xlswriter-export

name	xlswriter-export
description	Generate, review, or debug XLSX export code using the native xlswriter PHP extension and Vtiful\Kernel APIs; use for download responses, queued exports, large constMemory exports, formatting, formulas, images, and worksheet options.

xlswriter Export

Use this skill when generating or reviewing code that exports XLSX files with Vtiful\Kernel\Excel.

Workflow

1. Confirm ext-xlswriter is installed in the runtime environment; the IDE helper package does not replace the native extension.
2. Choose an application-controlled output directory, normally storage_path('app/exports') in framework projects.
3. Create the directory before instantiating Excel.
4. Use fileName() for normal exports or constMemory() for large exports.
5. Write rows with header() / data() for simple sheets, or insertText() / insertDate() / insertFormula() when cell-level control is needed.
6. Call output() once and return the generated path through a download response.
7. Delete one-time export files after download.

Example

use Illuminate\Support\Facades\File;
use Vtiful\Kernel\Excel;

$directory = storage_path('app/exports');
File::ensureDirectoryExists($directory);

$excel = new Excel(['path' => $directory]);

$filePath = $excel
    ->fileName('orders.xlsx', 'Orders')
    ->header(['Order No', 'Customer', 'Total'])
    ->data($orders->map(fn ($order) => [
        $order->number,
        $order->customer_name,
        $order->total,
    ])->all())
    ->output();

return response()
    ->download($filePath, 'orders.xlsx', [
        'Content-Type' => 'application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet',
    ])
    ->deleteFileAfterSend();

Large Export Pattern

use Vtiful\Kernel\Excel;

$excel = new Excel(['path' => storage_path('app/exports')]);

$excel
    ->constMemory('orders.xlsx', 'Orders')
    ->header(['Order No', 'Customer', 'Total']);

Order::query()
    ->select(['id', 'number', 'customer_name', 'total'])
    ->orderBy('id')
    ->chunkById(1000, function ($orders) use ($excel) {
        foreach ($orders as $order) {
            $excel->data([[
                $order->number,
                $order->customer_name,
                $order->total,
            ]]);
        }
    });

$filePath = $excel->output();

Best Practices

• Keep export generation in an action, job, or controller method that already owns the query; do not add a broad abstraction for one export.
• For queued exports, persist only the generated path or storage disk key, not the Excel object.
• Call autoSize() before writing the cells it should size.
• Prefer numeric/date values as native values instead of pre-formatted strings unless the business requirement needs text.
• Sanitize user-controlled text that starts with formula-like characters before exporting if users will open the spreadsheet in Excel.