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Merged Cells

File Format Support (click to show)

By default, no cells are merged. Merge metadata is ignored when exporting to a file format that does not support merge cells.

Formats store the actual contents of a merged cell in the "top-left" corner (first row and first column of the merge range). Some formats can hold data for cells that are covered by the merge range.

FormatsMergeCovered
XLSX/XLSM✔✔
XLSB✔✔
XLML✔✔
BIFF8 XLS✔✔
ODS/FODS✔✔
NUMBERS✔✔
HTML✔

There are multiple representations of merge cells in the NUMBERS file format. Writers use the simplified .TST.MergeRegionMapArchive representation. Parsers understand the classic form and the modern .TST.MergeOwnerArchive form.

Modern spreadsheet software typically allow users to combine blocks of cells into a single unit. This unit can span multiple columns and rows. As shown in the following table, HTML TH and TD elements use colspan and rowspan attributes to effectuate merging:

This title spans four columns
SheetJSsupportsmergecells

This feature was expanded in version 0.20.3. It is strongly recommended to upgrade to the latest version.

Storage​

The !merges property of the worksheet object is expected to be an array of SheetJS range objects. Each range object corresponds to a merged range in the worksheet.

The following snippet creates a merge range spanning A1:B2 :

Merge the range A1:B2 in a worksheet
ws["!merges"] = [
  { s: { c: 0, r: 0 }, e: { c: 1, r: 1 } }  // A1:B2
];

Overlapping merges are not automatically detected!

Range​

The decode_range method creates range objects from A1-style range strings.

The following snippet creates a merge range spanning A1:B2 :

Merge the range A1:B2 in a worksheet
ws["!merges"] = [
  XLSX.utils.decode_range("A1:B2")
];

Overlap​

When adding merges to an existing workbook, it is strongly recommended to scan the merges array and test for collisions:

Add a merged range to a worksheet
function sheet_add_merge(ws, range) {
  /* if `range` is a string, parse into a range object */
  var merge = typeof range == "string" ? XLSX.utils.decode_range(range) : range;

  /* create array merge if it does not exist */
  if(!ws["!merges"]) ws["!merges"] = [];

  /* check if the new merge collides with any existing merge */
  ws["!merges"].forEach(function(range) {
    if(merge.e.r < range.s.r) return;
    if(range.e.r < merge.s.r) return;
    if(merge.e.c < range.s.c) return;
    if(range.e.c < merge.s.c) return;
    throw new Error(XLSX.utils.encode_range(merge)+" overlaps "+XLSX.utils.encode_range(range));
  });

  /* add merge */
  ws["!merges"].push(merge);
}

Cells​

Spreadsheet tools will store and use the top-left cell of a merge range. For example, if the range B2:C5 is merged, the cell corresponding to the range will be stored in the worksheet in cell B2.

Covered Cells​

Spreadsheet tools can store cells that are covered by a merged cell.

The SheetJS worksheet object can store covered cells. API Functions may omit or include covered cells.

Live Demo​

This example generates a worksheet that matches the following screenshot:

screenshot

The merge ranges are A1:B2, C1:C2, A3:B3, D1:D2, and A4:B4.

Result
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Live Editor
function SheetJSMergeCellsExport() { return (<button onClick={() => {
  /* write data to the top-left corner of each range */
  var ws = XLSX.utils.aoa_to_sheet([
    ["A1:B2",  /* B1 */, "C1:C2",  "Separate blocks"], // row 1
    [],                                                // row 2
    ["A3:B3",  /* B3 */, "C3"],                        // row 3
    ["... are merged separately"],                     // row 4
  ]);
  /* add merges */
  ws["!merges"] = [
    { s: { c: 0, r: 0 }, e: { c: 1, r: 1 } },  // A1:B2
    { s: { c: 2, r: 0 }, e: { c: 2, r: 1 } },  // C1:C2
    { s: { c: 0, r: 2 }, e: { c: 1, r: 2 } },  // A3:B3
    { s: { c: 3, r: 0 }, e: { c: 3, r: 1 } },  // D1:D2
    { s: { c: 0, r: 3 }, e: { c: 1, r: 3 } }   // A4:B4
  ];
  /* export to XLSX */
  var wb = XLSX.utils.book_new(ws, "Merges");
  XLSX.writeFile(wb, "SheetJSMergeCells.xlsx");
}}><b>Click here to Export</b></button>); }

Functions​

HTML​

table_to_sheet and table_to_book will generate worksheets that include merged ranges:

Live Demo (click to show)
Result
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Live Editor
function SheetJSDOMMergedCells() {
  const ref = React.useRef(null);
  const [ merges, setMerges ] = React.useState([]);

  React.useEffect(() => {
    if(ref.current) {
      const tbl = ref.current.getElementsByTagName("TABLE");
      if(!tbl || !tbl[0]) return;
      const ws = XLSX.utils.table_to_sheet(tbl[0]);
      console.log(ws["!merges"])
      setMerges(ws["!merges"] || []);
    }
  }, [ref])
  const ws = XLSX.utils.aoa_to_sheet([
    ["A1:B1 is merged", "This cell is covered" ],
    ["A2 is not merged", "B2 is not merged"]
  ]);
  ws["!merges"] = [XLSX.utils.decode_range("A1:B1")];
  const __html = XLSX.utils.sheet_to_html(ws);

  return ( <>
    <b>Table:</b>
    <div ref={ref} dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{__html}}/>
    <b>Merges:</b>
    <pre>{merges ? merges.map(m =>  XLSX.utils.encode_range(m)).join("\n") : ""}</pre>
  </> );
}

sheet_to_html will generate HTML strings that use colspan and rowspan for merged ranges:

Live Demo (click to show)
Result
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Live Editor
function SheetJSHTMLMergedCells() {
  const ws = XLSX.utils.aoa_to_sheet([
    ["A1:B1 is merged", "This cell is covered" ],
    ["A2 is not merged", "B2 is not merged"]
  ]);
  ws["!merges"] = [XLSX.utils.decode_range("A1:B1")];
  const __html = XLSX.utils.sheet_to_html(ws);
  return ( <div dangerouslySetInnerHTML={{__html}}/> );
}

Reading Files​

read and readFile will extract merge metadata from supported files.

Writing Files​

write and writeFile will attempt to write merge metadata when exporting to file formats that support merged ranges.

When writing to CSV and other formats that do not support merged ranges, every cell in the range will be exported. This includes covered cells!

Live Demo (click to show)
Result
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Live Editor
function SheetJSCSVMergedCells() {
  const ws = XLSX.utils.aoa_to_sheet([
    ["A1:B1 is merged", "This cell is covered" ],
    ["A2 is not merged", "B2 is not merged"]
  ]);
  ws["!merges"] = [XLSX.utils.decode_range("A1:B1")];
  const wb = XLSX.utils.book_new(ws, "Sheet1");
  const csv = XLSX.write(wb, { type: "string", bookType: "csv"});
  return ( <pre>{csv}</pre> );
}

Exporting Data​

sheet_to_csv and sheet_to_json do not support merged ranges. The exports will include covered cells:

Live Demo (click to show)
Result
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Live Editor
function SheetJSAOAMergedCells() {
  const ws = XLSX.utils.aoa_to_sheet([
    ["A1:B1 is merged", "This cell is covered" ],
    ["A2 is not merged", "B2 is not merged"]
  ]);
  ws["!merges"] = [XLSX.utils.decode_range("A1:B1")];
  const aoa = XLSX.utils.sheet_to_json(ws, {header:1});
  return ( <pre>{JSON.stringify(aoa,2,2)}</pre> );
}