How to Import Excel Sheets to R

There are a number of ways to import Excel sheets into R. My favourite is tidyverse package readxl. In this video I demonstrate a number of tips and tricks to use this package more effectively.

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# part of the tidyverse package but not core so needs library()
library(readxl)

# sample Excel files
readxl_example()

# setting a path+file name for convenient examples
readxl_example("datasets.xlsx")
datasets <- readxl_example("datasets.xlsx")
read_excel(datasets)
mydata <- read_excel(datasets) 

# Specify sheet either by position or by name
read_excel(datasets, 2)
read_excel(datasets, "mtcars")

# Skip rows and use default column names
read_excel(datasets, skip = 148, col_names = FALSE)

# Recycle a single column type
read_excel(datasets, col_types = "text")

# Specify some col_types and guess others
read_excel(datasets, col_types = c("text", "guess", "numeric", "guess", "guess"))

# Limit the number of data rows read
read_excel(datasets, n_max = 3)

# Read from an Excel range using A1 or R1C1 notation
read_excel(datasets, range = "C1:E7")
read_excel(datasets, range = "R1C2:R2C5")

# Specify the sheet as part of the range
read_excel(datasets, range = "mtcars!B1:D5")

# Read only specific rows or columns
read_excel(datasets, range = cell_rows(102:151), col_names = FALSE)
read_excel(datasets, range = cell_cols("B:D"))

# Get a preview of column names
names(read_excel(datasets, n_max = 0))

# "universal" names are unique and syntactic
deathspath <- readxl_example("deaths.xlsx")
read_excel(deathspath,
  range = "arts!A5:F15",
  .name_repair = "universal")