How to create a plain excel file for testing?

[torbentschechne]

Hey there,

I have created an controller endpoint to handle a excel file which contents will be imported. Now I want to create a test for this controller and I ask myself how can I create and pass an excel file to my controller endpoint. In version 2.1 I could easily do something like this:

$data = array(
    array('data1', 'data2'),
    array('data3', 'data4')
);

Excel::create('Filename', function($excel) use($data) {

    $excel->sheet('Sheetname', function($sheet) use($data) {

        $sheet->fromArray($data);

    });

})->export('xls');

But now, in version 3.1. I also have an array like this:

$data = array(
    array('data1', 'data2'),
    array('data3', 'data4')
);

But how can I create an excel file now with the defined data to be handled by the controller endpoint? In the docs I always find the Excel::store, but this one expects an Object / my Import Class - but why? I just want to pass an array and say "hey, this is the excel I need and I want to upload this one now". Do you have any tips?

[patrickbrouwers]

but this one expects an Object / my Import Class - but why?

I don't recommend handling export logic outside of an export class in case of actual business logic. In my professional opinion it's a lot better to encapsulate it.

I just want to pass an array and say "hey, this is the excel I need and I want to upload this one now". Do you have any tips?

There are three ways to do what you want:

Have some generic class

Excel::store(new ArrayExport($data))

Anonymous classes:

Excel::store(new class implements FromArray {

// have a constructor and array method etc.

})

Using the collection macro (https://docs.laravel-excel.com/3.1/exports/collection.html#collection-macros)

collect($data)->storeExcel('filename.xlsx')

You can pick which ever one you like most.

[torbentschechne]

Thanks!