Displaying Excel and Graphs - Rookie needs help

Hi Guys, joe here. Im new to C# and Visual Studio, had previously been using Netbeans and Java but made the switch as got completely hacked off with Netbeans instability! As you have probably guessed.... i need your help

Overview of project
Im creating a program which will take 5 .csv files (basically excel files) and display the data on a graph. The program is basically calcuating the optimum point to change gear on a manual transmissioned car.

Problems
1. Displaying excel type spreadsheets in Visual C#.
I just want to display the spreadsheet and data that the user has imported but i am not sure what component to use and how to import all the data.

2. X&Y Graphs
i have found a great plug in called ZedGraph which i can see how it works but cannot call it from my program. Has anyone had any experience using this graphing function, or can recommend a similar class i can use to draw graphs with multi curves on.

I guess this all sounds a little vague but wasnt sure how much information to post. Really appreciate your help with this.

.NET has no in-built spreadsheet functionality. You can display tabular data and let the user edit it using a DataGrid (.NET 1.1) or DataGridView (.NET 2.0). You don't have any of the fancy calculation functionality of a spreadsheet though.

As for using ZedGraph, I've never used it myself but you use any third-party component by adding a reference to the DLL to your project and then creating instances of the class(es) it contains. If you want to use third-party controls or components on forms you would usually add the classes to your toolbox first. That way you can add an instance to a form like any of the standard components/controls. Just right-click the Toolbox and select the option to add or remove items. You then search for the appropriate library and select the controls from it that you want in your toolbox.

jmcilhinney - thank you very much for your reply.

I thought maybe the datagrid would have the functionality to display excel files but i couldnt immediately get it to work so wasn't sure if it could.

I still cannot get the hang of this graph drawling class. Maybe it is the way i trying to call the graph. Still not fully used to the C# way!

Thanks for you help though.

Anyone else who has any experience with graph drawing classes feel free to fire some advice at me.