How to read cell data in excel and output to command prompt - excel

Question

I'm a sys admin and I am trying to learn how to use powershell... I have never done any type of scripting or coding before and I have been teaching myself online by learning from the technet script centre and online forums.
What I am trying to accomplish is to open an excel spreadsheet get information from it (usernames and password) and then output it into the command prompt in powershell. When ever I try to do this I get an Exception calling "InvokeMember" anyway, here is the code I have so far:
function Invoke([object]$m, [string]$method, $parameters)
{
$m.PSBase.GetType().InvokeMember(
$method, [Reflection.BindingFlags]::InvokeMethod, $null, $m, $parameters,$ciUS )
}
$ciUS = [System.Globalization.CultureInfo]'en-US'
$objExcel = New-Object -comobject Excel.Application $objExcel.Visible = $False $objExcel.DisplayAlerts = $False
$objWorkbook = Invoke $objExcel.Workbooks.Open "C:\PS\User Data.xls" Write-Host "Numer of worksheets: " $objWorkbook.Sheets.Count
$objWorksheet = $objWorkbook.Worksheets.Item(1) Write-Host "Worksheet: " $objWorksheet.Name
$Forename = $objWorksheet.Cells.Item(2,1).Text $Surname = $objWorksheet.Cells.Item(2,2).Text
Write-Host "Forename: " $Forename Write-Host "Surname: " $Surname
$objExcel.Quit() If (ps excel) { kill -name excel}
I have read many different posts on forums and articles on how to try and get around the en-US problem but I cannot seem to get around it and hope that someone here can help!
Here is the Exeption problem I mentioned:
Exception calling "InvokeMember" with "6" argument(s): "Method 'System.Management.Automation.PSMethod.C:\PS\User Data.x
ls' not found."
At C:\PS\excel.ps1:3 char:33
+ $m.PSBase.GetType().InvokeMember <<<< (
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodInvocationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : DotNetMethodException
Numer of worksheets: You cannot call a method on a null-valued expression. At C:\PS\excel.ps1:18 char:45 + $objWorksheet = $objWorkbook.Worksheets.Item <<<< (1) + CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (Item:String) [], RuntimeException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvokeMethodOnNull
Worksheet: You cannot call a method on a null-valued expression. At C:\PS\excel.ps1:21 char:37 + $Forename = $objWorksheet.Cells.Item <<<< (2,1).Text + CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (Item:String) [], RuntimeException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvokeMethodOnNull
You cannot call a method on a null-valued expression. At C:\PS\excel.ps1:22 char:36 + $Surname = $objWorksheet.Cells.Item <<<< (2,2).Text + CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (Item:String) [], RuntimeException + FullyQualifiedErrorId : InvokeMethodOnNull
Forename:
Surname:
This is the first question I have ever asked, try to be nice! :))
Many Thanks
Max

Answer 1

I find OLE DB and the Office 2007 drivers a little easier to use. If you don't have Office 2007, you can download the drivers from MS.
$filepath = 'C:\Users\u00\documents\backupset.xlsx'
$connString = "Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=`"$filepath`";Extended Properties=`"Excel 12.0 Xml;HDR=YES`";"
#Connection String for Excel 2003:
#$connString = "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=`"$filepath`";Extended Properties=`"Excel 8.0;HDR=Yes;IMEX=1`";"
$qry = 'select * from [sheet1$]'
$conn = New-Object System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection
$conn.ConnectionString = $connString
$conn.open()
$cmd = new-object System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand($qry,$conn)
$da = new-object System.Data.OleDb.OleDbDataAdapter($cmd)
$dt = new-object System.Data.dataTable
[void]$da.fill($dt)
$conn.close()
$dt

Answer 2

thanks for your help...I have fixed the problem! I was using PowerShell V2 CTP2, now I have upgraded to CTP3 this has fixed the language barrier problem and I can now run scripts without worrying about the invoke function and all is fine!
Many Thanks
Max