PHPExcel is not generating correct xls file - php

Question

I am using PHPExcel in my project to generate a xls file of data coming from the database. I have downloaded the library of PHPExcel and using it in my PHP class as give below :
Class name : A.class.php
Path : inside a folder named "inc";
PHPExcel Lib folder : inside "inc" and relative to A.class.php
class A{
// code stuff
public function phpexcelgenerate()
{
require_once 'PHPExcel_1.7.9_doc/Classes/PHPExcel.php';
header('Content-Type: application/vnd.ms-excel');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment;filename="sam.xlsx"');
header('Cache-Control: max-age=0');
$objPHPExcel = new PHPExcel;
$objPHPExcel->setActiveSheetIndex(0);
$objPHPExcel->getActiveSheet()->SetCellValue('A1', "12");
$writer = PHPExcel_IOFactory::createWriter($objPHPExcel, 'Excel5');
// This line will force the file to download
$writer->save();
}
// code stuff
}
This code is generating a xls file but that file is fully empty. I am thinking that I have included the files of PHPExcel in a wrong way in PHP classes. Could anyone tell me where I am doing wrong OR an example how can I do the same ?

Answer 1

You need to pass a filename to the save() method. Then read the contents of that files and echo to the browser.
$writer = PHPExcel_IOFactory::createWriter($objPHPExcel, 'Excel5');
$writer->save("excel.xls");
readfile("excel.xls");

Answer 2

first of all you need to read the file:
// Read the file
$objReader = PHPExcel_IOFactory::createReader(Excel5);
$objPHPExcel = $objReader->load($fileName);
now get the data from db:
//get data
$details = $this->main_model->get_details()->row();
then assign the data to correct cells:
$objPHPExcel->getActiveSheet()->setCellValue('A'.$row, $i);
$objPHPExcel->getActiveSheet()->setCellValue('B'.$row, $rec->eType);
at the end write the new file:
header('Content-Type: application/vnd.ms-excel'); //mime type
header('Content-Disposition: attachment;filename="'.$filename.'"'); //tell browser what's the file name
header('Cache-Control: max-age=0'); //no cache
$objWriter = PHPExcel_IOFactory::createWriter($objPHPExcel, 'Excel5');
//force user to download the Excel file without writing it to server's HD
$objWriter->save('php://output');