NAME

Catalyst::Action::Serialize::SimpleExcel - Serialize to Excel files

SYNOPSIS

Serializes tabular data to an Excel file. Not terribly configurable, but should suffice for simple purposes.

In your REST Controller:

package MyApp::Controller::REST;

        use parent 'Catalyst::Controller::REST';
        use DBIx::Class::ResultClass::HashRefInflator ();
        use POSIX 'strftime';

        __PACKAGE__->config->{map}{'application/vnd.ms-excel'} = 'SimpleExcel';

        sub books : Local ActionClass('REST') {}

        sub books_GET {
            my ($self, $c) = @_;

            my $books_rs = $c->model('MyDB::Book')->search({}, {
                order_by => 'author,title'
            });

            $books_rs->result_class('DBIx::Class::ResultClass::HashRefInflator');

            my @books = map {
                [ @{$}{qw/author title/} ]
            } $booksrs->all;

            my $authors_rs = $c->model('MyDB::Author')->search({}, {
                order_by => 'last_name,middle_name,last_name'
            });

            $authors_rs->result_class('DBIx::Class::ResultClass::HashRefInflator');

            my @authors = map {
                [ @{$}{qw/firstname middle_name last_name/} ]
            } $authors_rs->all;

            my $entity = {
                sheets => [
                    {
                        name => 'Books',
                        header => ['Author', 'Title'], # will be bold
                        rows => \@books,
                    },
                    {
                        name => 'Authors',
                        header => ['First Name', 'Middle Name', 'Last Name'],
                        rows => \@authors,
                    },
                ],
                # the part before .xls, which is automatically appended
                filename => 'myapp-books-'.strftime('%m-%d-%Y', localtime)
            };

            $self->status_ok(
                $c,
                entity => $entity
            );
        }

In your javascript, to initiate a file download:

        // this uses jQuery
        function export_to_excel() {
            $('<iframe '
             +'src="/rest/books?content-type=application%2Fvnd.ms-excel">')
            .hide().appendTo('body');
        }

Note, the content-type query param is required if you're just linking to the action. It tells Catalyst::Controller::REST what you're serializing the data as.

DESCRIPTION

Your entity should be either an array of arrays, an array of arrays of arrays, or a hash with the keys as described below and in the "SYNOPSIS".

If entity is a hashref, keys should be:

sheets
An array of worksheets. Either sheets or a worksheet specification at the top level is required.

filename
Optional. The name of the file before .xls. Defaults to "data".

Each sheet should be an array of arrays, or a hashref with the following

fields

name
Optional. The name of the worksheet.

rows
Required. The array of arrays of rows.

header
Optional, an array for the first line of the sheet, which will be in bold.

column_widths
Optional, the widths in characters of the columns. Otherwise the widths are calculated automatically from the data and header.

If you only have one sheet, you can put it in the top level hash.

AUTHOR

Rafael Kitover, "<rkitover at cpan.org>"

BUGS

Please report any bugs or feature requests to "bug-catalyst-action-serialize-simpleexcel at rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at
<http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Catalyst-Action-Serializ e-SimpleExcel>. I will be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on your bug as I make changes.

SEE ALSO

Catalyst, Catalyst::Controller::REST, Catalyst::Action::REST, Catalyst::View::Excel::Template::Plus, Spreadsheet::WriteExcel, Spreadsheet::ParseExcel

SUPPORT

You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command.

perldoc Catalyst::Action::Serialize::SimpleExcel

You can also look for information at:

• RT: CPAN's request tracker

  <http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=Catalyst-Action-SerializeSimpleExcel>

• AnnoCPAN: Annotated CPAN documentation

  <http://annocpan.org/dist/Catalyst-Action-Serialize-SimpleExcel>

• CPAN Ratings

  <http://cpanratings.perl.org/d/Catalyst-Action-Serialize-SimpleExcel>

• Search CPAN

  <http://search.cpan.org/dist/Catalyst-Action-Serialize-SimpleExcel/>

COPYRIGHT & LICENSE

Copyright (c) 2008-2011 Rafael Kitover

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.