A simple and local search engine using Excell sheet as database?

Hi all,

I have a question regarding creating a simple and local search engine using an Excell spreadsheet as my database. Essentially, the search engine serves as an inventory finding tool for our makerspace.

The user types in the object/tool they are looking for in the input tab, unity will then read through the excell sheet and display the zone / aisle / shelf where the item is placed in the makerspace.

I am very new to coding and completely clueless about making this. I can make a basic UI with a search / input field and a submit button but have no idea how the backend data parsing and display is happening.

Any help greatly appreciated!

 

I'd recommend using CSV format instead of Excel files, so the user of your project doesn't have to have Excel installed for it to work. If I were doing this I might import the file into a list of list of strings, then apply whatever search you're doing to the first element in each list of strings.

Using regular expressions would make it pretty easy to have your program find partial matches, but if you're looking for something more advanced you're probably in the wrong place. Game developers don't often need to create search engines.