Laravel Excel Download using Controller

Question

So I created a PHP Controller to handle exporting data which is posted by JS. The problem is I can see it creates something in the console but the file download never starts. I tried using ->store (laravel excel) and keeping it in an export folder but again when I try to use

return \Response::download($result);

it still won't start the download. The problem I'm having is just getting the download to start.

Angular Controller

$scope.exportMatrix = function () {
    var postData = {list: $scope.list, matrix: $scope.matrix};
    $http({
        method: 'POST',
        url: '/export',
        dataType: 'obj',
        data: postData,
        headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'}
    }).success(function (data) {
        console.log(data);
    }).error(function (data) {
        console.log("failed");
    });
}

Route

Route::post('/export', 'ExportController@export');

PHP Controller

<?php namespace App\Http\Controllers;

use App\Http\Requests;
use App\Http\Controllers\Controller;
use Illuminate\Http\Request;
use App;
use Excel;
use Response;
class ExportController extends Controller {

public function export()
{

    $excel = App::make('excel');

    Excel::create('Test', function($excel) {
        $excel->setTitle('new awesome title');

        $excel->sheet('Sheet', function($sheet) {
            $sheet->fromArray(array(
                array('data1', 'data2'),
                array('data3', 'data4')
            ));
        });


    })->export('xlsx');
}

Answer 1

To download Laravel Excel and React, this worked for me. I hope it helps someone.

    $fileName = 'reportes/reporte_programacion.xlsx';
    Excel::store(new ReporteProgramacionExport($request->FechaInicio,$request->FechaFin,$request->Activo), $fileName);
    $file = Storage::get($fileName);

    if ($file) {
        $fileLink = 'data:application/vnd.ms-excel;base64,' . base64_encode($file);
        // @chmod(Storage::disk('local')->path($filename), 0755);
        // @unlink(Storage::disk('local')->path($filename));
        }

        return response()->json([
            'success' => true,
            'message' => 'Payroll are successfully exported.',
            'result' => [
                'fileName' => 'reporte_programacion.xlsx',
                'fileBase64' => $fileLink,
            ]
        ],200);

  async function descargaReporte(filtro) {
    const { FechaInicio, FechaFin, Activo } = filtro;
    await descargar_reporte({ FechaInicio, FechaFin, Activo }).then(response => {
      if (isNotEmpty(response.fileName)) {
        let download = document.getElementById("iddescarga");
        download.href = response.fileBase64;
        download.download = response.fileName;
        download.click();
        // handleSuccessMessages( intl.formatMessage({ id: "MESSAGES.DOWNLOAD.SUCESS" }));
        toastSuccess(intl.formatMessage({ id: "MESSAGES.DOWNLOAD.SUCESS" }));
      }
    }).catch(err => {
      handleErrorMessages(intl.formatMessage({ id: "SEGURIDAD.USUARIOS.MESSAGES.INFO" }), err)
    }).finally(() => {
      setLoading(false);
    });
  }

Other form

Answer 2

In the end I used FileSaver.js to download the blob it sent back so just load up FileSaver and use it saveAs(blob).

$http({
   method: 'POST',
   url: '/api/v1/download',
   dataType: 'json',
   data: {
       data:data
   },
   responseType: 'arraybuffer',
   headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'}
}).success(function (data) {
   var blob = new Blob([data], {type: "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet"});

   saveAs(blob, title + ".xlsx");
}).error(function (data) {
   console.log("failed");
});

I made sure to use

responseType: arraybuffer

and saveAs type:

"application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet"

Because reasons.

Answer 3

Route::get('/export', 'ExportController@export');