SYmbolic LinK (SYLK)
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Symbolic Link (SYLK) is a Microsoft file format typically used to exchange data between applications, specifically spreadsheets. SYLK files conventionally have a .slk suffix. From within a spreadsheet data can be exported in the SYLK format. Comprised of only ASCII characters, it is easily created and processed by other applications, such as databases.
Microsoft does not publish a SYLK specification. Variants of the format are supported by Multiplan, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Works, OpenOffice.org, and Gnumeric.
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[edit] Sample SYLK code
As an example, the following SYLK code in a text file with the .slk extension:
ID;P C;Y1;X1;K"Row 1" C;Y2;X1;K"Row 2" C;Y3;X1;K"Total" C;Y1;X2;K11 C;Y2;X2;K22 C;Y3;X2;K0;ER1C2+R2C2 E
would be displayed like this when read by an appropriate spreadsheet:
| Row 1 | 11 |
| Row 2 | 22 |
| Total | 33 |
[edit] Sample SYLK code (for numeric formatting)
The formatting of 2 decimal digits is applied to Column 2 using
F;P2;C2
where P0 is for General, P1 is for no decimal, P2 is for 2 digits, P3 has leading $ sign with 2 decimal points as defined below.
ID;P
P;PGeneral
P;P_(* #,##0_);;_(* \-#,##0_);;_(* "-"_);;_(@_)
P;P_(* #,##0.00_);;_(* \(#,##0.00\);;_(* "-"??_);;_(@_)
P;P_("$"* #,##0.00_);;_("$"* \(#,##0.00\);;_("$"* "-"??_);;_(@_)
C;Y1;X1;K"Row 1"
C;Y2;X1;K"Row 2"
C;Y3;X1;K"Total"
C;Y1;X2;K11
C;Y2;X2;K22
C;Y3;X2;K0;ER1C2+R2C2
F;P2;C2
E
would be displayed like this when read by an appropriate spreadsheet:
| Row 1 | 11.00 |
| Row 2 | 22.00 |
| Total | 33.00 |
[edit] Sample SYLK code (for column width)
F;W< n1 > [S] < n2 > [S] < n3 > defines the widths of a group of columns:
[S] is one space < n1 > is the first column < n2 > is the last column < n3 > is the width of columns in number of characters<BR>
For example : Adding these SYLK codes will adjust the column width of column 1 and 2 to 20 and 30 respectively.
F;W1 1 20 F;W2 2 30
[edit] Sample SYLK code (cell formatting properties)
;F < cl > < n > < c2 >
< cl > is one of the following 1-character formatting codes: D default C continuous cross-cell display E scientific exponentiation F fixed decimal point G general format $ leading$and2decimal points * bar graph, one asterisk per unit (5 would be *****) < n > is the number of digits. < c2 > is one of the following 1-character alignment codes: D default C center G general(textleft, numbersright) L left justify R right justify
For Example : The following SYLK code demonstrates the cell formatting properties
ID;P P;PGeneral C;Y1;X1;K"Row 1 Left Justify" F;P0;FG0L C;Y2;X1;K"Row 2 Right Justify" F;P0;FG0R C;Y3;X1;K"Total at Center" F;P0;FG0C C;Y1;X2;K11 C;Y2;X2;K22 C;Y3;X2;K0;ER1C2+R2C2 F;Y1;X2;FF2L F;Y2;X2;FF2R F;Y3;X2;F$2C F;W1 2 25 E
[edit] SYLK Syntax
SYLK_file ::=
Record +
Record ::=
RecordType Field* newline
ID record:
Use:
A header to identify spreadsheet type and creator.
Must be first record in the file.
Record type:
ID
Mandatory fields:
;P program
-- file creator
-- possible creators include:
-- MP (Multiplan)
-- XL (Excel)
Possible fields:
;N
-- If present, file uses ;N style cell protection
-- If absent, file uses ;P style cell protection
;E
-- If present, NE records are redundant
-- If absent, NE records are not redundant
B record
Use:
Tells number of rows and columns in the spreadsheet.
Recommended that it come before C and F records
Record type:
B
Mandatory fields:
;X columns
-- tells maximum number of columns
;Y rows
-- tells maximum number of rows
C record
Use:
Cell contents
Record type:
C
Mandatory fields:
;X column
-- column position (one based)
;Y row
-- row position (one based)
Possible fields:
;E expression
-- expression for the cell
;K value
-- value of the cell
;C column
-- column reference
;R row
-- row reference
;G
-- defines shared value
;D
-- defines shared expression
;S
-- references shared value or shared expression
;N
-- If present, the cell is not protected.
-- If absent and ;N is present in the ID record, cell is protected.
;P
-- If present, cell is protected.
-- If absent and ;N is absent in the ID record, cell is not protected.
;H
-- If present, cell is hidden.
-- If absent, cell is not hidden.
;M expression
-- matrix expression from (X,Y) to (C,R)
;I
-- inside a matrix
Compatible fields:
If ;G is present, ;E must be absent.
If ;G is present, ;K must be present.
If ;D is present, ;E must be present.
If ;S is present, ;E, ;K, ;G, ;D, and ;M must be absent.
If ;S is present, ;R and ;C must be present. (They define the row and column that the shared value/expression is copied from.)
If ;N is present in the ID record, ;P must be absent.
If ;N is absent from the ID record, ;N must be absent.
If ;M is present, ;E must be absent.
If ;I is present, ;K and ;E must be absent
P record
Use:
Picture format
If F records are present, precedes them.
Mandatory fields:
;P picture
-- Excel style picture format
F record
Use:
Format
If P record(s) are present, follows them.
Possible fields:
;X column
-- column (one based)
;Y row
-- row (one based)
;C column
-- column (one based)
;R row
-- row (one based)
;F format
-- Cell/row/column format
-- The format of format is
-- ch1 digits ch2
-- ch1 is
-- D default
-- C currency
-- E exponent
-- F fixed
-- G general
-- $ dollar
-- * graph
-- % percent
-- digits is number of digits after decimal point
-- ch2 is alignment
-- D default
-- C center
-- G standard
-- L left
-- R right
-- - ignored
-- X fill
;D format
-- Default format.
-- The format of format is
-- ch1 digits ch2
-- ch1 is
-- C currency
-- E exponent
-- F fixed
-- G general
-- $ dollar
-- * graph
-- % percent
-- digits is number of digits after decimal point
-- ch2 is alignment
-- C center
-- G standard
-- L left
-- R right
-- - ignored
-- X fill
;E
-- show formulas
;K
-- show commas
;W col1 col2 width
-- set column widths
;N fontid size
-- font to use
;P index
-- Excel picture
;S style
-- style
-- The following characters can be part of style
-- I italic
-- D bold
-- T gridline top
-- L gridline left
-- B gridline bottom
-- R gridline right
;H
-- If present, don't show row/column headers
-- If absent in the entire file, show row/column headers
;G
-- If present, don't show default gridlines
-- If absent in the entire file, show default gridlines
Compatible fields:
At least one of ;X, ;Y, ;C, ;R, ;D, ;E, ;K, ;W, ;P, ;H, or ;G must be present.
If ;X or ;Y is present, both ;X and ;Y must be present. (This sets cell format.)
If ;X is present, ;R, ;C, ;E, ;K, ;W, ;N, ;H, ;G must be absent.
If ;R is present, ;X, ;Y, ;C, ;E, ;K, ;W, ;N, ;H, ;G must be absent. (This sets default row format.)
If ;C is present, ;X, ;Y, ;R, ;E, ;K, ;W, ;N, ;H, ;G must be absent. (This sets default column format.)
If ;D is present, ;X, ;Y, ;R, ;C must be absent. (This sets default spreadsheet format.)
If ;X, ;Y, ;R, ;C are present, ;P and/or ;F and/or ;S must be present.
O record
Use:
Options
Possible fields:
;A iter delta
-- If present, allow value iteration
-- If absent, circular references are not allowed.
-- iter (maximum number of iterations)
-- delta (step test. If smaller, then finished.)
;C
-- completion test at nearest preceding C record
;P
-- sheet is protected
;L
-- use A1 mode references
-- Even if ;L is given R1C1 references are used in SYLK file expressions.
;M
-- If present, use manual recalculation.
-- If absent, use automatic recalculation.
;E
-- Macro sheet.
-- This should appear before the first appearance of a ;G or ;F field in a NN record.
-- This should appear before the first C record which uses a macro-only function.
NU record
Use:
file name substitution
If NE record(s) are present, must precede them.
Mandatory fields:
;L filename
-- old filename
;F filename
-- new filename
NE record
Use:
external link
Mandatory fields:
;E expression
-- Target area on spreadsheet
;F filename
-- Source file
;S expression
-- Source area on external sheet
NN record
Use:
Defines names
More efficient if NN appears before name use.
Mandatory fields:
;N name
-- name
;E expression
-- expression describing value of name
Possible fields:
;G ch1 ch2
-- runable name (macro) with command key alias
;K ch1 ch2
-- ordinary name with unused comman aliases
;F
-- usable as a function
Compatible fields:
If ;G is present, ;K must be absent.
W record
Use:
Window definitions
NL record
Use:
Chart external link
E record
Use:
End of file.
Must be last record.
[edit] External links
Detailed examples can also be found at here.
Syntax for SYLK can be found at
and at
and Wotsit
