command select
command.CommandText = "Select * from MYTABLE"
dataAdapter.SelectCommand = command
Dim f As FolderBrowserDialog = New FolderBrowserDialog
Try
If f.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then
'This section help you if your language is not English.
System.Threading.Thread.CurrentThread.CurrentCulture = _
System.Globalization.CultureInfo.CreateSpecificCulture("en-US")
Dim oExcel As Excel.Application
Dim oBook As Excel.Workbook
Dim oSheet As Excel.Worksheet
oExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
oBook = oExcel.Workbooks.Add(Type.Missing)
oSheet = oBook.Worksheets(1)
Dim dc As System.Data.DataColumn
Dim dr As System.Data.DataRow
Dim colIndex As Integer = 0
Dim rowIndex As Integer = 0
'Fill data to datatable
connection.Open()
dataAdapter.Fill(datatableMain)
connection.Close()
'Export the Columns to excel file
For Each dc In datatableMain.Columns
colIndex = colIndex + 1
oSheet.Cells(1, colIndex) = dc.ColumnName
Next
For Each dr In datatableMain.Rows
rowIndex = rowIndex + 1
colIndex = 1
For Each dc In datatableMain.Columns
colIndex = colIndex + 1
oSheet.Cells(rowIndex + 1, colIndex) = dr(dc.ColumnName)
Next
Next
'Set final path
Dim fileName As String = "\" + fname.Text + ".xlsx"
Dim finalPath = f.SelectedPath + fileName
txtPath.Text = finalPath
oSheet.Columns.AutoFit()
'Save file in final path
oBook.SaveAs(finalPath, Excel.XlFileFormat.xlOpenXMLWorkbook, Type.Missing, _
Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Excel.XlSaveAsAccessMode.xlExclusive, _
Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing)
'Release the objects
ReleaseObject(oSheet)
oBook.Close(False, Type.Missing, Type.Missing)
ReleaseObject(oBook)
oExcel.Quit()
ReleaseObject(oExcel)
'Some time Office application does not quit after automation:
'so i am calling GC.Collect method.
GC.Collect()
MessageBox.Show("Exported!")
End If
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.Message, "Warning", MessageBoxButtons.OK)
End Try
End If
End Sub
Private Sub ReleaseObject(ByVal o As Object)
Try
While (System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(o) > 0)
End While
Catch
Finally
o = Nothing
End Try
End Sub

Answer 1

I actually just had a similar problem about 10 minutes ago! I needed to get a 30-something digit from one book to another and it was overflowing everything. Try setting the formatting of the column before writing to the cells. My code was Worksheets(i).Range("D:D").NumberFormat = "#" This will tell Excel to interperate the data "as is" instead of trying to guess what you want.

Answer 2

I found this question looking to fix this same issue in a generic function I have, that's used by a couple programs I've created. Due to that variety of data sources I couldn't hard code which columns to set the NumberFormat on. In order to get around it I leveraged the loop I have to output column headers. My code is below for those needing a little more of a dynamic solution. Note, there are a couple references to 'EL' that's an instance of a custom error logging object in the same solution, that can just be ignored/modified:
''' <summary>
''' Function to take a data table and output its contents to an Excel spreadsheet. Returns a string with any errors (Nothing if successful)
''' </summary>
''' <param name="D">The datatable to be output</param>
''' <param name="epath">The full file path to log errors to</param>
''' <param name="SAName">The full file path to save the created Excel workbook to</param>
''' <param name="Parent">The function calling for data to be output</param>
''' <returns></returns>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Function ResOut(ByVal D As DataTable, ByVal epath As String, ByVal SAName As String, ByVal Parent As String) As String
'
Dim res As String = ""
Dim E As New Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Application
Dim wb As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Workbook = Nothing
Dim ws As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Worksheet = Nothing
Dim x As Long = 0
Dim f As Long = 1
Dim Rng As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Range = Nothing
Dim q As String
Dim Str_Columns As New List(Of String) 'Holds the list of column letters that need forced to Text format in order to retain leading zeroes in the data
'that will be placed there
'Check that the passed in table has data
If D.Rows.Count = 0 Then
res = "No data was returned by " & Parent
End If
If res = "" Then
'Create a workbook for the data and capture the workbook and sheet for ease of reference
Try
wb = E.Workbooks.Add
ws = wb.Worksheets(1)
'Define the range
q = ColNumToStr(D.Columns.Count, epath)
Rng = ws.Range("A2:" & q & D.Rows.Count + 1)
Catch ex As Exception
res = "Encountered an error while creating the new workbook to export the results to. No data can be returned."
EL.AddErr(res & " ResOut was called by " & Parent & ". Error Details: " & ex.Message, epath)
End Try
'Fill in headers
If res = "" Then
Try
For Each c As DataColumn In D.Columns
ws.Range("A1").Offset(0, x).Value = c.ColumnName
x = x + 1
Next
Catch ex As Exception
res = "Encountered an error while filling in the column headers. This will prevent any data from being returned."
EL.AddErr(res & " ResOut was called by " & Parent & ". Error Details: " & ex.Message, epath)
End Try
End If
'Setup the step & frequency for the Step Progress bar
'Dim t() As Long = s.StatSetup(QR.Rows.Count, 58, "Query Runner\ResOut\" & QName, Replace(My.Settings.EPath, "<user>", Environment.UserName) & DStamp() & " Query Scheduler Log.txt")
'f = t(0)
'SProg.Step = t(1)
'Create the array
Dim OArr(D.Rows.Count, x) As Object
'Convert the datatable to a 2D array
If res = "" Then
Try
'Fill it
x = 0
For r As Long = 0 To D.Rows.Count - 1 Step 1
Dim dr As DataRow = D.Rows(r)
For c As Integer = 0 To D.Columns.Count - 1 Step 1
OArr(r, c) = dr.Item(c).ToString
'Check if this item is a # with leading zeroes (making sure we haven't already added the column to the list of such columns)
If Not (Str_Columns.Contains(ColNumToStr(c + 1, epath))) And Strings.Left(dr.Item(c), 1) = "0" Then
Str_Columns.Add(ColNumToStr(c + 1, epath))
End If 'else the column is in the list already or the item does not dictate it's inclusion
Next
x = x + 1
Next
Catch ex As Exception
res = "Encountered an error while outputing the " & x + 1 & "-th record of " & D.Rows.Count & ". No data will be output."
EL.AddErr(res & " ResOut was called by " & Parent & ". Error Details: " & ex.Message, epath)
End Try
End If
'output the array to the target range
If res = "" Then
'First force Text format where needed to retain leading zeroes
Try
For Each c As String In Str_Columns
q = c
ws.Range(c & ":" & c).NumberFormat = "#"
Next
Catch ex As Exception
res = "Encountered an error while changing column " & q & " to TEXT in order to retain leading zeroes in the " & ws.Range(q & 1).Value & "data."
E.Visible = True
wb.Activate()
EL.AddErr(res & " ResOut was called by " & Parent & ". Error Details: " & ex.Message & Chr(10) & Chr(10) & "Inner Exception: " & ex.InnerException.Message _
, epath)
End Try
Try
Rng.Value = OArr
'Save the workbook
wb.SaveAs(SAName)
wb.Close(SaveChanges:=False)
Catch ex As Exception
res = "Encountered an error during the export of the results. Some data may have been exported. Review the contents of the Excel workbook that will " _
& "be visible following this message for more details."
E.Visible = True
wb.Activate()
EL.AddErr(res & " ResOut was called by " & Parent & ". Error Details: " & ex.Message, epath)
End Try
Else
'Close the workbook without saving
wb.Close(SaveChanges:=False)
End If
'Cleanup the application
Try
E.Quit()
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(E)
E = Nothing
wb = Nothing
ws = Nothing
Rng = Nothing
OArr = Nothing
f = Nothing
x = Nothing
Catch ex As Exception
EL.AddErr("Encountered an error while cleaning up the resources used in JMLib\ResOut. ResOut was called by " & Parent & ". Error Details: " & ex.Message, epath)
End Try
End If
Return res
End Function