How objects are packed in Excel export files

When users export objects to Excel, objects in the database are examined to determine if their levels match the key fields in the rule table of the selected template. For the object currently being processed, data is placed in the export file as follows:

• If the level of the current object is lower than the level of the previous object, data for the current object is placed in a new row.
• If the level of the current object is greater than or equal to the level of the previous object:
  • If the cells following the previous object are empty, data for the current object is placed in the same row.
  • If the cells following the previous object contain any character, data for the current object is placed in a new row.

Note:

• Objects are packed only if the user exports all objects in the view. If the user exports selected objects only, each object's data is placed on a separate row.
• A cell that contains a space is considered empty. To keep a cell from being overwritten, enter a visible character in the cell.
• Siemens Digital Industries Software recommends not applying any formatting to a cell where you intend to begin one object on the same row after another object — cell formatting may be processed as content, which can prevent the desired object placement.

Example

Assume objects A, D, and E are at level one, and objects B, C, F, and G are at level two, with property tags 1, 2, 3, 4 in the template's property columns and key fields {%L-1} and {%L-2} in the rule table (per level).

By default (without packing), the output produces separate rows for each object: A1/A2/A3, B1/B4, C1/C4, D1/D2/D3, E1/E2/E3, F1/F4, G1/G4 — each on its own row.

When the Apply Packing value is applied to the template's Excel Template Rules property: B1/B4 (and F1/F4) are placed in the row above with the parent objects, while C1/C4 (and G1/G4) are placed in the row immediately below — packing the level-two children into fewer rows alongside their level-one parents.