Radgrid with Dynamic Columns bound to excelworkbook dropping columns

[Wired_Nerve]

I have an excelworkbook the user has saved to the server.
I have a radgrid that is being databound to this excel workbook.
This workbook can have varying number of columns so I cannot hardcode the columns

Each column will have various datatypes in them.. For example
Column 1 will be mixed alphanumeric values
Column 2 will be dates
Column 3 will be mixed alphanumerics

When I bind the excelworkbook to the radgrid all of the alpha numeric columns (Letters and numbers) do not show up.. 

ANy idea on how to fix this issue?

I am using the following code plex project to translate the excel workbook into a dataset with tables for each tab in the excel workbook:
http://exceldatareader.codeplex.com/

The code that actual binds the radgrid:

protected DataSet Data
       {
           get
           {
               if (Application["data"] == null)
               {
                   return null;
               }
               return Application["data"] as DataSet;
           }
       }

private void ImportFromExcel()

     {

         // Bind Data and populate Dropdown

 

         string filePath = String.Format("~/ImportProduction/{0}", FileName);

         FileStream stream = File.Open(Server.MapPath(filePath), FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read);

         IExcelDataReader excelReader = ExcelReaderFactory.CreateOpenXmlReader(stream);

 

         excelReader.IsFirstRowAsColumnNames = firstRowIsHeaderRowCheckBox.Checked;

 

         Application["data"] = excelReader.AsDataSet();

         excelReader.Close();

 

 

 

         foreach (DataTable t in Data.Tables)

         {

             var name = t.TableName;

             var index = Data.Tables.IndexOf(t);

             RadComboBoxItem item = new RadComboBoxItem(name, index.ToString());

             RadComboBox1.Items.Add(item);

         }


         RadGridImport.Rebind();

         

     }

protected void RadGridImport_NeedDataSource(object sender, Telerik.Web.UI.GridNeedDataSourceEventArgs e)
      {
          if (Data != null)
          {
              var selectedWorkSheet = RadComboBox1.SelectedIndex;
              if (selectedWorkSheet != -1) (sender as RadGrid).DataSource = Data.Tables[selectedWorkSheet]; ValidateButton.Enabled = true;
          }
      }

[Wired_Nerve]

A bit more info:
The general idea here is for the radgrid to render all the datasets table columns as strings and to not worry about converting them to the correct datatype...

[Wired_Nerve]

Still having issues with this.

I confirmed the Dataset tables has the columns that the dynamic radgrid is not displaying...

[Daniel]

Hello Warren,

The problem is that the AsDataSet method returns columns of an "object" type when there is mixed content inside the Excel columns. The only workaround I can think of (apart from messing with the source code) is to create another table and import the data from the old one. This might be needed because you won't be able to change the columns' datatype when the corresponding cells and rows are filled with data.

Regards,
Daniel
Telerik

[Kunal]

Thanks, you confirmed what I thought I was going to have to do.

You folks rock btw!  

Happy holidays and all that good stuff.  ;)