docs.sheetjs.com/docz/docs/03-demos/17-mobile/05-capacitor.md

---
title: CapacitorJS
pagination_prev: demos/static/index
pagination_next: demos/desktop/index
sidebar_position: 5
sidebar_custom_props:
  summary: JS + Web View
---

import current from '/version.js';
import CodeBlock from '@theme/CodeBlock';

The [SheetJS NodeJS Module](/docs/getting-started/installation/nodejs) can be
imported from any component or script in the app.

The "Complete Example" creates an app that looks like the screenshots below:

<table><thead><tr>
  <th><a href="#demo">iOS</a></th>
  <th><a href="#demo">Android</a></th>
</tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

![iOS screenshot](pathname:///cap/ios.png)

</td><td>

![Android screenshot](pathname:///cap/and.png)

</td></tr></tbody></table>

:::note Tested Deployments

This demo was tested in the following environments:

**Simulators**

| OS         | Device              | CapacitorJS + FS  | Dev Platform | Date       |
|:-----------|:--------------------|:------------------|:-------------|:-----------|
| Android 34 | Pixel 3a            | `5.5.1` / `5.1.4` | `darwin-x64` | 2023-12-04 |
| iOS 17.0.1 | iPhone 15 Pro Max   | `5.5.1` / `5.1.4` | `darwin-x64` | 2023-12-04 |
| Android 34 | Pixel 3a            | `6.0.0` / `6.0.0` | `win10-x64`  | 2024-05-28 |

**Real Devices**

| OS         | Device              | CapacitorJS + FS  | Date       |
|:-----------|:--------------------|:------------------|:-----------|
| Android 29 | NVIDIA Shield       | `5.5.1` / `5.1.4` | 2023-12-04 |
| iOS 15.1   | iPad Pro            | `5.5.1` / `5.1.4` | 2023-12-04 |

:::

:::danger Telemetry

Before starting this demo, manually disable telemetry.  On Linux and MacOS:

```bash
npx @capacitor/cli telemetry off
```

To verify telemetry was disabled:

```bash
npx @capacitor/cli telemetry
```

:::

## Integration Details

This example uses Svelte, but the same principles apply to other frameworks.

#### Reading data

The standard HTML5 File Input element logic works in CapacitorJS:

```html
<script>
import { read, utils } from 'xlsx';

let html = "";

/* show file picker, read file, load table */
async function importFile(evt) {
  // highlight-start
  const f = evt.target.files[0];
  const wb = read(await f.arrayBuffer());
  // highlight-end
  const ws = wb.Sheets[wb.SheetNames[0]]; // get the first worksheet
  html = utils.sheet_to_html(ws); // generate HTML and update state
}
</script>

<main>
  <!-- highlight-next-line -->
  <input type="file" on:change={importFile}/>
  <div bind:this={tbl}>{@html html}</div>
</main>
```

#### Writing data

`@capacitor/filesystem` can write Base64 strings:

```html
<script>
import { Filesystem, Directory } from '@capacitor/filesystem';
import { utils, writeXLSX } from 'xlsx';

let html = "";
let tbl;

/* get state data and export to XLSX */
async function exportFile() {
  const elt = tbl.getElementsByTagName("TABLE")[0];
  const wb = utils.table_to_book(elt);
  /* generate Base64 string for Capacitor */
  // highlight-start
  const data = writeXLSX(wb, { type: "base64" });
  await Filesystem.writeFile({
    data,
    path: "SheetJSCap.xlsx",
    directory: Directory.Documents
  }); // write file
  // highlight-end
}

</script>

<main>
  <button on:click={exportFile}>Export XLSX</button>
  <div bind:this={tbl}>{@html html}</div>
</main>
```

## Demo

### Base Project

0) Follow the official "Environment Setup"[^1] instructions to set up Android
and iOS targets

:::caution pass

iOS development is only supported on macOS.

:::

<details>
  <summary><b>Installation Notes</b> (click to show)</summary>

CapacitorJS requires Java 17.

</details>

1) Disable telemetry.

```bash
npx @capacitor/cli telemetry off
```

Verify that telemetry is disabled by running

```bash
npx @capacitor/cli telemetry
```

(it should print `Telemetry is off`)

2) Create a new Svelte project:

```bash
npm create vite@latest sheetjs-cap -- --template svelte
cd sheetjs-cap
```

3) Install dependencies:

<CodeBlock language="bash">{`\
npm i --save https://cdn.sheetjs.com/xlsx-${current}/xlsx-${current}.tgz
npm i --save @capacitor/core @capacitor/cli @capacitor/filesystem`}
</CodeBlock>

4) Create CapacitorJS structure:

```bash
npx cap init sheetjs-cap com.sheetjs.cap --web-dir=dist
npm run build
```

:::note pass

If prompted to create an Ionic account, type `N` and press Enter.

:::

5) Download [`src/App.svelte`](pathname:///cap/App.svelte) and replace:

```bash
curl -o src/App.svelte -L https://docs.sheetjs.com/cap/App.svelte
```

### Android

6) Create Android app

```bash
npm i --save @capacitor/android
npx cap add android
```

7) Enable file reading and writing in the Android app.

Add the highlighted lines to `android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml` after
the `Permissions` comment:

```xml title="android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml (add to file)"
    <!-- Permissions -->

<!-- highlight-start -->
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE"/>
<!-- highlight-end -->

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
```

8) Run the app in the simulator:

```bash
npm run build
npx cap sync
npx cap run android
```

The app should look like the screenshot at the top of the page.

9) Test the export functionality.

Touch "Export XLSX" and the emulator will ask for permission. Tap "Allow" and a
popup will be displayed with a path.

Open the "Files" app in the simulator, tap the `≡` icon and tap "Documents". Tap
the "Documents" folder to find `SheetJSCap.xlsx`.

<details open>
  <summary><b>Downloading the generated file</b> (click to hide)</summary>

`adb` must be run from the root user:

```bash
adb root
```

The file location can be found by searching for `SheetJSCap.xlsx`:

```bash
adb exec-out find / -name SheetJSCap.xlsx
```

The first line of the output starting with `/` is the desired path:

```text
find: /proc/8533/task/8533/exe: No such file or directory
find: /proc/8533/exe: No such file or directory
// highlight-next-line
/data/media/0/Documents/SheetJSCap.xlsx
/storage/emulated/0/Documents/SheetJSCap.xlsx
```

`adb pull` can download the file:

```bash
adb pull "/data/media/0/Documents/SheetJSCap.xlsx" SheetJSCap.xlsx
```

`SheetJSCap.xlsx` can be opened with a spreadsheet editor such as Excel.

</details>

### iOS

10) Create iOS app

```bash
npm i --save @capacitor/ios
npx cap add ios
```

11) Enable file sharing and make the documents folder visible in the iOS app.
The following lines must be added to `ios/App/App/Info.plist`:

```xml title="ios/App/App/Info.plist (add to file)"
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<!-- highlight-start -->
  <key>UIFileSharingEnabled</key>
  <true/>
  <key>LSSupportsOpeningDocumentsInPlace</key>
  <true/>
<!-- highlight-end -->
  <key>CFBundleDevelopmentRegion</key>
```

(The root element of the document is `plist` and it contains one `dict` child)

12) Run the app in the simulator

```bash
npm run build
npx cap sync
npx cap run ios
```

If prompted to select a target device, select "iPhone 15 Pro Max (simulator)".

13) Test the app

Open the app and observe that presidents are listed in the table.

Touch "Export XLSX" and a popup will be displayed.

To see the generated file, switch to the "Files" app in the simulator and look
for `SheetJSCap.xlsx` in "On My iPhone" > "`sheetjs-cap`"

### Android Device

14) Connect an Android device using a USB cable.

If the device asks to allow USB debugging, tap "Allow".

15) Close any Android / iOS emulators.

16) Build APK and run on device:

```bash
npm run build
npx cap sync
npx cap run android
```

If the Android emulators are closed and an Android device is connected, the last
command will build an APK and install on the device.

:::caution pass

For real devices running API level 29 or below, the following line must be added
to the `application` open tag in `android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml`:

```xml title="android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml (add highlighted attribute)"
    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        // highlight-next-line
        android:requestLegacyExternalStorage="true"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme">
```

:::

### iOS Device

17) Connect an iOS device using a USB cable

18) Close any Android / iOS emulators.

19) Enable developer code signing certificates[^2]

19) Run on device:

```bash
npm run build
npx cap sync
npx cap run ios
```

When prompted to select a target device, select the real device in the list.

[^1]: See ["Environment Setup"](https://capacitorjs.com/docs/getting-started/environment-setup) in the CapacitorJS documentation.
[^2]: The [Flutter documentation](https://docs.flutter.dev/get-started/install/macos?tab=ios15#enable-developer-code-signing-certificates) covers the instructions in more detail. The correct workspace is `ios/App/App.xcworkspace`