JM-Xls2Txt — Fast XLS to TXT Conversion Tool OverviewJM-Xls2Txt is a lightweight command-line utility designed to convert Microsoft Excel spreadsheet files (XLS and XLSX) into plain text (TXT) quickly and reliably. It’s aimed at users who need batch conversion, scriptable workflows, or integration into data pipelines where human-readable, tab-delimited or custom-delimited text output is preferred over binary spreadsheet formats.
Key Features
- Fast conversion speed: Optimized for bulk processing of many files with minimal CPU and memory overhead.
- Supports XLS and XLSX: Handles both legacy BIFF (.xls) and modern XML-based (.xlsx) Excel formats.
- Custom delimiters: Output can be tab-delimited, comma-separated, or use any custom delimiter.
- Batch processing: Convert entire directories or lists of files in one command.
- Selective sheet export: Choose a specific worksheet by name or index to convert.
- Header handling: Options to include, exclude, or transform header rows.
- Encoding options: Export with UTF‑8, UTF‑16, or other character encodings to preserve non-ASCII text.
- Robust error handling: Skips corrupted/spurious files with logging rather than aborting a batch run.
- Scripting-friendly: Suitable for use in shell scripts, CI pipelines, and scheduled tasks.
Typical Use Cases
- Data ingestion for text-based tools (grep, awk, sed) or legacy systems that require plain text.
- Preprocessing for NLP pipelines that accept only raw text or delimited input.
- Automated ETL workflows where spreadsheets must be converted before further processing.
- Archiving or auditing where plain-text copies of spreadsheets are preferred for long-term readability.
- Quick inspections of spreadsheet contents without launching a spreadsheet application.
Installation & Quick Start
Installation methods vary depending on the distribution format. Common options include:
- Precompiled binaries for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Package managers (where available) or downloadable ZIP/TAR archives.
- Python, Node, or other language wrappers that bundle JM-Xls2Txt as a CLI tool.
Example quick-start command (conceptual):
jm-xls2txt --input report.xlsx --output report.txt --delimiter " " --encoding utf-8 This command converts the default worksheet in report.xlsx to a UTF‑8 encoded tab-delimited file named report.txt.
Command-Line Options (Common)
Below are common options you’ll typically find in a tool like JM-Xls2Txt. Actual flags may vary; consult the tool’s help (-h/–help).
- –input, -i: Input file or directory
- –output, -o: Output file or directory
- –delimiter, -d: Field delimiter (e.g., “ “, “,”, “|”)
- –sheet, -s: Worksheet name or index
- –encoding, -e: Output character encoding (utf-8, utf-16, iso-8859-1, etc.)
- –header, –no-header: Include or exclude header row
- –trim, –no-trim: Trim whitespace from cell values
- –quote: Quote fields (useful for CSV output)
- –recursive: Process directories recursively
- –threads: Number of parallel worker threads for batch conversion
- –log: Path to log file for errors and warnings
- –skip-errors: Continue on error (log and skip corrupt files)
- –help, -h: Display help and usage
Examples
Batch convert a directory of XLSX files to tab-delimited TXT files:
jm-xls2txt -i ./spreadsheets -o ./txt-output -d " " -r --threads 4 --encoding utf-8 Convert a specific sheet by name and exclude header:
jm-xls2txt -i financials.xlsx -o q1.txt -s "Q1" --no-header -d "," Convert multiple files listed in a text file:
jm-xls2txt -i @filelist.txt -o ./out -d "|" --skip-errors Performance Tips
- Increase –threads to utilize multiple CPU cores for large batches; balance with available memory.
- Use –skip-errors in long-running pipelines to avoid aborting on a single bad file.
- For extremely large spreadsheets, convert only required columns/sheets if supported to reduce I/O and memory usage.
- Prefer UTF‑8 encoding unless a target system requires a specific legacy encoding.
Handling Complex Excel Features
JM-Xls2Txt focuses on extracting cell values. Complex workbook elements such as:
- Formulas: Typically exports their last-evaluated values, not formula text, unless an option exposes formulas.
- Merged cells: Values are usually repeated or placed in the first cell of the merge range; behavior may be configurable.
- Rich text formatting, comments, macros, charts, and images: These are generally not preserved because TXT is plain-text only. Some tools can emit metadata logs noting their presence.
Error Handling & Logging
Good conversion tools provide detailed logs indicating:
- Files successfully converted
- Files skipped with error reason (corrupt file, unsupported feature, permission denied)
- Warnings for data loss (e.g., truncation, unsupported data types)
Look for exit codes that allow scripts to detect full success vs. partial success vs. failure.
Security & Privacy Considerations
- Run conversions in a secure environment if spreadsheets contain sensitive data.
- Check whether the tool phones home or collects telemetry; prefer offline binaries for sensitive workflows.
- Ensure output files are stored with correct permissions to avoid unintended disclosure.
Alternatives & When to Use JM-Xls2Txt
Alternatives include scripting with Python (pandas/openpyxl), LibreOffice’s soffice –convert-to, or commercial ETL tools. Choose JM-Xls2Txt when you want a lightweight, focused, scriptable CLI that’s faster to run in batch than launching heavier toolchains.
| Tool | Strengths | When to pick |
|---|---|---|
| JM-Xls2Txt | Fast, CLI-first, batch-friendly | Large batches, integration into scripts |
| Python + pandas | Flexible data transformations | Complex transformations and analysis |
| LibreOffice soffice | Handles many formats natively | One-off conversions, GUI options |
| Commercial ETL | Robust pipelines, GUI, support | Enterprise-grade workflows |
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Blank output files: Check sheet selection, ensure the correct worksheet and that rows aren’t filtered out by options.
- Incorrect character encoding: Explicitly set –encoding to utf-8 or the target encoding.
- Slow performance: Increase threads, process fewer columns, or convert on a machine with faster I/O.
- Files skipped due to errors: Review logs; try opening the file in Excel to repair and re-run.
Developer Integration & Scripting
- Return non-zero exit codes for failures so CI systems can react.
- Support reading file lists from stdin or @filelist notation for flexible scripting.
- Emit machine-readable logs (JSON) option for automated parsers.
Example shell pipeline converting and compressing results:
jm-xls2txt -i ./spreadsheets -o - -d " " | gzip > all_spreadsheets.txt.gz Here -o – writes output to stdout so it can be piped into gzip.
Conclusion
JM-Xls2Txt is a practical, efficient tool for users who need reliable XLS/XLSX to TXT conversion without the overhead of full spreadsheet applications. Its speed, batch capabilities, and script-friendly interface make it well-suited for ETL tasks, archival, and text-based data processing pipelines. For workflows requiring rich formatting or formula extraction, pair it with other tools that expose or preserve those features.
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