[Techtalk] Perl module Spreadsheet::ParseExcel question

[mgmonza at sdf.lonestar.org]

Hi,

I thought I'd run this by y'all:  I'm fairly new to perl but liking it
hugely.  For a number of reasons, I've been using SAS on Windows XP as a
front-end to load Excel spreadsheets to an Oracle database stored on Unix.
This really is relatively simple and was the best solution at the time.

Now, however, I seem to have reached the limits of it's being a simple
solution - multiple worksheets with names other than sheet1, sheet2, etc.
I have been looking at perl's dbi to Oracle as a front-end, with possibly
the CPAN module Spreadsheet::ParseExcel to read in the spreadsheets. Only
problem is, I don't have administrator rights on the server, there's an
enormous administrative hassle in even asking questions about the Unix
environment due to centralized hubristic IT unit and
Spreadsheet::writeExcel is installed, but not Spreadsheet::ParseExcel, no
idea why.  Like the bear in Pogo, I can write, but not read Excel in this
environment.

Has anyone anyone used Spreadsheet::ParseExcel?  Can it be run from one's
own usr-bin?  Does it need any other modules installed?

Thanks very much -

Kathleen