Quickly enable CSV output of your model data
I needed to quickly export CSVs of stuff in the database. Using a view class to iterate manually would be a chore to replicate for each export method, so I figured it would be much easier to do this with a custom view class, like JsonView or XmlView.
- CakePHP 2.x (custom view files are only supported in 2.1+)
- PHP5
- Patience
[Manual]
- Download this: https://github.com/josegonzalez/CsvView/zipball/master
- Unzip that download.
- Copy the resulting folder to
app/Plugin - Rename the folder you just copied to
CsvView
[GIT Submodule]
In your app directory type:
git submodule add -b master git:https://github.com/josegonzalez/CsvView.git Plugin/CsvView
git submodule init
git submodule update
[GIT Clone]
In your Plugin directory type:
git clone -b master git:https://github.com/josegonzalez/CsvView.git CsvView
In 2.0 you need to enable the plugin your app/Config/bootstrap.php file:
CakePlugin::load('CsvView');
If you are already using CakePlugin::loadAll();, then this is not necessary.
To export a flat array as a CSV, one could write the following code:
public function export() {
$data = array(
array('a', 'b', 'c'),
array(1, 2, 3),
array('you', 'and', 'me'),
);
$_serialize = 'data';
$this->viewClass = 'CsvView.Csv';
$this->set(compact('data', '_serialize'));
}
All variables that are to be included in the csv must be specified in the $_serialize view variable, exactly how JsonView or XmlView work.
It is possible to have multiple variables in the csv output:
public function export() {
$data = array(array('a', 'b', 'c'));
$data_two = array(array(1, 2, 3));
$data_three = array(array('you', 'and', 'me'));
$_serialize = array('data', 'data_two', 'data_three');
$this->viewClass = 'CsvView.Csv';
$this->set(compact('data', 'data_two', 'data_three', '_serialize'));
}
If you want headers or footers in your CSV output, you can specify either a $_header or $_footer view variable. Both are completely optional:
public function export() {
$data = array(
array('a', 'b', 'c'),
array(1, 2, 3),
array('you', 'and', 'me'),
);
$_serialize = 'data';
$_header = array('Column 1', 'Column 2', 'Column 3');
$_footer = array('Totals', '400', '$3000');
$this->viewClass = 'CsvView.Csv';
$this->set(compact('data', '_serialize', '_header', '_footer'));
}
You can also specify the delimiter, end of line, and escape characters using $_delimiter, $_eol, and $_enclosure, respectively:
public function export() {
$data = array(
array('a', 'b', 'c'),
array(1, 2, 3),
array('you', 'and', 'me'),
);
$_serialize = 'data';
$_delimiter = '\t';
$_enclosure = '"';
$_eol = '~';
$this->viewClass = 'CsvView.Csv';
$this->set(compact('data', '_serialize', '_delimiter', '_enclosure', '_eol'));
}
The defaults for these variables are:
_delimiter:,_enclosure:"_eol:\n
If you have complex model data, you can use the $_extract view variable to specify the individual paths for each record. This is an array of Hash::extract()-compatible syntax:
public function export() {
$posts = $this->Post->find('all');
$_serialize = 'posts';
$_header = array('Post ID', 'Title', 'Created');
$_extract = array('Post.id', 'Post.title', 'Post.created');
$this->viewClass = 'CsvView.Csv';
$this->set(compact('posts', '_serialize', '_header', '_extract'));
}
You can use Router::parseExtensions() and the RequestHandlerComponent to automatically have the CsvView class switched in as follows:
// In your routes.php file:
Router::parseExtensions('csv');
// In your controller:
public $components = array('RequestHandler');
public function export() {
$posts = $this->Post->find('all');
$_serialize = 'posts';
$_header = array('Post ID', 'Title', 'Created');
$_extract = array('Post.id', 'Post.title', 'Post.created');
$this->set(compact('posts', '_serialize', '_header', '_extract'));
}
// Access /posts/export.csv to get the data as csv
For really complex CSVs, you can also simply use your own view files. This is only supported in 2.1+. To do so, either leave $_serialize unspecified or set it to null. The view files will be located in the csv subdirectory of your current controller:
// View used will be in app/View/Posts/csv/export.ctp
public function export() {
$posts = $this->Post->find('all');
$_serialize = null;
$this->viewClass = 'CsvView.Csv';
$this->set(compact('posts', '_serialize');
}
The CsvView component provides a few methods to help you quickly export the results of complex Model find('all') calls.
Note: nested belongsTo associations are handled no problem. Others (eg. hasMany) will be ignored (I can't see why you'd want them in a CSV export, or how you'd include them gracefully).
To use the component, include it in your Components array:
// In your controller:
public $components = array('CsvView.CsvView');
The component has the following methods:
Recursively searches $data and returns an array of all unique Hash::extract()-compatible paths, suitable for the $_extract variable
- $data: the results of a Model
find('all')call. - $excludePaths (optional): an array of paths to exclude from the returned array, using
Hash::extract()-compatible syntax. Eg.array('MyModel.column_name')
Returns an array of user-friendly colum titles, suitable for use as the $_header, based on the paths in $extract. Eg, the path 'City.Country.name' becomes 'Country Name'.
- $extract: an array of paths, using
Hash::extract()-compatible syntax. - $customHeaders (optional): an array of 'path' => 'Custom Title' pairs, eg.
array('City.population' => 'No. of People'). These custom headers, when specified, override the default generated headers.
Quickly export an the results of a Model find('all') call in one line of code.
- $data - the results of a Model
find('all')call. - $excludePaths (optional): Same use as in prepareExtractFromFindResults method, above
- $customHeaders (optional): Same use as in prepareHeaderFromExtract method, above
- $includeHeader (optional): if true, a $_header will be included. Defaults to true.
Example 1 - using quickExport, simplest use:
$results = $this->MyModel->find('all);
$this->CsvView->quickExport($results);
Example 2 - using quickExport, advanced use:
$results = $this->MyModel->find('all);
$excludePaths = array('City.id', 'State.id', 'State.Country.id'); // Exclude all id fields
$customHeaders = array('City.population' => 'No. of People');
$this->CsvView->quickExport($results, $excludePaths, $customHeaders);
Example 3 - NOT using quickExport:
$results = $this->MyModel->find('all);
$excludePaths = array('City.id', 'State.id', 'State.Country.id'); // Exclude all id fields
$_export = $this->CsvView->prepareExtractFromFindResults($results, $excludePaths);
$customHeaders = array('City.population' => 'No. of People');
$_header = $this->CsvView->prepareHeaderFromExtract($_extract, $customHeaders);
$_serialize = 'results';
$this->viewClass = 'CsvView.Csv';
$this->set(compact('results' ,'_serialize', '_header', '_extract'));
- Unit Tests
Copyright (c) 2012 Jose Diaz-Gonzalez
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
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