How To Make a Rails Model Into A Downloadable Spreadsheet

This might be useful to do if the data needs to be transported for any reason. The file can be accessed from anywhere after doing this with a courses_path request.

Steps

1. Add download links

   In index.html.erb (or wherever you want the buttons to go)

   <h4>Download:</h4>
   <%= link_to "CSV", courses_path(format: "csv"), class: "btn btn-primary"%>
   <%= link_to "Excel", courses_path(format: "xls"), class: "btn btn-primary"%>
   

2. Change the index controller action to accommodate serving different file types

   In model_controller.rb

   respond_to do |format|
     format.html
     format.csv { send_data @models.to_csv }
     format.xls 
   end
   

3. Add a to_csv method to the model’s class

   In model.rb

   def self.to_csv(options = {})
     CSV.generate(options) do |csv|
       csv << column_names
       all.each do |model|
         csv << model.attributes.values
       end
     end
   end
   

4. Add xls to mime types

   In config/initializers/mime_types.rb

   Mime::Type.register "application/xls", :xls
   

5. Require csv in the model class

   In model.rb

   require 'csv'
   

6. Add an xls format file to serve

   In index.xls.erb (fill in erb code specific to model)

   <?xml version="1.0"?>
   <Workbook xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet"
     xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
     xmlns:x="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:excel"
     xmlns:ss="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:spreadsheet"
     xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
     <Worksheet ss:Name="Sheet1">
       <Table>
         <Row>
           <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">ID</Data></Cell>
           <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Course Title</Data></Cell>
           <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Fee(in $)</Data></Cell>
           <Cell><Data ss:Type="String">Created at</Data></Cell>
         </Row>
       <% @courses.each do |course| %>
         <Row>
           <Cell><Data ss:Type="Number"><%= course.id %></Data></Cell>
           <Cell><Data ss:Type="String"><%= product.name %></Data></Cell>
           <Cell><Data ss:Type="Number"><%= product.fee %></Data></Cell>
           <Cell><Data ss:Type="String"><%= product.created_at.to_s("%B %d, %Y")  %></Data></Cell>
         </Row>
       <% end %>
       </Table>
     </Worksheet>
   </Workbook>