Reports in Codeigniter

Question

What is the most simplist way to generate reports in Codeigniter framework? Is there any library available to do this task? Except charting what are the other resources to do this.

Answer 1

Found a nice solution myself. If you want to generate reports in csv format it is very easy with codeigniter. Your model function

function index(){
return $query = $this->db->get('my_table');
    /*
    Here you should note i am returning 
    the query object instead of 
    $query->result() or $query->result_array()
    */
}    

Now in controller

function get_report(){
    $this->load->model('my_model');
    $this->load->dbutil();
    $this->load->helper('file');
    /* get the object   */
    $report = $this->my_model->index();
    /*  pass it to db utility function  */
    $new_report = $this->dbutil->csv_from_result($report);
    /*  Now use it to write file. write_file helper function will do it */
    write_file('csv_file.csv',$new_report);
    /*  Done    */
}

No externals are required everything is available in codeigntier. Cheers! If you want to write xml file it is easy too.
Just use xml_from_result() method of dbutil and use write_file('xml_file.xml,$new_report) Visit these links they will help.

Database Utility Class

And

File Helper

Answer 2

Complete explanation:

Model:

class Csv_m extends MY_Model {
function getCSV() {
    $sql = "SELECT * FROM tablename";
    return $this->db->query($sql);
}
}

Controller:

class Generate extends CI_Controller {
var $file_path;
public function __construct() {
    parent::__construct();
    $this->file_path = realpath(APPPATH . '../assets/csv');
}
function index() {
    $this->load->model('csv_m');
    $this->load->dbutil();
    $this->load->helper('file');
    //get the object
    $report = $this->csv_m->getCSV();

    $delimiter = ",";
    $newline = "\r\n";
    $new_report = $this->dbutil->csv_from_result($report, $delimiter, $newline);
    // write file
    write_file($this->file_path . '/csv_file.csv', $new_report);
    //force download from server
    $this->load->helper('download');
    $data = file_get_contents($this->file_path . '/csv_file.csv');
    $name = 'name-'.date('d-m-Y').'.csv';
    force_download($name, $data);
}
}

Answer 3

I used this for my .csv reports. it has the ability to change database fields name in csv file. here is the code.

 public function export_csv() {
    $file_name = 'File_name_'.date("Y-m-d h-i-s").'.csv';
    $query = $this->db->query('SELECT 
        id as "Id", // id is table id and Id is the csv header field. 
        franchiseopt as "Nearest Location", 
        hear_about_us as "How did you hear about us?", 
        specify as "Specify",  
        email as "Email", 
        noguests as "Number of Guests", 
        eventdate as "Date of Event",
        name as "Your Name",
        phone as "Phone Number",
        locationevent as "Location of Event",
        message as "More Details"
        FROM TABLE_NAME ORDER BY id DESC');

    $this->load->dbutil();
    $data = $this->dbutil->csv_from_result($query);
    $this->load->helper('download');
    force_download($file_name, $data);  
    exit();
}

Obviously You need to replace database table fields according to your table.