RedisExcel

TL-DR: Read Installing in Excel and Download Releases

Integration between Redis and Excel using RTD (Real-Time Data) and UDF (User Defined Functions), developed in C# (.NET Framework 4.8) with ExcelDna. Supports Pub/Sub and polling with GET, HGET, HGETALL, SUB, PSUB commands and various UDF operations to interact with Redis.

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🧹 Installing in Excel

Quick Installation

1. Download the latest release from GitHub (.xll, .dll) - Download Releases

2. Download NLog config example files

3. Download RedisExcel.json file

4. Place (.xll, .dll, NLog.config) files in the same local folder

5. In Excel: File > Options > Add-ins

   • Click Go..., then Browse..., and select the .xll file

6. The RedisExcel.json file can be placed in - Example

• The user folder (%USERPROFILE%) - Example: c:\Users\rspadim\RedisExcel.json
• The Excel folder
• Or C:\Windows\RedisExcel.json

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🚀 Example: Publishing from Python

import redis

r = redis.StrictRedis(host='localhost', port=6379, db=0)

# Set a key
r.set("preco_btc", "67000.50")

# Publish to a channel
r.publish("canal_alerta", "ALTA")

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🚀 Example: Publishing from Excel (send data)

=RedisUDFSet("preco_btc", "67000.50")                          // send SET message (key-value database)
=RedisUDFChannelPublish("canal_alerta", "ALTA")                // send PUB/SUB message
=RedisUDFChannelPublishJSON("range_of_data", A1:C20)           // send PUB/SUB Matrix, encoded as JSON

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🚀 Example: Subscribe and UDF from Excel (fetch data)

=RedisUDFGet("preco_btc", "67000.50")                          // receive GET (key-value database) with UDF (no character limit)
=RTD("RedisRtd", , "GET", "canal_alerta")                      // receive GET (key-value database - automatic pooling) with RTD (max of 255 characters)
=RedisUDFChannelLatest("canal_alerta")                         // receive PUB/SUB with UDF (no character limit)
=RTD("RedisRtd", , "SUB", "canal_alerta")                      // receive PUB/SUB with RTD (max of 255 characters)
=RedisUDFJSONToMatrix(RedisUDFChannelLatest("range_of_data"))  // receive PUB/SUB Matrix using UDF (no RTD)

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🛠️ Build Instructions

Requirements

• Visual Studio 2022+

• .NET Framework 4.8

• NuGet packages:

  • ExcelDna.AddIn
  • ExcelDna.Integration
  • ExcelDna.IntelliSense
  • StackExchange.Redis
  • NLog
  • Newtonsoft.Json

Steps

git clone https://github.com/rspadim/RedisExcel.git

1. Open the project in Visual Studio
2. Restore NuGet packages
3. Build in Release mode — .xll will be generated in bin\Release

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🔎 Excel Examples

Pub/Sub

=RTD("RedisRtd", , "SUB", "canal_alerta", "localhost:6379")
=RTD("RedisRtd", , "SUB", "canal_alerta", "dev") // can find an alias using `RedisExcel.json` file
=RTD("RedisRtd", , "SUB", "canal_alerta")  // uses default host if omitted

You can find other connection string formats in the StackExchange.Redis configuration manual.

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📊 Available RTD Functions

Function	Description
RedisRTDConnectionCount	Number of active Redis connections
RedisRTDSubscriptionCount	Number of active Redis subscriptions
RedisRTDTopicCount	Total number of RTD topics registered
RedisRTDChannelCount	Number of distinct subscribed channels
RedisRTDDefaultHost	Current default Redis host
RedisRTDExcelUpdateInterval	Excel update interval (ms)
RedisRTDRedisUpdateInterval	Redis polling interval (ms)
RedisRTDRealTimeUpdates	Is real-time update enabled? (bool)

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RTD Parameters Reference

When calling the Excel RTD function like this:

=RTD("RedisRtd", , param1, param2, param3, param4)

Each parameter has a specific meaning depending on the RTD command.

RTD Parameters Breakdown

Param	Description
param1	Command: GET, HGET, HGETALL, SUB, PSUB
param2	Key, hash, or channel name
param3	Host (optional for GET/HGETALL/SUB/PSUB), or field (HGET)
param4	Host (only used in HGET if param3 is the field name)

If param3 or param4 are omitted, the default host will be used. You can use aliases from your RedisExcel.json.

Supported RTD Commands

Command	Description	Arguments
GET	Polls a Redis key	key, [host]
HGET	Polls a field in a Redis hash	hash, field, [host]
HGETALL	Polls all fields in a Redis hash	hash, [host]
SUB	Subscribes to a Redis channel	channel, [host]
PSUB	Subscribes to a Redis pattern	pattern, [host]

All commands support specifying either a full connection string or a named host defined in the RedisExcel.json file.

💡 Available UDF Functions

Functions to use directly in Excel cells:

Function	Description	Parameters
RedisUDFGet	Get the value of a key	key, optionalHost
RedisUDFSet	Set the value of a key	key, value, optionalHost
RedisUDFSetJSON	Set JSON-encoded data	key, matrix, optionalHost
RedisUDFSetKV / SetKVPair	Set key-value pairs	keys, values / pairs, optionalHost
RedisUDFGetMultiple	Get multiple keys	keys[], multipleColumnsOpt, optionalHost
RedisUDFExists / ExistsMultiples	Check key existence	key / keys[], optionalHost
RedisUDFTTL / TTLMultiples	Time-to-live (TTL) for keys	key / keys[], optionalHost
RedisUDFHashSet/Get/...	Redis Hash operations	see combinations
RedisUDFChannelPublish/...	Pub/Sub operations	channel, message, optionalHost
RedisUDFJSONToMatrix	Convert JSON → Excel matrix	json, nullValue
RedisUDFMatrixToJSON	Convert Excel matrix → JSON	matrix
RedisUDFServerTime	Redis server current time	optionalHost
RedisUDFKeys	List keys by pattern	pattern, optionalHost
RedisUDFConnectionCount	Number of active UDF connections	None

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📝 Configuration Files

Example: NLog.config

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<nlog xmlns="http://www.nlog-project.org/schemas/NLog.xsd"
      xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">

  <targets>
    <target name="file" xsi:type="File"
            fileName="RedisExcel.log"
            layout="${longdate}|${level:uppercase=true}|${logger}|${message} ${exception:format=toString}"
            archiveFileName="RedisExcel.${environment-user}.{#}.log"
            archiveAboveSize="104857600"
            archiveNumbering="Rolling"
            maxArchiveFiles="5"
            concurrentWrites="true"
            keepFileOpen="true"
            encoding="utf-8" />
  </targets>

  <rules>
    <logger name="*" minlevel="Debug" writeTo="file" />
  </rules>
</nlog>

JSON Configuration (RedisExcel.json)

{
  "RTD": {
    "host": "localhost:6379",
    "timeout": 1000,
    "RedisUpdateRateMs": 1000,
    "ExcelUpdateRateMS": 100,
    "MessageCounterThreshold": 1000,
    "ExcelUpdateStyle": "Automatic",
    "UseGetMultiple": true
  },
  "UDF": {
    "host": "localhost:6379",
    "timeout": 1000
  },
  "Servers": {
    "prod": "localhost:6379,defaultDatabase=0",
    "dev": "localhost:6379,defaultDatabase=1"
  }
}

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♻️ Force Update in Excel

• Press F9
• Or use VBA:

Dim nextUpdate As Date

Sub RefreshRTD()
    Sheet1.Calculate
    nextUpdate = Now + TimeValue("00:00:01")
    Application.OnTime nextUpdate, "RefreshRTD"
End Sub

Sub StopUpdate()
    On Error Resume Next
    Application.OnTime nextUpdate, "RefreshRTD", , False
End Sub

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📬 Contact

Open an issue on GitHub or email as instructed in the repository.