Spreadsheet Architect
Spreadsheet Architect is a library that allows you to create XLSX, ODS, or CSV spreadsheets super easily from ActiveRecord relations, plain Ruby objects, or tabular data.
Key Features:
- Dead simple custom spreadsheets with custom data
- Data Sources: ActiveRecord relations, array of plain Ruby object instances, or tabular 2D Array Data
- Easily style and customize spreadsheets
- Create multi sheet spreadsheets
- Setting Class/Model or Project specific defaults
- Simple to use ActionController renderers for Rails
- Plain Ruby (without Rails) completely supported
Install
gem 'spreadsheet_architect'
General Usage
Tabular (Array) Data
The simplest and preffered usage is to simply create the data array yourself.
headers = ['Col 1','Col 2','Col 3']
data = [[1,2,3], [4,5,6], [7,8,9]]
SpreadsheetArchitect.to_xlsx(headers: headers, data: data)
SpreadsheetArchitect.to_ods(headers: headers, data: data)
SpreadsheetArchitect.to_csv(headers: headers, data: data)
Using this style will allow you to utilize any custom performance optimizations during your data generation process. This will come in handy when the spreadsheets get large and things start to get slow. One of my favourites for Rails is light_record
Rails Relations or an Array of plain Ruby object instances
If you would like to add the methods to_xlsx, to_ods, to_csv, to_axlsx_package, to_rodf_spreadsheet to some class, you can simply include the SpreadsheetArchitect module to whichever classes you choose. A good default strategy is to simply add it to the ApplicationRecord or another parent class to have it available on all appropriate classes. For example:
class Post < ApplicationRecord
include SpreadsheetArchitect
end
When using on an AR Relation or using the :instances option, SpreadsheetArchitect requires an instance method to be defined on the class to generate the data. By default it looks for the spreadsheet_columns method on the class. If you are using on an ActiveRecord model and that method is not defined, it would fallback to the models column_names method. If using the :data option this is completely ignored.
class Post
include SpreadsheetArchitect
def spreadsheet_columns
### Column format is: [Header, Cell Data / Method (if symbol) to Call on each Instance, (optional) Cell Type]
[
['Title', :title],
['Content', content.strip],
['Author', (author.name if author)],
['Published?', (published ? 'Yes' : 'No')],
:published_at, # uses the method name as header title Ex. 'Published At'
['# of Views', :number_of_views, :float],
['Rating', :rating],
['Category/Tags', "#{category.name} - #{tags.collect(&:name).join(', ')}"]
]
end
end
Then use it on the class or ActiveRecord relations of the class
posts = Post.order(name: :asc).where(published: true)
posts.to_xlsx
posts.to_ods
posts.to_csv
# Plain Ruby Objects
posts_array = 10.times.map{, i, Post.new(number: i)}
Post.to_xlsx(instances: posts_array)
Post.to_ods(instances: posts_array)
Post.to_csv(instances: posts_array)
If you want to use a different method name then spreadsheet_columns you can pass a method name to the :spreadsheet_columns option.
Post.to_xlsx(instances: posts, spreadsheet_columns: :my_special_method)
Alternatively, you can pass a Proc/lambda to the spreadsheet_columns option. For those purists that really dont want to define any extra spreadsheet_columns instance method on your model, this option can help you work with that methodology.
Post.to_xlsx(instances: posts, spreadsheet_columns: Proc.new{, instance, [
['Title', :title],
['Content', instance.content.strip],
['Author', (instance.author.name if instance.author)],
['Published?', (instance.published ? 'Yes' : 'No')],
:published_at, # uses the method name as header title Einstance. 'Published At'
['# of Views', :number_of_views, :float],
['Rating', :rating],
['Category/Tags', "#{instance.category.name} - #{instance.tags.collect(&:name).join(', ')}"]
]
})
Sending & Saving Spreadsheets
Method 1: Save to a file manually
file_data = SpreadsheetArchitect.to_xlsx(headers: headers, data: data)
File.open('path/to/file.xlsx', 'w+b') do, f, f.write file_data
end
Method 2: Send Data via Rails Controller
class PostsController < ActionController::Base
respond_to :html, :xlsx, :ods, :csv
def index
@posts = Post.order(published_at: :asc)
render xlsx: @posts
end
# Using respond_with
def index
@posts = Post.order(published_at: :asc)
respond_with @posts
end
# OR Using respond_with with custom options
def index
@posts = Post.order(published_at: :asc)
if ['xlsx','ods','csv'].include?(request.format)
respond_with @posts.to_xlsx(row_style: {bold: true}), filename: 'Posts'
else
respond_with @posts
end
end
# OR Using responders
def index
@posts = Post.order(published_at: :asc)
respond_to do, format, format.html
format.xlsx { render xlsx: @posts }
format.ods { render ods: @posts }
format.csv{ render csv: @posts }
end
end
# OR Using responders with custom options
def index
@posts = Post.order(published_at: :asc)
respond_to do, format, format.html
format.xlsx { render xlsx: @posts.to_xlsx(headers: false) }
format.ods { render ods: Post.to_ods(instances: @posts) }
format.csv{ render csv: @posts.to_csv(headers: false), file_name: 'articles' }
end
end
end
Multi Sheet Spreadsheets
XLSX
axlsx_package = SpreadsheetArchitect.to_axlsx_package({headers: headers, data: data})
axlsx_package = SpreadsheetArchitect.to_axlsx_package({headers: headers, data: data}, package)
File.open('path/to/multi_sheet_file.xlsx', 'w+b') do, f, f.write axlsx_package.to_stream.read
end
See this file for more details: https://github.com/westonganger/spreadsheet_architect/blob/master/test/spreadsheet_architect/multi_sheet_test.rb
ODS
ods_spreadsheet = SpreadsheetArchitect.to_rodf_spreadsheet({headers: headers, data: data})
ods_spreadsheet = SpreadsheetArchitect.to_rodf_spreadsheet({headers: headers, data: data}, spreadsheet)
File.open('path/to/multi_sheet_file.ods', 'w+b') do, f, f.write ods_spreadsheet
end
See this file for more details: https://github.com/westonganger/spreadsheet_architect/blob/master/test/spreadsheet_architect/multi_sheet_test.rb
Methods
to_xlsx(options={}), Option, Default, Notes, ---, ---, ---, data2D Array, Cannot be used with the :instances option.Tabular data for the non-header row cells., instancesArray, Cannot be used with the :data option.Array of class/model instances to be used as row data. Cannot be used with :data option, spreadsheet_columnsProc/Symbol/String, Use this option to override or define the spreadsheet columns. Normally, if this option is not specified and are using the instances option/ActiveRecord relation, it uses the classes custom spreadsheet_columns method or any custom defaults defined.If neither of those and is an ActiveRecord model, then it will falls back to the models self.column_names, Cannot be used with the :data option.If a Proc value is passed it will be evaluated on the instance object.If a Symbol or String value is passed then it will search the instance for a method name that matches and call it., headersArray / 2D Array, Data for the header row cells. If using on a class/relation, this defaults to the ones provided via spreadsheet_columns. Pass false to skip the header row., sheet_nameString, Sheet1, header_styleHash, {background_color: "AAAAAA", color: "FFFFFF", align: :center, font_name: 'Arial', font_size: 10, bold: false, italic: false, underline: false}, See all available style options here, row_styleHash, {background_color: nil, color: "000000", align: :left, font_name: 'Arial', font_size: 10, bold: false, italic: false, underline: false, format_code: nil}, Styles for non-header rows. See all available style options here, column_stylesArray, See this example for usage, range_stylesArray, See this example for usage, conditional_row_stylesArray, See this example for usage. The if/unless proc will called with the following args: row_index, row_data, mergesArray, Merge cells. See this example for usage. Warning merges cannot overlap eachother, if you attempt to do so Excel will claim your spreadsheet is corrupt and refuse to open your spreadsheet., bordersArray, See this example for usage, column_typesArray, Valid types for XLSX are :string, :integer, :float, :date, :time, :boolean, nil = auto determine., column_widthsArray, Sometimes you may want explicit column widths. Use nil if you want a column to autofit again., freeze_headersBoolean, Make all header rows frozen/fixed so they do not scroll., freeze* Hash*, {rows: (1..4), columns: :all}, Make all specified rows and columns frozen/fixed so they do not scroll., ## to_axlsx_spreadsheet(options={}, axlsx_package_to_join=nil)
Same options as to_xlsx
to_ods(options={}), Option, Default, Notes, ---, ---, ---, data2D Array, Cannot be used with the :instances option.Tabular data for the non-header row cells., instancesArray, Cannot be used with the :data option.Array of class/model instances to be used as row data. Cannot be used with :data option, spreadsheet_columnsProc/Symbol/String, Use this option to override or define the spreadsheet columns. Normally, if this option is not specified and are using the instances option/ActiveRecord relation, it uses the classes custom spreadsheet_columns method or any custom defaults defined.If neither of those and is an ActiveRecord model, then it will falls back to the models self.column_names, Cannot be used with the :data option.If a Proc value is passed it will be evaluated on the instance object.If a Symbol or String value is passed then it will search the instance for a method name that matches and call it., headersArray / 2D Array, Data for the header row cells. If using on a class/relation, this defaults to the ones provided via spreadsheet_columns. Pass false to skip the header row., sheet_nameString, Sheet1, header_styleHash, {background_color: "AAAAAA", color: "FFFFFF", align: :center, font_size: 10, bold: true}, Note: Currently ODS only supports these options, row_styleHash, {background_color: nil, color: "000000", align: :left, font_size: 10, bold: false}, Styles for non-header rows. Currently ODS only supports these options, column_typesArray, Valid types for ODS are :string, :float, :date, :time, :boolean, nil = auto determine. Due to RODF Issue #19, :date/:time will be converted to :string, ## to_rodf_spreadsheet(options={}, spreadsheet_to_join=nil)
Same options as to_ods
to_csv(options={}), Option, Default, Notes, ---, ---, ---, data2D Array, Cannot be used with the :instances option.Tabular data for the non-header row cells., instancesArray, Cannot be used with the :data option.Array of class/model instances to be used as row data. Cannot be used with :data option, spreadsheet_columnsProc/Symbol/String, Use this option to override or define the spreadsheet columns. Normally, if this option is not specified and are using the instances option/ActiveRecord relation, it uses the classes custom spreadsheet_columns method or any custom defaults defined.If neither of those and is an ActiveRecord model, then it will falls back to the models self.column_names, Cannot be used with the :data option.If a Proc value is passed it will be evaluated on the instance object.If a Symbol or String value is passed then it will search the instance for a method name that matches and call it., headersArray / 2D Array, Data for the header row cells. If using on a class/relation, this defaults to the ones provided via spreadsheet_columns. Pass false to skip the header row., # Change class-wide default method options
class Post < ApplicationRecord
include SpreadsheetArchitect
def spreadsheet_columns
[:name, :content]
end
SPREADSHEET_OPTIONS = {
headers: [
['My Post Report'],
self.column_names.map{, x, x.titleize}
],
spreadsheet_columns: :spreadsheet_columns,
header_style: {background_color: 'AAAAAA', color: 'FFFFFF', align: :center, font_name: 'Arial', font_size: 10, bold: false, italic: false, underline: false},
row_style: {background_color: nil, color: '000000', align: :left, font_name: 'Arial', font_size: 10, bold: false, italic: false, underline: false},
sheet_name: self.name,
column_styles: [],
range_styles: [],
conditional_row_styles: [],
merges: [],
borders: [],
column_types: [],
}
end
Change project-wide default method options
# config/initializers/spreadsheet_architect.rb
SpreadsheetArchitect.default_options = {
headers: true,
spreadsheet_columns: :spreadsheet_columns,
header_style: {background_color: 'AAAAAA', color: 'FFFFFF', align: :center, font_name: 'Arial', font_size: 10, bold: false, italic: false, underline: false},
row_style: {background_color: nil, color: '000000', align: :left, font_name: 'Arial', font_size: 10, bold: false, italic: false, underline: false},
sheet_name: 'My Project Export',
column_styles: [],
range_styles: [],
conditional_row_styles: [],
merges: [],
borders: [],
column_types: [],
}
Kitchen Sink Examples with Styling for XLSX and ODS
See this example: https://github.com/westonganger/spreadsheet_architect/blob/master/test/unit/kitchen_sink_test.rb
Axlsx Style Reference
I have compiled a list of all available style options for axlsx here: https://github.com/westonganger/spreadsheet_architect/blob/master/docs/axlsx_style_reference.md
Testing / Validating your Spreadsheets
A wise word of advice, when testing your spreadsheets I recommend to use Excel instead of LibreOffice. This is because I have seen through testing, that where LibreOffice seems to just let most incorrect things just slide on through, Excel will not even open the spreadsheet as apparently it is much more strict about the spreadsheet validations. This will help you better identify any incorrect styling or customization issues.
Contributing
We use the appraisal gem for testing multiple versions of axlsx. Please use the following steps to test using appraisal.
bundle exec appraisal installbundle exec appraisal rake test
At this time the spreadsheets generated by the test suite are manually inspected. After running the tests, the test output can be viewed at tmp/#{alxsx_version}/*
Credits
Created & Maintained by Weston Ganger - @westonganger
For any consulting or contract work please contact me via my company website: Solid Foundation Web Development
