wb_set_sheetview: Modify the default view of a worksheet

In openxlsx2: Read, Write and Edit 'xlsx' Files

Modify the default view of a worksheet

Description

The wb_set_sheetview() function controls the visual presentation of a worksheet. It allows you to toggle UI elements like grid lines, row/column headers, and formula visibility, as well as setting the zoom level and view mode (e.g., Normal vs. Page Layout).

Usage

wb_set_sheetview(
  wb,
  sheet = current_sheet(),
  color_id = NULL,
  default_grid_color = NULL,
  right_to_left = NULL,
  show_formulas = NULL,
  show_grid_lines = NULL,
  show_outline_symbols = NULL,
  show_row_col_headers = NULL,
  show_ruler = NULL,
  show_white_space = NULL,
  show_zeros = NULL,
  tab_selected = NULL,
  top_left_cell = NULL,
  view = NULL,
  window_protection = NULL,
  workbook_view_id = NULL,
  zoom_scale = NULL,
  zoom_scale_normal = NULL,
  zoom_scale_page_layout_view = NULL,
  zoom_scale_sheet_layout_view = NULL,
  ...
)

Arguments

wb	A wbWorkbook object.
sheet	The name or index of the worksheet. Defaults to the current sheet.
color_id, default_grid_color	Integer; internal color index for grid lines. Default is 64 (automatic).
right_to_left	Logical; if TRUE, column ordering is right-to-left.
show_formulas	Logical; if TRUE, cells display their formulas instead of calculated values.
show_grid_lines	Logical; if TRUE (default), the worksheet grid lines are visible.
show_outline_symbols	Logical; if TRUE, shows symbols for grouped rows or columns.
show_row_col_headers	Logical; if TRUE, shows the letters (columns) and numbers (rows) at the edges of the sheet.
show_ruler	Logical; if TRUE, a ruler is shown in "Page Layout" view.
show_white_space	Logical; if TRUE, margins and page gaps are shown in "Page Layout" view.
show_zeros	Logical; if FALSE, cells containing a value of zero appear blank.
tab_selected	Integer; a zero-based index indicating if this sheet tab is selected.
top_left_cell	Character; the address of the cell that should be positioned in the top-left corner of the view (e.g., "B10").
view	Character; the view mode. One of "normal", "pageBreakPreview", or "pageLayout".
window_protection	Logical; if TRUE, the panes within the sheet view are protected.
workbook_view_id	Integer; links the sheet view to a specific global workbook view.
zoom_scale, zoom_scale_normal, zoom_scale_page_layout_view, zoom_scale_sheet_layout_view	Integer; the zoom percentage (between 10 and 400).
...	Additional arguments.

Details

Sheet views are saved properties that tell the spreadsheet application how to render the sheet upon opening. These settings are specific to the worksheet and do not affect the actual data or styles of the cells.

Common Use Cases:

• Zooming: Use zoom_scale to make large datasets more readable or to provide a high-level dashboard view.

• Clean Layouts: For reports or dashboards, setting show_grid_lines = FALSE and show_row_col_headers = FALSE creates a cleaner, application-like interface.

• Audit Mode: Setting show_formulas = TRUE is helpful for debugging complex spreadsheets by displaying the formulas directly in the cells.

• Right-to-Left: Essential for spreadsheets in languages like Arabic or Hebrew.

Value

The wbWorkbook object, invisibly.

The wbWorkbook object, invisibly

Examples

wb <- wb_workbook()$add_worksheet()

wb$set_sheetview(
  zoom_scale = 75,
  right_to_left = FALSE,
  show_formulas = TRUE,
  show_grid_lines = TRUE,
  show_outline_symbols = FALSE,
  show_row_col_headers = TRUE,
  show_ruler = TRUE,
  show_white_space = FALSE,
  tab_selected = 1,
  top_left_cell = "B1",
  view = "normal",
  window_protection = TRUE
)

openxlsx2 documentation built on Feb. 21, 2026, 9:07 a.m.