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xlwings Excel MCP Server

by hyunjae-labs

unmerge_cells

Split merged Excel cells into individual cells to restore independent formatting and data entry. Specify the worksheet and cell range to separate previously combined cells.

Instructions

Unmerge a range of cells.

Args:
    sheet_name: Name of worksheet
    start_cell: Starting cell
    end_cell: Ending cell
    session_id: Session ID from open_workbook (preferred)
    filepath: Path to Excel file (legacy, deprecated)
    
Note: Use session_id for better performance. filepath parameter is deprecated.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
sheet_nameYes
start_cellYes
end_cellYes
session_idNo
filepathNo

Implementation Reference

  • MCP tool handler for 'unmerge_cells'. Dispatches to session-based or legacy filepath-based unmerge implementations in range_xlw.py.
    @mcp.tool()
    def unmerge_cells(
        sheet_name: str,
        start_cell: str,
        end_cell: str,
        session_id: Optional[str] = None,
        filepath: Optional[str] = None
    ) -> str:
        """
        Unmerge a range of cells.
        
        Args:
            sheet_name: Name of worksheet
            start_cell: Starting cell
            end_cell: Ending cell
            session_id: Session ID from open_workbook (preferred)
            filepath: Path to Excel file (legacy, deprecated)
            
        Note: Use session_id for better performance. filepath parameter is deprecated.
        """
        try:
            # Support both new (session_id) and old (filepath) API
            if session_id:
                # New API: use session
                session = SESSION_MANAGER.get_session(session_id)
                if not session:
                    return ERROR_TEMPLATES['SESSION_NOT_FOUND'].format(
                        session_id=session_id, 
                        ttl=10  # Default TTL is 10 minutes (600 seconds)
                    )
                
                with session.lock:
                    from xlwings_mcp.xlwings_impl.range_xlw import unmerge_cells_xlw_with_wb
                    result = unmerge_cells_xlw_with_wb(session.workbook, sheet_name, start_cell, end_cell)
            elif filepath:
                # Legacy API: backwards compatibility
                logger.warning("Using deprecated filepath parameter. Please use session_id instead.")
                full_path = get_excel_path(filepath)
                from xlwings_mcp.xlwings_impl.range_xlw import unmerge_cells_xlw
                result = unmerge_cells_xlw(full_path, sheet_name, start_cell, end_cell)
            else:
                return ERROR_TEMPLATES['PARAMETER_MISSING'].format(
                    param1='session_id',
                    param2='filepath'
                )
            
            return result.get("message", "Cells unmerged successfully") if "error" not in result else f"Error: {result['error']}"
        except (ValidationError, SheetError) as e:
            return f"Error: {str(e)}"
        except Exception as e:
            logger.error(f"Error unmerging cells: {e}")
            raise
  • Legacy filepath-based implementation of cell unmerging using xlwings. Opens workbook, checks range, unmerges, saves and closes.
    def unmerge_cells_xlw(filepath: str, sheet_name: str, start_cell: str, end_cell: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
        """
        Unmerge cells in Excel using xlwings.
        
        Args:
            filepath: Path to Excel file
            sheet_name: Name of worksheet
            start_cell: Top-left cell of merge range
            end_cell: Bottom-right cell of merge range
            
        Returns:
            Dict with success message or error
        """
        app = None
        wb = None
    
        # Initialize COM for thread safety (Windows)
        _com_initialize()
    
        try:
            logger.info(f"Unmerging cells {start_cell}:{end_cell} in {sheet_name}")
            
            # Check if file exists
            if not os.path.exists(filepath):
                return {"error": f"File not found: {filepath}"}
            
            # Open Excel app and workbook
            app = xw.App(visible=False, add_book=False)
            wb = app.books.open(filepath)
            
            # Check if sheet exists
            sheet_names = [s.name for s in wb.sheets]
            if sheet_name not in sheet_names:
                return {"error": f"Sheet '{sheet_name}' not found"}
            
            sheet = wb.sheets[sheet_name]
            
            # Get the range to unmerge
            unmerge_range = sheet.range(f"{start_cell}:{end_cell}")
            
            # Check if range is merged
            if not unmerge_range.merge_cells:
                return {"error": f"Range {start_cell}:{end_cell} is not merged"}
            
            # Unmerge the cells
            unmerge_range.unmerge()
            
            # Save the workbook
            wb.save()
            
            logger.info(f"βœ… Successfully unmerged cells {start_cell}:{end_cell}")
            return {
                "message": f"Successfully unmerged cells {start_cell}:{end_cell}",
                "range": f"{start_cell}:{end_cell}",
                "sheet": sheet_name
            }
            
        except Exception as e:
            logger.error(f"❌ Error unmerging cells: {str(e)}")
            return {"error": str(e)}
            
        finally:
            if wb:
                wb.close()
            if app:
                app.quit()
  • Session-optimized variant of unmerge_cells that uses existing open workbook object for efficiency.
    def unmerge_cells_xlw_with_wb(wb, sheet_name: str, start_cell: str, end_cell: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
        """
        Session-based cell unmerging using existing workbook object.
        
        Args:
            wb: Workbook object from session
            sheet_name: Name of worksheet
            start_cell: Top-left cell of merge range
            end_cell: Bottom-right cell of merge range
            
        Returns:
            Dict with success message or error
        """
        try:
            logger.info(f"πŸ”“ Unmerging cells {start_cell}:{end_cell} in {sheet_name}")
            
            # Check if sheet exists
            sheet_names = [s.name for s in wb.sheets]
            if sheet_name not in sheet_names:
                return {"error": f"Sheet '{sheet_name}' not found"}
            
            sheet = wb.sheets[sheet_name]
            
            # Get the range to unmerge
            unmerge_range = sheet.range(f"{start_cell}:{end_cell}")
            
            # Check if range is merged
            if not unmerge_range.merge_cells:
                return {"error": f"Range {start_cell}:{end_cell} is not merged"}
            
            # Unmerge the cells
            unmerge_range.unmerge()
            
            # Save the workbook
            wb.save()
            
            logger.info(f"βœ… Successfully unmerged cells {start_cell}:{end_cell}")
            return {
                "message": f"Successfully unmerged cells {start_cell}:{end_cell}",
                "range": f"{start_cell}:{end_cell}",
                "sheet": sheet_name
            }
            
        except Exception as e:
            logger.error(f"❌ Error unmerging cells: {str(e)}")
            return {"error": str(e)}
  • Higher-level wrapper around unmerge_cells_xlw in sheet.py module.
    def unmerge_range(filepath: str, sheet_name: str, start_cell: str, end_cell: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
        """Unmerge a range of cells."""
        result = unmerge_cells_xlw(filepath, sheet_name, start_cell, end_cell)
        if "error" in result:
            raise SheetError(result["error"])
        return result

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