NAME Catalyst::Action::Serialize::SimpleExcel - Serialize to Excel files SYNOPSIS Serializes tabular data to an Excel file. Not terribly configurable, but should suffice for simple purposes. In your REST Controller: package MyApp::Controller::REST; use parent 'Catalyst::Controller::REST'; use DBIx::Class::ResultClass::HashRefInflator (); use POSIX 'strftime'; __PACKAGE__->config->{map}{'application/vnd.ms-excel'} = 'SimpleExcel'; sub books : Local ActionClass('REST') {} sub books_GET { my ($self, $c) = @_; my $books_rs = $c->model('MyDB::Book')->search({}, { order_by => 'author,title' }); $books_rs->result_class('DBIx::Class::ResultClass::HashRefInflator'); my @books = map { [ @{$_}{qw/author title/} ] } $books_rs->all; my $authors_rs = $c->model('MyDB::Author')->search({}, { order_by => 'last_name,middle_name,last_name' }); $authors_rs->result_class('DBIx::Class::ResultClass::HashRefInflator'); my @authors = map { [ @{$_}{qw/first_name middle_name last_name/} ] } $authors_rs->all; my $entity = { sheets => [ { name => 'Books', header => ['Author', 'Title'], # will be bold rows => \@books, }, { name => 'Authors', header => ['First Name', 'Middle Name', 'Last Name'], rows => \@authors, }, ], # the part before .xls, which is automatically appended filename => 'myapp-books-'.strftime('%m-%d-%Y', localtime) }; $self->status_ok( $c, entity => $entity ); } In your javascript, to initiate a file download: // this uses jQuery function export_to_excel() { $('<iframe ' +'src="/rest/books?content-type=application%2Fvnd.ms-excel">') .hide().appendTo('body'); } Note, the content-type query param is required if you're just linking to the action. It tells Catalyst::Controller::REST what you're serializing the data as. DESCRIPTION Your entity should be either an array of arrays, an array of arrays of arrays, or a hash with the keys as described below and in the "SYNOPSIS". If entity is a hashref, keys should be: sheets An array of worksheets. Either sheets or a worksheet specification at the top level is required. filename Optional. The name of the file before .xls. Defaults to "data". Each sheet should be an array of arrays, or a hashref with the following fields: name Optional. The name of the worksheet. rows Required. The array of arrays of rows. header Optional, an array for the first line of the sheet, which will be in bold. column_widths Optional, the widths in characters of the columns. Otherwise the widths are calculated automatically from the data and header. If you only have one sheet, you can put it in the top level hash. AUTHOR Rafael Kitover, "<rkitover at cpan.org>" BUGS Please report any bugs or feature requests to "bug-catalyst-action-serialize-simpleexcel at rt.cpan.org", or through the web interface at <http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Catalyst-Action-Serializ e-SimpleExcel>. I will be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on your bug as I make changes. SEE ALSO Catalyst, Catalyst::Controller::REST, Catalyst::Action::REST, Catalyst::View::Excel::Template::Plus, Spreadsheet::WriteExcel, Spreadsheet::ParseExcel SUPPORT You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command. perldoc Catalyst::Action::Serialize::SimpleExcel You can also look for information at: * RT: CPAN's request tracker <http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=Catalyst-Action-Serialize- SimpleExcel> * AnnoCPAN: Annotated CPAN documentation <http://annocpan.org/dist/Catalyst-Action-Serialize-SimpleExcel> * CPAN Ratings <http://cpanratings.perl.org/d/Catalyst-Action-Serialize-SimpleExcel > * Search CPAN <http://search.cpan.org/dist/Catalyst-Action-Serialize-SimpleExcel/> COPYRIGHT & LICENSE Copyright (c) 2008-2011 Rafael Kitover This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.