Frequently Asked Questions

How do I install Aspose.Cells FOSS?

Install it from PyPI using pip:

pip install aspose-cells-foss>=26.3.1

After installation, verify it works:

from aspose.cells_foss import Workbook
wb = Workbook()
print("Installation successful")

How do I read a cell value?

Use the .value property; it is a property, not a method. Do not add parentheses.

from aspose.cells_foss import Workbook

wb = Workbook("input.xlsx")
ws = wb.worksheets[0]

# Correct: .value is a property (no parentheses)
val = ws.cells["A1"].value
print(val)

# Also correct: access by row, column index (1-based)
val2 = ws.cells[1, 1].value
print(val2)

How do I write a cell value or formula?

Assign to .value or .formula directly. Both are properties, not methods.

from aspose.cells_foss import Workbook

wb = Workbook()
ws = wb.worksheets[0]

# Write a value
ws.cells["A1"].value = "Product"
ws.cells["B1"].value = 100

# Write a formula
ws.cells["C1"].formula = "=SUM(A1:B1)"

wb.save("output.xlsx")

Alternatively, use cells.get_cell_by_name(address).put_value(value) when you have a string cell address:

ws.cells.get_cell_by_name("A1").put_value("Product")
ws.cells.get_cell_by_name("B1").put_value(100)

Does Aspose.Cells FOSS support PDF export?

No. PDF export is not available in the FOSS edition. The supported save formats are:

XLSX: wb.save("output.xlsx")
CSV: wb.save("output.csv")
Markdown: wb.save_as_markdown("output.md")

How do I load a CSV file?

Use the load_csv_workbook() convenience function:

from aspose.cells_foss import load_csv_workbook

wb = load_csv_workbook("data.csv")
ws = wb.worksheets[0]
val = ws.cells["A1"].value

For more control, use CSVHandler with CSVLoadOptions:

from aspose.cells_foss import Workbook, CSVHandler, CSVLoadOptions

opts = CSVLoadOptions()
wb = Workbook()
CSVHandler.load_csv(wb, "data.csv", opts)
ws = wb.worksheets[0]

How do I add a chart?

Use one of the add_* methods on ws.charts. Each method takes positional arguments for the chart’s bounding box: top_row, left_col, bottom_row, right_col.

from aspose.cells_foss import Workbook

wb = Workbook()
ws = wb.worksheets[0]

# Add data
ws.cells["A1"].value = "Month"
ws.cells["B1"].value = "Sales"
ws.cells["A2"].value = "Jan"
ws.cells["B2"].value = 1200
ws.cells["A3"].value = "Feb"
ws.cells["B3"].value = 1500

# Add a bar chart (top_row, left_col, bottom_row, right_col)
chart = ws.charts.add_bar(5, 0, 20, 8)
chart.title = "Monthly Sales"
chart.n_series.add("B2:B3", is_vertical=True)

wb.save("output.xlsx")

Why does `cell.value()` raise a TypeError?

Because .value is a property, not a method. Calling cell.value() attempts to call the returned value as a function, which raises TypeError. Always use assignment or direct attribute access:

# Wrong: raises TypeError
cell.value("Hello")
cell.formula("=SUM(A1:A5)")
val = cell.value()

# Correct
cell.value = "Hello"
cell.formula = "=SUM(A1:A5)"
val = cell.value

What file formats can be loaded?

Format	Extension	How to load
XLSX	.xlsx	`Workbook("file.xlsx")` — Excel 2007 and later
CSV	.csv	`load_csv_workbook("file.csv")`

Does Aspose.Cells FOSS support formula evaluation?

Formula strings are stored verbatim in XLSX cells using the .formula property. They are not evaluated by the library — Excel or LibreOffice evaluates them when the file is opened. There is no built-in formula calculator.

from aspose.cells_foss import Workbook

wb = Workbook()
ws = wb.worksheets[0]
ws.cells["A1"].value = 10
ws.cells["A2"].value = 20
ws.cells["A3"].formula = "=SUM(A1:A2)"  # Stored verbatim, not evaluated at save time
wb.save("output.xlsx")

Note on legacy XLS files: Only XLSX format is supported. Legacy XLS/BIFF files are not supported and cannot be loaded.

Frequently Asked Questions