Reading Excel file Fast

Hi,
I'm new to using Excel through VB.

1.I'm given an .xls file with some rows of numbers (don't know how many) and that .xls file will be overwritten periodically with a new one

2.My VB app will reside on a server and be running across local network on several workstations and will read the curent .xls file every hour show the newly updated data from that file

3.I don't know how many rows of data will there be for me to read (that will change as the excel file is overwritten).

4.Because all those workstations will be accessing the same .xls file, the read/accessing should be done quickly.

Any examples will be appreciated.

You code always try adodb

VB Code:

Set tmpConn = New Connection
    tmpConn.Open "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;" & _
                 "Data Source=" & strFileName & ";" & _
                 "Extended Properties=""Excel 8.0;"""
'The provider assumes that the table of data begins with the upper-most,
'left-most, non-blank cell on the specified worksheet.
'SELECT * FROM [SheetName$] WHERE [Field Name] LIKE 'A%' ORDER BY [Field Name]
    strSQL = "SELECT * FROM [Sheet1$]"
    Set oRs = New Recordset
    Call oRs.Open(strSQL, tmpConn)

Thanks, can you explain in more detail?
Don't know much about adodb and I need to read values from excel sheet to show in my VB app.

Oh yeah, I need to display the data in VB controls (textboxes etc)

With this method your treating the excel spreadsheet like a table in a database.
You'll need to add a reference to ADO

VB Code:

Dim tmpConn as Connection
Dim oRs as RecordSet
Dim fld as Field
 
'strFileName is the path to the Excel file.
Set tmpConn = New Connection
    tmpConn.Open "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;" & _
                 "Data Source=" & strFileName & ";" & _
                 "Extended Properties=""Excel 8.0;"""
'The provider assumes that the table of data begins with the upper-most,
'left-most, non-blank cell on the specified worksheet.
'SELECT * FROM [SheetName$] WHERE [Field Name] LIKE 'A%' ORDER BY [Field Name]
    'this is the query which is just say get everything in Sheet1$.
    'sheet one is the default name, yours might be set to something different.
    strSQL = "SELECT * FROM [Sheet1$]"
    Set oRs = New Recordset
    Call oRs.Open(strSQL, tmpConn)
'oRs is the RecordSet this contains all the information that was in the spreadsheet
'to view this information 
While Not oRs.Eof
  For Each fld in ors.Fields 'loop through each column
   Text1.Text = Text1.Text & Field.Name & "=" & fld.Value & vbcrlf
  Next
  oRs.MoveNext
Wend 'loop through each row