How long does it take to load a 2GB Excel document?

[Tripredacus]

I was reading this blog here:

http://blogs.technet.com/office2010/archive/2010/02/23/understanding-64-bit-office.aspx

About reasons why you would want to consider going with Office 2010 64-bit version. I'm thinking... OK I am a lead designer on a project to build an aircraft carrier (this is a weird example by them as it is) and I need to use 2GB Excel spreadsheets...

My first thought was... how long would it take to open a 2GB Excel file? Ever try to open a 10MB text file with Notepad? Ever a 100MB file? Usually it sits around for a REAL long time before giving you an error. OK, maybe Notepad is not a good example, but still...

Then a co-worker said that if you are dealing with 2GB spreadsheets, you probably shouldn't be using Excel.

[CoffeeFiend]

OK I am a lead designer on a project to build an aircraft carrier (this is a weird example by them as it is) and I need to use 2GB Excel spreadsheets...

Uncommon? Indeed, but it's really not that weird. If you had ever seen the parts lists of your average ship... Major assemblies, sub assemblies, sub-sub assemblies and so on (it can be fairly deep), all the way down to tiny little parts (e.g. nuts & bolts).

Then a co-worker said that if you are dealing with 2GB spreadsheets, you probably shouldn't be using Excel.

The thing is most CAD programs usually output the BOM to an Excel sheet or compatible format (at least SolidWorks, OrCAD/Allegro and Altium Designer do, and I believe CATIA as well which is what you'd likely be using for an aircraft carrier, as well as AutoCAD, Pro/E, etc). It's a standard "exchange" format for this kind of work. Then if you want you can mass insert all that in a database and go from there.

My first thought was... how long would it take to open a 2GB Excel file?

Haven't tried but it's probably measured in gray hairs.

[allen2]

Even with the best and faster hardware, it would probably crash before loading all the spreadsheets as most 75MB excel files won't work very well with other versions...

Another 'good' test worth seeing:

- export an excel file as csv with the same value in a column and whatever you want in the other,

- make at least 1MB .CSV

- open it with notepad and replace the value (the one that is the same in the column) with another one

- do the same with pspad or notepad++ both free.

Notepad can take up to 10min to do it, the others do it in 1s or 2s max....