ruby on rails export an excel data file

Question

I am trying to design a website that allows anyone visiting the site to download an excel file. The excel file just stores data that I would like to make publicly available. I am using ruby on rails, and was wondering if there is an easy way to store my excel spreadsheet (maybe in the assets folder?) and make a link on my webpage that when clicked downloads the spreadsheet. Thanks!

Answer 1

You can use CSV export (works with Excel pretty well) since Ruby has a well implemented CSV feature into the software.

class UsersController < ApplicationController
  def index
    @users = User.all

    respond_to do |format|
      format.html
      format.csv { send_data @users.to_csv, filename: "users-#{Date.today}.csv" }
    end
  end
end

Also, you have to require it in your config/application.rb:

require 'csv' 
require 'rails/all' # Or something resembling to this.

In your model, add this into it:

class User < ActiveRecord::Base
  def self.to_csv
    attributes = %w{id email name}

    CSV.generate(headers: true) do |csv|
      csv << attributes

      all.each do |user|
        csv << attributes.map{ |attr| user.send(attr) }
      end
    end
  end

  def name
    "#{first_name} #{last_name}"
  end
end

Source: GoRails (Video) , RailsCasts

Answer 2

I figured it out by looking at a related post: How to give the xls file link in Ruby on Rails? and looking at the answer by hernanvicente