Using Apache POI how to read a specific excel column

You could just loop the rows and read the same cell from each row (doesn't this comprise a column?).

heikkim is right, here is some sample code adapted from some code I have:

import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Cell;
import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Sheet;
import org.apache.poi.ss.usermodel.Row;
...
for (int rowIndex = 0; rowIndex <= sheet.getLastRowNum(); rowIndex++) {
  row = sheet.getRow(rowIndex);
  if (row != null) {
    Cell cell = row.getCell(colIndex);
    if (cell != null) {
      // Found column and there is value in the cell.
      cellValueMaybeNull = cell.getStringCellValue();
      // Do something with the cellValueMaybeNull here ...
      // break; ???
    }
  }
}

For the colCount use something like row.getPhysicalNumberOfCells()

  Sheet sheet  = workBook.getSheetAt(0); // Get Your Sheet.

  for (Row row : sheet) { // For each Row.
      Cell cell = row.getCell(0); // Get the Cell at the Index / Column you want.
  }

My solution, a bit simpler code wise.

Okay, from your question, you just simply want to read a particular column. So, while iterating over a row and then on its cells, your can simply check the index of the column.

Iterator<Row> rowIterator = mySheet.iterator(); // Traversing over each row of XLSX file
        while (rowIterator.hasNext()) {
            Row row = rowIterator.next(); // For each row, iterate through each columns
            Iterator<Cell> cellIterator = row.cellIterator();
            while (cellIterator.hasNext()) {
                Cell cell = cellIterator.next();
                println "column index"+cell.getColumnIndex()//You will have your columns fixed in Excel file
                if(cell.getColumnIndex()==3)//for example of c
                {
                print "done"            
                }
          }
     }     

I am using POI 3.12-- 'org.apache.poi:poi:3.12' Hope it helps. Cheers!