How to Programmatically Download CSV Files from a PHP Array?

How to Create and Download a CSV File from a PHP Script

Overview

This article aims to provide a comprehensive solution for creating and downloading a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file from a PHP array. As a novice programmer, you may need assistance implementing this functionality.

Generating CSV Lines

To generate CSV lines from your PHP array, you can utilize the built-in fputcsv() function, which converts arrays into formatted strings suitable for CSV:

$f = fopen("tmp.csv", "w");
foreach ($array as $line) {
    fputcsv($f, $line);
}

HTTP Headers for Download

To initiate a file download from the browser, sending appropriate HTTP headers is crucial. One such header is:

header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="filename.csv";');

This header informs the browser that the response contains a file attachment with the specified filename.

Putting it All Together

Combining the CSV line generation and HTTP header, you can create a function for downloading CSVs:

function array_to_csv_download($array, $filename = "export.csv", $delimiter = ";") {
    // Open a memory file for efficient handling without temporary files.
    $f = fopen('php://memory', 'w'); 
    // Generate CSV lines and write them to the memory file.
    foreach ($array as $line) { 
        fputcsv($f, $line, $delimiter); 
    }
    // Reset the file pointer to begin sending the file.
    fseek($f, 0);
    // Set CSV-related HTTP headers.
    header('Content-Type: text/csv');
    header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="'. $filename . '";');
    // Output the generated CSV lines to the browser for download.
    fpassthru($f);
}

Usage Example

To use this function, simply pass your array and desired filename:

array_to_csv_download(array(
  array(1, 2, 3, 4), // First row
  array(1, 2, 3, 4) // Second row
), "numbers.csv");

Alternative Output Option

As an alternative to writing to a memory file, you can also use php://output as the file descriptor, eliminating the need for file seeking:

function array_to_csv_download($array, $filename = "export.csv", $delimiter = ";") {
    header('Content-Type: application/csv');
    header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="'. $filename . '";');

    // Open the php://output stream for direct output.
    $f = fopen('php://output', 'w');

    foreach ($array as $line) {
        fputcsv($f, $line, $delimiter);
    }
}   

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