EasyXLS

How to set rich text format in cells 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 sets rich text format in Excel cells

Execute the following PHP code that exports rich text format (RTF) in an Excel cell.

<?php

/*===============================================================
| Tutorial 19
|
| This tutorial shows how to create an Excel file in PHP having
| multiple sheets. The first sheet is filled with data and the
| first cell of the second row contains data in rich text format.
* ===============================================================*/

include("DataType.inc");

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

echo "Tutorial 19<br>";
echo "----------<br>";

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

// Create two sheets
$workbook->easy_addWorksheet_2("First tab");
$workbook->easy_addWorksheet_2("Second tab");

// Get the table of data for the first worksheet
$xlsFirstTable = $workbook->easy_getSheetAt(0)->easy_getExcelTable();

// Create the string used to set the RTF in cell
$sFormattedValue = "This is <b>bold</b>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue . "\nThis is <i>italic</i>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <u>underline</u>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <underline double>double underline</underline double>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <font color=red>red</font>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <font color=rgb(255,0,0)>red</font> too.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <font face=\"Arial Black\">Arial Black</font>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <font size=15pt>size 15</font>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <s>strikethrough</s>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <sup>superscript</sup>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <sub>subscript</sub>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\n<b>This</b> <i>is</i> <font color=red face=\"Arial Black\" size=15pt>";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."<underline double>formatted</underline double></font> <s>text</s>.";

// Set the rich text value in cell
$xlsFirstTable->easy_getCell(1, 0)->setHTMLValue ($sFormattedValue);
$xlsFirstTable->easy_getCell(1, 0)->setDataType ($DATATYPE_STRING);
$xlsFirstTable->easy_getCell(1, 0)->setWrap (True);
$xlsFirstTable->easy_getRowAt(1)->setHeight (250);
$xlsFirstTable->easy_getColumnAt(0)->setWidth (250);

// Export Excel file
echo "Writing file: C:\Samples\Tutorial19 - RTF for Excel cells.xlsx<br>";
$workbook->easy_WriteXLSXFile("C:\Samples\Tutorial19 - RTF for Excel cells.xlsx");

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

// Dispose memory
$workbook->Dispose();
$workbook = 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 sets rich text format in Excel cells

Execute the following PHP code that exports rich text format (RTF) in an Excel cell.

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

/*==============================================================
| Tutorial 19
|
| This tutorial shows how to create an Excel file in PHP having
| multiple sheets. The first sheet is filled with data and the
| first cell of the second row contains data in rich text format.
===============================================================*/

include("DataType.inc");

header("Content-Type: text/html");
	
echo "Tutorial 19<br>";
echo "----------<br>";
	
// Create an instance of the class that exports Excel files
$workbook = new java("EasyXLS.ExcelDocument");
	
// Create two sheets
$workbook->easy_addWorksheet("First tab");
$workbook->easy_addWorksheet("Second tab");

// Get the table of data for the first worksheet
$xlsFirstTable = $workbook->easy_getSheetAt(0)->easy_getExcelTable();

// Create the string used to set the RTF in cell
$sFormattedValue = "This is <b>bold</b>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue . "\nThis is <i>italic</i>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <u>underline</u>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <underline double>double underline</underline double>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <font color=red>red</font>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <font color=rgb(255,0,0)>red</font> too.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <font face=\"Arial Black\">Arial Black</font>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <font size=15pt>size 15</font>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <s>strikethrough</s>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <sup>superscript</sup>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\nThis is <sub>subscript</sub>.";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."\n<b>This</b> <i>is</i> <font color=red face=\"Arial Black\" size=15pt>";
$sFormattedValue = $sFormattedValue ."<underline double>formatted</underline double></font> <s>text</s>.";

// Set the rich text value in cell
$xlsFirstTable->easy_getCell(1, 0)->setHTMLValue ($sFormattedValue);
$xlsFirstTable->easy_getCell(1, 0)->setDataType ($DATATYPE_STRING);
$xlsFirstTable->easy_getCell(1, 0)->setWrap (True);
$xlsFirstTable->easy_getRowAt(1)->setHeight (250);
$xlsFirstTable->easy_getColumnAt(0)->setWidth (250);

// Export Excel file
echo "Writing file: C:\Samples\Tutorial19 - RTF for Excel cells.xlsx<br>";
$workbook->easy_WriteXLSXFile("C:\Samples\Tutorial19 - RTF for Excel cells.xlsx");
	
// Confirm export of Excel file
if ($workbook->easy_getError() == "")
    echo "File successfully created.";
else
    echo "Error encountered: " . $workbook->easy_getError();
		
// 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
-
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
Download EasyXLS™ Excel Library for PHP

File formats:

Office 365
MS Excel 2021 - 2024
MS Excel 2007 - 2019
MS Excel 97 - 2003
XLSXXLSMXLSBXLS
XMLHTMLCSVTXT