PHP: Exporting Data to Files

Learn how to export data from a database with PHP in a variety of formats, including: rich text, CSV, Excel, Word, OpenOffice spreadsheets and documents, and even XML.

Introduction

• Welcome
• What you should know before watching this course
• Using the exercise files

1. Setting Up

• Loading the test data into a database
• Querying the database with MySQL Improved
• Connecting to different databases with PHP Data Objects (PDO)
• Querying the database with PDO
• Displaying the data in a webpage
• Autoloading classes

2. Basic File Formats

• Outputting the database result to a text file
• Outputting the result as a CSV file
• Introducing the Base class for file downloads
• Using the Text class for greater control over output
• Controlling CSV options with the Csv class
• Saving the data to a local file

3. Generating a Spreadsheet

• Introducing PHPExcel
• Setting properties and defaults in PHPExcel
• Setting the spreadsheet's print options
• Populating an Excel spreadsheet with data
• Formatting columns in PHPExcel
• Downloading the data as a .xlsx file
• Creating a spreadsheet in the OpenDocument format
• Creating columns and headers in Fusonic SpreadsheetExport
• Adding the data and downloading as a .ods file

4. Exporting as Rich Text Format

• Installing PHPRtfLite
• Defining the page margins and the footer
• Setting heading and paragraph styles
• Adding the data and outputting a .rtf file

5. Exporting to Word Processor Formats

• Understanding the basic process
• Merging XML documents with XSLT
• Preparing a directory to generate the output
• Generating XML from a database result

6. Generating an OpenDocument Text File

• Creating a .odt file to use as a template
• Inspecting the structure of an OpenDocument text file
• Extracting the main content file from a .odt document
• Converting the main content file to XSLT
• Outputting the database result as a .odt file

7. Generating a Microsoft Word File

• Creating a .docx file to use as a template
• Extracting the main content file from a Word document
• Formatting the main content file
• Converting the main content file to XSLT
• Outputting the database result as a .docx file
• Offering a choice of download formats

Conclusion

• Goodbye