Easily integrate/load PHPExcel into CodeIgniter Framework

PHPExcel is a set of PHP classes/library to read and write Excel files (.XLS/.XLSX). Based on CodeIgniter wiki page, integrating and using PHPExcel into CodeIgniter framework need some modification in PHPExcel source code. With the steps that I will show you, you will not need to edit any PHPExcel source code and the usage is very convenient just like you use on “plain-straight” PHP.
Pre-requisite: I tested this on CodeIgniter 2.1 and PHPExcel 1.7.7
Here we go:

• download PHPExcel from https://github.com/PHPOffice/PHPExcel (yup, they move from codeplex to github)
• Extract the compressed archive (.zip or .tar.gz). Only extract the files inside Classes folder. Extract them to CodeIgniter’s application/third_party/ folder. Your application/third_party/ folder will look like this:

CI application folder’s structure

• Create new PHP file inside CI’s application/libraries/ name it Excel.php. This is the source code (source [Bahasa Indonesia]: http://belajarcoding.com/php/codeigniter/membuat-laporan-excel-di-php-dengan-codeigniter-dan-phpexcel.html):

<?php if ( ! defined('BASEPATH')) exit('No direct script access allowed'); /* * ======================================= * Author : Muhammad Surya Ikhsanudin * License : Protected * Email : mutofiyah@gmail.com * * Dilarang merubah, mengganti dan mendistribusikan * ulang tanpa sepengetahuan Author * ======================================= */ require_once APPPATH."/third_party/PHPExcel.php";   class Excel extends PHPExcel {     public function __construct() {         parent::__construct();     } }

• Your CI’s application/libraries/ folder will looke like this:

• That’s it. Now you can use PHPExcel library in your CodeIgniter’s controller code.

Example usage (with commentary):

//load our new PHPExcel library $this->load->library('excel'); //activate worksheet number 1 $this->excel->setActiveSheetIndex(0); //name the worksheet $this->excel->getActiveSheet()->setTitle('test worksheet'); //set cell A1 content with some text $this->excel->getActiveSheet()->setCellValue('A1', 'This is just some text value'); //change the font size $this->excel->getActiveSheet()->getStyle('A1')->getFont()->setSize(20); //make the font become bold $this->excel->getActiveSheet()->getStyle('A1')->getFont()->setBold(true); //merge cell A1 until D1 $this->excel->getActiveSheet()->mergeCells('A1:D1'); //set aligment to center for that merged cell (A1 to D1) $this->excel->getActiveSheet()->getStyle('A1')->getAlignment()->setHorizontal(PHPExcel_Style_Alignment::HORIZONTAL_CENTER);   $filename='just_some_random_name.xls'; //save our workbook as this file name header('Content-Type: application/vnd.ms-excel'); //mime type header('Content-Disposition: attachment;filename="'.$filename.'"'); //tell browser what's the file name header('Cache-Control: max-age=0'); //no cache              //save it to Excel5 format (excel 2003 .XLS file), change this to 'Excel2007' (and adjust the filename extension, also the header mime type) //if you want to save it as .XLSX Excel 2007 format $objWriter = PHPExcel_IOFactory::createWriter($this->excel, 'Excel5');   //force user to download the Excel file without writing it to server's HD $objWriter->save('php://output');

Have fun with CodeIgniter and PHPExcel!