EasyXLS

How to export List to Excel in custom format in PHP

EasyXLS Excel library can be used to export Excel files with PHP on Windows, Linux, Mac or other operating systems. The integration vary depending on the operating system or if .NET Framework or Java is chosen:

EasyXLS on Windows using .NET Framework (COM+) with PHP

If you opt for the COM+ version of EasyXLS, be sure that you have EasyXLS installed and registered on your machine.

Step 1: Download and install EasyXLS Excel Library for COM+

To download the trial version of EasyXLS Excel Library, press the below button:

Download EasyXLS™ Excel Library for COM+

If you already own a license key, you may login and download EasyXLS from your account.

Step 2: Verify if COM and .NET extension is enabled in PHP

Check PHP.ini for [COM_DOT_NET] extension.

Step 3: Verify if EasyXLS is registered

Check if EasyXLS component is present in Component Services.

Step 4: License file setup

Step required for EasyXLS v9.0 or later.

If you are using a trial, generate a trial license file from EasyXLS trials page. The trial license is valid for 30-days.

If you own a license key, you may login to the account that purchased the license and generate the license file from:
https://www.easyxls.com/my-orders

Setup the license file into your project using these guidelines.

Step 5: Run PHP code that exports list to Excel

Execute the following PHP code that exports a list of data with formatting to Excel.

<?php

/*===============================================================
| Tutorial 02
|
| This code sample shows how to export list to Excel file in PHP.
| The list contains data from a SQL database.
| The cells are formatted using a user-defined format.
* =============================================================*/

include("Color.inc");
include("Alignment.inc");

// Constants declaration
$OddRowStripesStyleColor = 0xf0f7ef;

header("Content-Type: text/html");

echo "Tutorial 02<br>";
echo "----------<br>";

// Create an instance of the class that exports Excel files
$workbook = new COM("EasyXLS.ExcelDocument");

// Create the database connection
$serverName = "(local)";
$connectionInfo = array("Database"=>"northwind", "UID"=>"sa", "PWD"=>"");  
$db_conn = sqlsrv_connect($serverName, $connectionInfo); 
if ($db_conn === false)
{
    echo "Unable to connect.";
    die(print_r(sqlsrv_errors(), true));
}

// Query the database
$query_result = sqlsrv_query( $db_conn , "SELECT TOP 100 CAST(Month(ord.OrderDate) AS varchar) + '/' + 
                              CAST(Day(ord.OrderDate) AS varchar) + '/' + 
                              CAST(year(ord.OrderDate) AS varchar) AS 'Order Date', 
                              P.ProductName AS 'Product Name', O.UnitPrice AS Price, 
                              ' ' + CAST(O.Quantity AS varchar) AS Quantity , 
                              O.UnitPrice * O. Quantity AS Value 
                              FROM Orders AS ord, [Order Details] AS O, Products AS P 
                              WHERE O.ProductID = P.ProductID AND O.OrderID = ord.OrderID")
    or die( "<strong>ERROR: Query failed</strong>");

// Create the list that stores the query values
$lstRows = new COM("EasyXLS.Util.List");

// Add the report header row to the list
$lstHeaderRow = new COM("EasyXLS.Util.List");
$lstHeaderRow->addElement("Order Date");
$lstHeaderRow->addElement("Product Name");
$lstHeaderRow->addElement("Price");
$lstHeaderRow->addElement("Quantity");
$lstHeaderRow->addElement("Value");
$lstRows->addElement($lstHeaderRow);

// Add the query values from the database to the list
while ($row=sqlsrv_fetch_array($query_result))
{
    $RowList = new COM("EasyXLS.Util.List");
    $RowList->addElement("" . $row['Order Date']);
    $RowList->addElement("" . $row["Product Name"]);
    $RowList->addElement("" . $row["Price"]);
    $RowList->addElement("" . $row["Quantity"]);
    $RowList->addElement("" . $row["Value"]);
    $lstRows->addElement($RowList);
}

// Create an instance of the class used to format the cells in the report
$xlsAutoFormat = new COM("EasyXLS.ExcelAutoFormat");

// Set the formatting style of the header
$xlsHeaderStyle = new COM("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle");
$xlsHeaderStyle->setBackground((int)$COLOR_LIGHTGREEN);
$xlsHeaderStyle->setFontSize(12);
$xlsAutoFormat->setHeaderRowStyle($xlsHeaderStyle);

// Set the formatting style of the cells (alternating style)
$xlsEvenRowStripesStyle = new COM("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle");
$xlsEvenRowStripesStyle->setBackground((int)$COLOR_FLORALWHITE);
$xlsEvenRowStripesStyle->setFormat("$0.00");
$xlsEvenRowStripesStyle->setHorizontalAlignment($ALIGNMENT_ALIGNMENT_LEFT);
$xlsAutoFormat->setEvenRowStripesStyle($xlsEvenRowStripesStyle);
$xlsOddRowStripesStyle = new COM("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle");
$xlsOddRowStripesStyle->setBackground((int)$OddRowStripesStyleColor);
$xlsOddRowStripesStyle->setFormat("$0.00");
$xlsOddRowStripesStyle->setHorizontalAlignment ($ALIGNMENT_ALIGNMENT_LEFT);
$xlsAutoFormat->setOddRowStripesStyle($xlsOddRowStripesStyle);
$xlsLeftColumnStyle = new COM("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle");
$xlsLeftColumnStyle->setBackground((int)$COLOR_FLORALWHITE);
$xlsLeftColumnStyle->setFormat("mm/dd/yyyy");
$xlsLeftColumnStyle->setHorizontalAlignment($ALIGNMENT_ALIGNMENT_LEFT);
$xlsAutoFormat->setLeftColumnStyle($xlsLeftColumnStyle);

// Export list to Excel file
echo "Writing file: C:\Samples\Tutorial02 - export List to Excel with formatting.xlsx<br>";
$workbook->easy_WriteXLSXFile_FromList_2("C:\Samples\Tutorial02 - export List to Excel with formatting.xlsx", 
                                         $lstRows, $xlsAutoFormat, "Sheet1");

// Confirm export of Excel file
if ($workbook->easy_getError() == "")
    echo "File successfully created.";
else
    echo "Error encountered: " . $workbook->easy_getError();

// Free the memory associated with the query
sqlsrv_free_stmt( $query_result );

// Close database connection
sqlsrv_close( $db_conn );           

// Dispose memory
$workbook->Dispose();
$workbook = null;
$lstRows = null;
$lstHeaderRow = null;
$RowList = null;
$xlsAutoFormat = null;
$xlsHeaderStyle = null;
$xlsEvenRowStripesStyle = null;
$xlsOddRowStripesStyle = null;
$xlsLeftColumnStyle = null;
	
?>

Overloaded methods
For methods with same name but different parameters, only the first method overload retains the original name. Subsequent overloads are uniquely renamed by appending to the method name '_2', '_3', etc (method, method_2, method_3), an integer that corresponds to the order of declaration that can be found in EasyXLS.h, a file that comes with EasyXLS installation.

EasyXLS on Linux, Mac, Windows using Java with PHP

If you opt for the Java version of EasyXLS, a similar code as above requires PHP/Java Bridge between PHP and Java.

Step 1: Download EasyXLS Excel Library for Java

To download the trial version of EasyXLS Excel Library, press the below button:

Download EasyXLS™ Excel Library for Java

If you already own a license key, you may login and download EasyXLS from your account.

Step 2: License file setup

Step required for EasyXLS v9.0 or later.

If you are using a trial, generate a trial license file from EasyXLS trials page. The trial license is valid for 30-days.

If you own a license key, you may login to the account that purchased the license and generate the license file from:
https://www.easyxls.com/my-orders

Setup the license file into your project using these guidelines.

Step 3: Install PHP/Java Bridge

Download PHP/Java Bridge and follow the PHP/Java Bridge installation guide for directions.

Step 4: Setup EasyXLS library in Tomcat

Copy EasyXLS.jar into Tomcat installation path, lib folder.

Step 5: Run PHP code that exports list to Excel

Execute a code as below PHP code that exports a list of data with formatting to Excel.

<?php require_once("http://localhost:8080/JavaBridge/java/Java.inc");

/*===============================================================
| Tutorial 02
|
| This code sample shows how to export list to Excel file in PHP.
| The list contains data from a SQL database.
| The cells are formatted using a user-defined format.
===============================================================*/
  	
include("Color.inc");
include("Alignment.inc");

// Constants declaration
$OddRowStripesStyleColor = 0xf0f7ef;
    
header("Content-Type: text/html");
	
echo "Tutorial 02<br>";
echo "----------<br>";
		
// Create an instance of the class that exports Excel files
$workbook = new java("EasyXLS.ExcelDocument");

// Create the database connection
$serverName = "(local)";
$connectionInfo =  array("Database"=>"northwind","UID"=>"sa","PWD"=>"");
	
$db_conn = sqlsrv_connect( $serverName, $connectionInfo); 
if( $db_conn === false )  
{
    echo "Unable to connect.";
    die( print_r( sqlsrv_errors(), true));
}

// Query the database
$query_result = sqlsrv_query( $db_conn, "SELECT TOP 100 CAST(Month(ord.OrderDate) AS varchar)+'/' + 
                                    CAST(Day(ord.OrderDate) AS varchar) + '/' + 
                                    CAST(year(ord.OrderDate) AS varchar) AS 'Order Date', 
                                    P.ProductName AS 'Product Name', O.UnitPrice AS Price, 
                                    ' ' + cast(O.Quantity AS varchar) AS Quantity , 
                                    O.UnitPrice * O. Quantity AS Value 
                                    FROM Orders AS ord, [Order Details] AS O, Products AS P 
                                    WHERE 	O.ProductID = P.ProductID AND O.OrderID = ord.OrderID" )
	or die( "<strong>ERROR: Query failed</strong>" );

// Create the list that stores the query values
$lstRows = new java("EasyXLS.Util.List");
	
// Add the report header row to the list
$lstHeaderRow  = new java("EasyXLS.Util.List");
$lstHeaderRow->addElement("Order Date");
$lstHeaderRow->addElement("Product Name");
$lstHeaderRow->addElement("Price");
$lstHeaderRow->addElement("Quantity");
$lstHeaderRow->addElement("Value");
$lstRows->addElement($lstHeaderRow);
			
// Add the query values from the database to the list
while ($row=sqlsrv_fetch_array($query_result))
{
    $RowList = new java("EasyXLS.Util.List");
    $RowList->addElement("" . $row['Order Date']);
    $RowList->addElement("" . $row["Product Name"]);
    $RowList->addElement("" . $row["Price"]);
    $RowList->addElement("" . $row["Quantity"]);
    $RowList->addElement("" . $row["Value"]);
    $lstRows->addElement($RowList);
}
	
// Create an instance of the class used to format the cells in the report
$xlsAutoFormat = new java("EasyXLS.ExcelAutoFormat");
	
// Set the formatting style of the header
$xlsHeaderStyle = new java("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle");
$xlsHeaderStyle->setBackground(new java("java.awt.Color", 144, 238, 144));
$xlsHeaderStyle->setFontSize(12);
$xlsAutoFormat->setHeaderRowStyle($xlsHeaderStyle);

// Set the formatting style of the cells (alternating style)
$xlsEvenRowStripesStyle = new java("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle");
$xlsEvenRowStripesStyle->setBackground(new java("java.awt.Color", 255, 250, 240));
$xlsEvenRowStripesStyle->setFormat("$0.00");
$xlsEvenRowStripesStyle->setHorizontalAlignment($ALIGNMENT_ALIGNMENT_LEFT);
$xlsAutoFormat->setEvenRowStripesStyle($xlsEvenRowStripesStyle)	;
$xlsOddRowStripesStyle = new java("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle");
$xlsOddRowStripesStyle->setBackground(new java("java.awt.Color", 240, 247, 239));
$xlsOddRowStripesStyle->setFormat("$0.00");
$xlsOddRowStripesStyle->setHorizontalAlignment ($ALIGNMENT_ALIGNMENT_LEFT);
$xlsAutoFormat->setOddRowStripesStyle($xlsOddRowStripesStyle);
$xlsLeftColumnStyle = new java("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle");
$xlsLeftColumnStyle->setBackground(new java("java.awt.Color", 255, 250, 240));
$xlsLeftColumnStyle->setFormat("mm/dd/yyyy");
$xlsLeftColumnStyle->setHorizontalAlignment($ALIGNMENT_ALIGNMENT_LEFT);
$xlsAutoFormat->setLeftColumnStyle($xlsLeftColumnStyle);
	
// Export list to Excel file
echo "Writing file: C:\Samples\Tutorial02 - export List to Excel with formatting.xlsx<br>";
$workbook->easy_WriteXLSXFile_FromList("C:\Samples\Tutorial02 - export List to Excel with formatting.xlsx", 
                                       $lstRows, $xlsAutoFormat, "Sheet1");
	
// Confirm export of Excel file
if ($workbook->easy_getError() == "")
    echo "File successfully created.";
else
    echo "Error encountered: " . $workbook->easy_getError();
		
// Free the memory associated with the query
sqlsrv_free_stmt( $query_result );

// Close database connection
sqlsrv_close( $db_conn );           
  
// Dispose memory
$workbook->Dispose();

?>

EasyXLS Excel libraries:

.NET
Excel Library for PHP COM+
full COM+ version to import, export or convert Excel files
Excel Writer for PHP COM+
COM+ version to create and export Excel files
Express Excel Writer for PHP COM+
limited COM+ version to create and export Excel files in predefined formats
-
Java
Excel Library for PHP Java
full Java version to import, export or convert Excel files
Excel Writer for PHP Java
Java version to create and export Excel files
Express Excel Writer for PHP Java
limited Java version to create and export Excel files in predefined formats
Download EasyXLS™ Excel Library for PHP

File formats:

MS Excel 97 - 2003
MS Excel 2007 - 2019
MS Excel 2021
Office 365
XLSXXLSMXLSBXLS
XMLHTMLCSVTXT