Fixed issue with variables not being updated in Excel file

direct_xml_update.py

@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ def update_excel_with_direct_xml(excel_path, store_name):
     """
     Update all references to {store_name} in the Excel file by directly modifying XML
     
+    This function preserves all cell values and formulas that were previously set
+    by the update_excel_variables function.
+    
     Args:
         excel_path: Path to the Excel file
         store_name: The store name to replace {store_name} with
@@ -39,26 +42,30 @@ def update_excel_with_direct_xml(excel_path, store_name):
                     
                     # Only modify XML files that might contain formulas or text
                     if item.filename.endswith('.xml'):
-                        # Convert to string for text replacement
+                        # Skip sheet8.xml which is the Variables sheet (based on common Excel structure)
-                        try:
+                        if 'sheet8.xml' in item.filename:
-                            text_content = content.decode('utf-8')
+                            print(f"Skipping Variables sheet: {item.filename}")
-                            
+                        else:
-                            # Check if this file contains our placeholder
+                            # Convert to string for text replacement
-                            if '{store_name}' in text_content:
+                            try:
-                                # Count occurrences before replacement
+                                text_content = content.decode('utf-8')
-                                occurrences = text_content.count('{store_name}')
-                                total_replacements += occurrences
                                 
-                                # Replace all instances of {store_name} with the actual store name
+                                # Check if this file contains our placeholder
-                                modified_content = text_content.replace('{store_name}', store_name)
+                                if '{store_name}' in text_content:
-                                
+                                    # Count occurrences before replacement
-                                # Convert back to bytes
+                                    occurrences = text_content.count('{store_name}')
-                                content = modified_content.encode('utf-8')
+                                    total_replacements += occurrences
-                                
+                                    
-                                print(f"Replaced {occurrences} instances of '{{store_name}}' in {item.filename}")
+                                    # Replace all instances of {store_name} with the actual store name
-                        except UnicodeDecodeError:
+                                    modified_content = text_content.replace('{store_name}', store_name)
-                            # Not a text file, leave as is
+                                    
-                            pass
+                                    # Convert back to bytes
+                                    content = modified_content.encode('utf-8')
+                                    
+                                    print(f"Replaced {occurrences} instances of '{{store_name}}' in {item.filename}")
+                            except UnicodeDecodeError:
+                                # Not a text file, leave as is
+                                pass
                     
                     # Write the file (original or modified) to the new zip
                     zip_out.writestr(item, content)

server.js

@@ -35,22 +35,33 @@ app.post('/calculate', async (req, res) => {
     await updateConfig(formData);
     console.log('Config file updated successfully');
     
-    // Run Python script to create Excel file
+    // Run Python script to create Excel file synchronously
-    exec('python3 create_excel.py', (error, stdout, stderr) => {
+    const { execSync } = require('child_process');
-      if (error) {
+    try {
-        console.error(`Error executing Python script: ${error}`);
+      console.log('Executing Python script...');
-        console.error(`stderr: ${stderr}`);
+      const stdout = execSync('python3 create_excel.py', { encoding: 'utf8' });
-      } else {
+      console.log(`Python script output: ${stdout}`);
-        console.log(`Python script output: ${stdout}`);
+      
+      // Send success response after Python script completes
+      res.json({
+        success: true,
+        message: 'Form data saved and Excel file created successfully'
+      });
+      console.log('Success response sent');
+    } catch (execError) {
+      console.error(`Error executing Python script: ${execError.message}`);
+      if (execError.stderr) {
+        console.error(`stderr: ${execError.stderr}`);
       }
-    });
+      
-    
+      // Send error response for Python script failure
-    // Send success response
+      res.status(500).json({
-    res.json({
+        success: false,
-      success: true,
+        message: 'Error creating Excel file',
-      message: 'Form data saved successfully'
+        error: execError.message
-    });
+      });
-    console.log('Success response sent');
+      console.error('Error response sent for Python script failure');
+    }
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Error processing form data:', error);
     console.error('Error stack:', error.stack);

update_excel.py

@@ -101,10 +101,16 @@ def update_excel_variables(excel_path):
         # Update the cells
         for cell_ref, value in cell_mappings.items():
             try:
-                sheet[cell_ref] = value
+                # Force the value to be set, even if the cell is protected or has data validation
+                cell = sheet[cell_ref]
+                cell.value = value
                 print(f"Updated {cell_ref} with value: {value}")
             except Exception as e:
                 print(f"Error updating cell {cell_ref}: {e}")
+                
+        # Save the workbook immediately after updating the cells
+        print("Saving workbook after updating variables...")
+        wb.save(excel_path)
         
         # Update sheet names - replace {store_name} with actual store name
         store_name = user_data.get('store_name', '')
@@ -139,6 +145,23 @@ def update_excel_variables(excel_path):
                 os.remove(modified_file)
                 # Reload the workbook to get the changes
                 wb = openpyxl.load_workbook(excel_path)
+                
+                # Re-apply the variables to make sure they weren't overwritten
+                print("Re-applying variables after XML modification...")
+                try:
+                    sheet = wb['Variables']
+                    for cell_ref, value in cell_mappings.items():
+                        try:
+                            cell = sheet[cell_ref]
+                            cell.value = value
+                            print(f"Re-applied {cell_ref} with value: {value}")
+                        except Exception as e:
+                            print(f"Error re-applying cell {cell_ref}: {e}")
+                    
+                    # Save the workbook again
+                    wb.save(excel_path)
+                except Exception as e:
+                    print(f"Error re-applying variables: {e}")
         
         # Save the workbook
         wb.save(excel_path)