Approach to embedding excel using javascript

Development

AI-generated summary

In a Dev category discussion titled ‘Approach to embedding excel using javascript,’ bquast seeks to allow forum members to embed Excel spreadsheets via JavaScript, specifically using OneDrive’s embed script. However, Discourse strips such scripts for security. Jagster questions the necessity and usability, especially on mobile, prompting bquast to clarify that spreadsheets are essential for explaining Excel-based workflows — neither code nor screenshots suffice. He’s open to resizing and acknowledges mobile limitations. pfaffman suggests a theme component with BBCode that validates OneDrive URLs. Heliosurge references the Table Builder theme component, which offers Excel-like features (paid for advanced tools). bquast confirms he authored that thread and sees both tools as useful for different cases. He’s using a forked basic editor plugin and wonders if post-processing (e.g., auto-converting OneDrive URLs to embed code) is feasible 7 — possibly via modifying the post-cooking process 8. He later finds a 9-year-old plugin by Daniel Fernández for Google Sheets, which uses iframes (Discourse-friendly) and partially works after URL whitelisting, though it breaks his WYSIWYG editor. He prefers JavaScript but acknowledges iframes as a viable fallback.

1

I would like my members to be able to add an embedded Excel spreadsheet to their posts. This can be accomplished with javascript, e.g.:

<div id="myExcelDiv" style="width: 402px; height: 346px"></div>
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?resid=6C685993F809A9F8%212757&authkey=%21AABR6KgqMF_ImYs&em=3&wdDivId=%22myExcelDiv%22&wdDownloadButton=1&wdAllowInteractivity=0&wdAllowTyping=1"></script>

But - understandably - this is removed from any post, what would be an approach to make something like this possible?

EDIT Bonus points for a solution that only allows javascript from e.g. https://onedrivelive.com/embed or

2

Stupid question, but… why? Why would’t you want let people use what ever softwear they want and have?

I just wondering myself in the situation where an excel sheet size of 402x345px with all toolbars etc is served inside of a discourse topic and I have a mobile in use. That is.. quite hard to use.

So, the main question is here what are you trying to achieve — because that dictates what the best solution is, embedding or something else.

3

Thank you, I appreciate that it is not perfect. I want people to “speak” Excel on my forum. Spreadsheets are a format that are neither code, nor screenshot-able.

If you are trying to understand an explanation of how something is done in Excel, you need to look at the sheet at the same time.

That size was just from example code, I’m not wedded to that.

You cannot have all the toolbars, I would actually like to keep the Formula Bar, but this is not possible (there is no argument for this).

It will be a challenge to do this well on mobile, but TBH spreadsheets and mobile just don’t go together (although discussion about spreadsheets should be possible).

Does that clarify a bit?

ps. I didn’t quite understand what you mean with

4

Your could message s theme component that added a bbcode for those and have it check that the url was from the right place.

5

If you take a look at Table builder Customization > Theme component there is a discussion there on adding excell like features. But requires the paid version? for the advanced features.

Here is I think the beginning of the discussion.

https://meta.discourse.org/t/table-builder/236016/94?u=heliosurge

6

Thank you, indeed, I wrote that post.

I think both are interesting for different use cases.

7

I’m using the basic editor plugin (forked to get it running again), it would be nice to find a solution that could work with this.

Perhaps members could simply post the public OneDrive URL and I could automatically replace it with the javascript.

Is this something that is common? (post-processing of posts)

8

Reading more, this probably could be done with a modification (adding) to the post-cooking process

9

I found a (9 yo) plugin by @naveedahmada036 that does something like this for Google Sheets:

https://github.com/naveed-ahmad/plugin_discourse_spreadsheet

I tried it out, it more or less works (I need to whitelist google docs URLs). EDIT: I tried to whitelist option, but still not working well.

The plugin uses iframes (which are well supported in Discourse), This could be a solution for me, but I think it would be nicer to use javascripts.

This plugin also broke my WYSIWYG plugin basic editor, I wonder why.

EDIT 2: the plugin is actually by Daniel Fernández, I presume @Daniel_Fernandez_Pes