Web designer for simple reports

Question

Users of my web app need to edit and "save as" their reports and then execute and export them to PDF or Excel files. I need to know if there is a designer (web) for simple reports (open source would be better). Reports are not complex: just data fields, master-detail, labels, simple formulas, lines, static images... Is there any? (too much to ask?) Thanks

Answer 1

I'd just produce a csv file from the information and save that for the excel side of things.

In PHP, something like this:

<?php
// load info from database into an array
header("Content-type: application/vnd.ms-excel");
header( "Content-disposition: report.csv");

// loop through array and export each entry as so
echo ($item[1].",".$item[2].",".$item[3]."\n");
// end loop
?>

Obviously, that's just the barebones, but you can see what I'm getting at.

Alternatively there are libraries in PEAR for PHP that will let you save as an xls or pdf, but I've always preferred simplicity over complex libraries when I can get away with it!