store and download the excel file in php

Question

hi

please check my coding for create the excel file and download.

        header("Pragma: public");
        header("Expires: 0");
        header("Cache-Control: must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0");
        header("Content-Type: application/force-download");
        header("Content-Type: application/octet-stream");
        header("Content-Type: application/download");;
        header("Content-Disposition: attachment;filename=export.xls ");
        header("Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary ");

        echo "<table style='border: 1px solid red;border-color:red' cellspacing='0'>";
        echo "<tr>";
        echo "<th style='background-color:yellow;border:1px solid red'>Link id</th><th style='background-color:yellow;border:1px solid red'>Priority</th><th style='background-color:yellow;border:1px solid red'>Year</th><th style='background-color:yellow;border:1px solid red'>Make</th><th style='background-color:yellow;border:1px solid red'>Model</th><th style='background-color:yellow;border:1px solid red'>Input URL</th><th style='background-color:yellow;border:1px solid red'>Changes Found</th><th style='background-color:yellow;border:1px solid red'>Output filename</th><th style='background-color:yellow;border:1px solid red'>No of Changes</th>";
        echo "</tr>";
        echo "</table>";

thanks in advance

Answer 1

Use an external library like PHP Excel to create excel file and then send it to download. Is the easiest way and you don't have to reinvent the wheel. I've used this library and is very good. Alternately you think can use COM functions to do the same thing, although I never used them.

Answer 2

If you write an excelfile with an <table>, excel will send a warning to the user, trying to open the excel-file, that the file doesn't seem to be a regular file, and if they want to open it anyway.

http://i.imgur.com/bx8ZY.png <- Image of the warning