Using the Excel Custom XPath Function

You can use the Excel Custom XPath function instead of the ExcelData and the ExcelMetaData activities to complete the same tasks, without having to create a separate process each time.

The Excel Custom XPath function can work with any activities in the Palette view. For example, if you want to delete a sheet by the sheet name of the Excel file, you can debug a process with the Timer activity and Log activity.

Procedure

  1. Open a process if you have created one, or create a new project if you have not.
    See Creating a Project or Configuring a Process for details.
  2. Select the Timer activity and another activity, such as the Log activity, from the General Activities palette and drag them to the Process editor.
  3. Drag the icon to create a transition between the added activities.
  4. Click the Log activity in the Process editor, and then click Functions view in the Input tab.
    A list of folders is displayed.
  5. Expand the Excel Functions folder, drag the d_deleteSheetBySheetName item to the message element in the XPath Expression view.
  6. Configure the parameters in the message element.


  7. Debug the configured process, as described in Testing a Process.
    Note: If you want to complete other functions of the ExcelData and the ExcelMetaData activities, repeat Step 5, Step 6, and Step 7. See Excel Custom XPath Function for more details.