Hello Readers!

Here is a simple line of code to generate an excel file of data fetched from database. Users benefits with the compact and secure form of saving data.

Firstly create a helper file in view/Helper folder and paste the following code into your file naming it CsvHelper.php:

<?php
class CsvHelper extends AppHelper
{
var $delimiter = ',';
var $enclosure = '"';
var $filename = 'Export.csv';
var $line = array();
var $buffer;

function CsvHelper()
{
    $this->clear();
}
function clear() 
{
    $this->line = array();
    $this->buffer = fopen('php://temp/maxmemory:'. (5*1024*1024), 'r+');
}

function addField($value) 
{
    $this->line[] = $value;
}

function endRow() 
{
    $this->addRow($this->line);
    $this->line = array();
}

function addRow($row) 
{
    fputcsv($this->buffer, $row, $this->delimiter, $this->enclosure);
}

function renderHeaders() 
{
    header('Content-Type: text/csv');
    header("Content-type:application/vnd.ms-excel");
    header("Content-disposition:attachment;filename=".$this->filename);
}

function setFilename($filename) 
{
    $this->filename = $filename;
    if (strtolower(substr($this->filename, -4)) != '.csv') 
    {
        $this->filename .= '.csv';
    }
}

function render($outputHeaders = true, $to_encoding = null, $from_encoding ="auto") 
{
    if ($outputHeaders) 
    {
        if (is_string($outputHeaders)) 
        {
            $this->setFilename($outputHeaders);
        }
        $this->renderHeaders();
    }
    rewind($this->buffer);
    $output = stream_get_contents($this->buffer);

    if ($to_encoding) 
    {
        $output = mb_convert_encoding($output, $to_encoding, $from_encoding);
    }
    return $this->output($output);
}
}
?>

Next you are required to add an export link to your display.ctp file:

<?php echo $this->Html->link('Export',array('controller'=>'employees','action'=>'export'), array('target'=>'_blank'));?>

Now, add the following function in your Controller file:

public function export()
{
	$this->set('posts', $this->Employee->find('all'));
	$this->layout = null;
	$this->autoLayout = false;
	Configure::write('debug','0');
}

At last, create a view for export function and paste the following code to it:

<?php

   $line= $posts[0]['Employee'];
   $this->CSV->addRow(array_keys($line));
   foreach ($posts as $post)
    {
       $line= $post['Employee']; 
       $this->CSV->addRow($line);
    }
   $filename='posts';
   echo  $this->CSV->render($filename);
?>

That's all you have to do!

Happy Coding :)