Web to Excel

Import the data from web pages and Gedcom files directly into Excel

written by Edward Rosenbaum

Upgrade to the latest version

Download the program

Purchase additional plug-ins

Online help

FAQ

What web sites does
 this program handle?

Other software by this author

Have you ever visited a web site that contained lots of useful information, and then were faced with the challenge of trying to save the data.  You may have printed out the web page, or maybe you copied the information to a piece of paper.  Later on, when you wanted to find that information, you would look through the piles of paper, hoping to find what you had printed.

The Web-to-Excel program hopes to make your life easier, by allowing you to import the data on these web pages, and from Gedcom files, directly into Excel.  Now you do not need to spend your time looking through sheets of paper.  Instead, retrieve the data in Excel, sort and manipulate the data any way that you want, and find everything quickly and easily.

This program will allow you to import the information contained on certain web pages into Excel.   Using the 'Import' tab, simply double click on the saved web page, and the 'Web to Excel' program will import the data directly into Excel.  Once you have the data in Excel, you can sort and manipulate the information, allowing you to spot additional information and patterns.

You can also combine several Excel files together. Using the 'Merge Excel files' tab, simply select the two files that you want to combine, and the 'Web to Excel' program will quickly combine the data together.  Even if the two files have different columns of data, 'Web to Excel' will figure everything out, and create a combined Excel file with all of your data.   This feature will allow you to combine web pages from multiple web sites into one central area, where you can see all of your data.

Sometimes, web pages have different column headers for the same piece of information.  For example, one page may have the column SURNAME, and another web page have the column LAST NAME.  Using the 'Manage columns' tab, you can force the 'Web to Excel' program to combine different column names together.

Finally, you can use the 'Manage relationships' tab to indicate columns of data that represent mother, fathers, spouses, etc. The 'Web to Excel' program will use these 'relationships' to create additional records in the Excel file.

New!  Web-to-Excel has been enhanced to allow you to define your own custom plug-in files.  Now you can use Web-to-Excel for any website that you want.  Simply upgrade to Web-to-Excel Pro, and extend the power of Web-to-Excel.

Below is a portion of a web page from JRI-Poland that shows information about the birth, marriage, and death of several people.

After using the Web-to-Excel program, all of the information from the original web page has been imported into Excel.  In addition, records have been created for the father and the mother.  Using the features of Excel, you can now sort and manipulate the data in many ways, allowing you to more easily find pieces of information.

This program is distributed as shareware, along with some trial 'plug-in' files.  The trial 'plug-in' files will allow you to try out the program, but it will only import about 6 lines of data into Excel.  Fully functional versions of the 'plug-in' files, along with additional 'plug-in' files can be purchased by clicking here, or by clicking on the 'Order plug-ins' button at the bottom of the program.  Once you purchase one or more plug-ins, the 'Merge Excel files' feature will be available.

Upgrading from a prior version?       

The latest versions are

Web-to-Excel version 2.4.6
Plugin-Creator version 1.1.1
Web-to-ExcelR version 1.1.1

Not sure which version you have?  In the Web-to-Excel program

  1. Click on HELP and then ABOUT.  This will show you the Web-to-Excel version number.
  2. Click on HELP and then "Which version of the Plugin Creator do I have?".  If you do not have this option, then you need upgrade your version of Web-to-Excel. 
  3. Click on HELP and then "Which version of Web-to-ExcelR do I have?".  If you do not have this option, then you need upgrade your version of Web-to-Excel. 

I already have Web-to-Excel, the Plugin Creator, and Web-to-ExcelR.  I just need to download the most recent update.

  1. Download the upgrade to your PC.  Remember the name of the directory that you download this file to.

    If you have problems downloading the file, please see I am having problems downloading the program.
  2. In Windows Explorer, click on W2E.exe in the directory that you downloaded the file into.  
  3. Follow the on-screen instructions.   By default, the program will install into the directory "c:\program files\Web to Excel".
  4. If you did not change any of the default options, you can run the program at "C:\Program Files\Web to Excel\WebToExcel.exe"  

I have Web-to-Excel, but am missing either the Plugin Creator or Web-to-ExcelR.  I need to install the Plug-in Creator and/or Web-to-ExcelR program.

  1. Download the program to your PC.  Remember the name of the directory that you download this file to.

    If you have problems downloading the file, please see I am having problems downloading the program.
  2. When asked for the file name, enter "setup-plugincreator.exe"
  3. In Windows Explorer, click on setup-plugincreator.exe in the directory that you downloaded the file into.  
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions.   By default, the program will install into the directory "c:\program files\Web to Excel".
  5. If you did not change any of the default options, you can run the program at "C:\Program Files\Web to Excel\WebToExcel.exe"  

Trying it for the first time?

NOTE: Currently this program is only available for IBM-compatibles.
  1. Download the program to your PC.  Remember the name of the directory that you download this file to.

    If you have problems downloading the file, please see I am having problems downloading the program.
  2. When asked for the file name, enter "setup-WebToExcel.exe"
  3. In Windows Explorer, click on setup-WebToExcel.exe in the directory that you downloaded the file into.  
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions.   By default, the program will install into the directory "c:\program files\Web to Excel".
  5. If you did not change any of the default options, you can run the program at "C:\Program Files\Web to Excel\WebToExcel.exe" 

Purchase the program:

This fully functional program is distributed as shareware, along with some trial 'plug-in' files.  The trial 'plug-in' files will allow you to try out the program, but it will only import about 6  lines of data into Excel.  Fully functional versions of the 'plug-in' files, along with additional 'plug-in' files can be purchased by clicking here, or by clicking on the 'Order plug-ins' button at the bottom of the program.  

Web-to-Excel can also be upgraded to the Web-to-Excel Pro version. Web-to-Excel Pro will allow you design an unlimited number of your own custom plug-ins.  A trial version of the Web-to-Excel Pro "plugin creator" feature is included in the shareware. 

Purchase additional plug-ins

Once you have installed the Web-to-Excel, you can increase the number of web sites that it can work with by purchasing additional 'plug-ins'.   To do this,

  1. Run the Web-to-Excel program
  2. Click on "Order Plug-ins", which appears at the bottom of the program
  3. You will be shown a list of the plug-ins that you currently have, and a list of available plug-ins for purchase.  
  4. Once you have made your selection, and pressed the ORDER NOW button, you will be told the final cost and be prompted to pay using your credit card and PayPal. 
  5. Once your payment has been made, you will be shown a web page with  with instructions and links for downloading your new plug-ins.
  6. Exit and re-start the Web-to-Excel program, and you will be able to work with these new web sites.

Click here for a list of available website 'plug-ins'.

NOTE: Web-to-Excel can also be upgraded to the Web-to-Excel Pro version. Web-to-Excel Pro will allow you design an unlimited number of your own custom plug-ins.

FAQ:

Question: I am getting the error 'No CE Signature Found' when trying to install the program

This error is caused when the file download did not complete successfully.  Please download the file again.  If you continue to have problems, look at I am having problems downloading the program.

Question: I am getting the error 'The file may not be supported by AOL.  AOL will try to open it as a test
file if you choose to continue' when trying to install the program

If America Online is your default Web browser, use Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator as your default Web browser.  For information about changing your default Web browser, see the online Help in Internet Explorer or Navigator, or contact AOL for instructions.

Question: I am having problems downloading the program

You may be having problems downloading the file due to its size.  I would suggest that you download and install Netscape's SmartDownload.  

"SmartDownload is a service from Netscape Netcenter designed to assist you with downloading files from the Internet. Key features of SmartDownload are its ability to pause and resume downloads, recover from a dropped Internet connection, and show informative content from Netcenter while downloading."  

Read more about SmartDownload 

Download SmartDownload

If you continue to have problems downloading the file, please contact me, and I will email you the file.

Question: I cannot see the entire screen.  The right side and bottom are missing.

One of two things can cause this problem.

  1. Your computer resolution is set to 600x480.  This program requires a minimum resolution of 800x600.  To change the resolution of your monitor, please do the following
  1. Minimize any programs that you have running so that you can see your computers desktop.
  2. Click on MY COMPUTER
  3. Click on CONTROL PANEL
  4. Click on DISPLAY
  5. Click on the SETTINGS tab
  6. Change the resolution to 800x600
  7. Click on OK

or

  1. Your computer is set to LARGE fonts.  This program requires SMALL fonts.  To change the font size, please do the following
  1. Minimize any programs that you have running so that you can see your computers desktop.
  2. Click on MY COMPUTER
  3. Click on CONTROL PANEL
  4. Click on DISPLAY
  5. Click on the SETTINGS tab
  6. Click in the ADVANCED button
  7. Change the FONT SIZE to SMALL
  8. Click on OK
  9. Click on OK again

Question: I downloaded the files, but do not know what to do with them

  1. When you downloaded the file setup-WebToExcel.exe, you indicated where on your computer the file should be saved.  Let us assume the name of this directory is c:\windows\temp.   Using Windows Explorer, go to this directory and run setup-WebToExcel.exe (it might appear as setup-Web to Excel application).  setup-WebToExcel.exe is a self extracting zip file, and will prompt you for where the extracted files should go.  Enter the directory on your computer that the extracted files should go, and press FINISH.
  2. Once you have run the setup-WebToExcel.exe program, use Windows Explorer and go to the directory that you 'unzipped' the files to.   In this directory you need to run the file setup.exe (it might appear as setup application).  Follow the on-screen instructions to install the program.

Question: I want to uninstall the program.  How do I do this?

  1. Using Windows Explorer, delete the "c:\program files\Web to Excel" folder.

Question: Is there a MAC version?

Unfortunately, there is currently no MAC version available.  

Question: What is a 'plug-in'?

A 'plug-in' is a file that you can download to your computer, and is then used by the Web-to-Excel program to know what to do.  The use of 'plug-in' files will allow you to add additional web sites to this program without having to install any additional software.

Question: What is the difference between Web-to-Excel and Web-to-Excel Pro?

Web-to-Excel is the program for importing data on web pages into Excel.  Data can be imported from any website for which a plug-in file has been created (What web sites does  this program handle?).  

Web-to-Excel Pro extends the power of Web-to-Excel by allowing you to define your own custom plug-in files.  This customizable ability will allow you to import data from many more sites then the basic Web-to-Excel program allows.

Question: When are new 'plug-ins' made available?

Additional web site 'plug-ins' are made available from time to time.  If there is a specific web site that you would like added to this program,  please let me know.