Add Variable Extraction Feature to IOFactory for Enhanced Spreadsheet Integration

[sibalonat]

Overview

This pull request introduces a new method extractVariables to the IOFactory class in PHPWord. The primary goal of this enhancement is to enable the extraction of variables from a Word document, particularly those that are linked to spreadsheet cell coordinates. This functionality lays the groundwork for more advanced integrations between Word documents and spreadsheets, allowing for dynamic data retrieval and manipulation.

Technical Details

The extractVariables method scans a Word document and extracts all instances of variables following a specific pattern (e.g., ${variable}). This is particularly useful in scenarios where these variables correspond to cell coordinates in a spreadsheet. By extracting these variables, we can programmatically search for corresponding values in linked spreadsheets, thereby automating the process of updating Word documents with dynamic data from spreadsheets.

Use Cases

• Dynamic Document Generation: Automate the generation of Word documents with real-time data from spreadsheets. For instance, generating financial reports, invoices, or personalized documents where key figures are drawn from a spreadsheet.
• Template Processing: Enhance template processing by allowing templates to specify spreadsheet data sources directly within the Word document.

Implementation

The implementation involved modifying the IOFactory class to include the extractVariables method. This method leverages existing structures within PHPWord to navigate through a document's sections and elements, identifying and aggregating variables.

Tests

Appropriate unit tests have been added to ensure the functionality works as expected and to prevent future regressions. These tests cover a range of scenarios, including documents with a variety of variable patterns and formats.

Conclusion

This enhancement is a step towards deeper integration between Word documents and spreadsheets, unlocking new potentials in document automation and data-driven report generation. It aligns with PHPWord's goal of providing robust and flexible tools for word processing and document manipulation.