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Data in Quasar Apps | Quasar | Build data-intensive mobile apps with Quasar and Cordova. Seamlessly integrate spreadsheets into your app using SheetJS. Let data in your Excel spreadsheets shine. | demos/static/index | demos/desktop/index | 3 |
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import current from '/version.js'; import CodeBlock from '@theme/CodeBlock';
Quasar is a VueJS framework for building iOS and Android apps with the Cordova platform.
SheetJS is a JavaScript library for reading and writing data from spreadsheets.
This demo uses Quasar and SheetJS to process data and generate spreadsheets. We'll explore how to load SheetJS in an Quasar app and use Quasar and Cordova features to extract data from, and write data to, spreadsheets on the device.
The "Demo" creates an app that looks like the screenshots below:
iOS | Android |
---|---|
Integration Details
The NodeJS Module can be imported from the main entrypoint or any script in the project.
This demo will use the Quasar ViteJS starter project with VueJS and Cordova.
The starter places the backing Cordova project in the src-cordova
folder.
The complete solution uses cordova-plugin-file
for file operations. It can
be installed from the Cordova folder:
cd src-cordova
cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-file
cd ..
Reading data
The QFile1 component presents an API reminiscent of File Input elements:
<q-file label="Load File" filled label-color="orange" @input="updateFile"/>
When binding to the input
element, the callback receives an Event
object.
Using standard DOM operations, the file data can be pulled into an ArrayBuffer
and parsed using the SheetJS read
method2. read
returns a workbook3
object that holds data and metadata for each worksheet.
This snippet reads a workbook, pulls the first worksheet, generates an array of
objects using the SheetJS sheet_to_json
4 method, and updates state:
import { read } from 'xlsx';
// assuming `todos` is a standard VueJS `ref`
async function updateFile(v) { try {
// `v.target.files[0]` is the desired file object
const files = (v.target as HTMLInputElement).files;
if(!files || files.length == 0) return;
// read first file
const wb = read(await files[0].arrayBuffer());
// get data of first worksheet as an array of objects
const data = utils.sheet_to_json(wb.Sheets[wb.SheetNames[0]]);
// update state
todos.value = data.map(row => ({id: row.Index, content: row.Name}));
} catch(e) { console.log(e); } }
Writing data
Starting from an array of objects, the SheetJS json_to_sheet
method5
generates a SheetJS worksheet object. The book_append_sheet
and book_new
helper functions6 create a SheetJS workbook object that can be exported:
import { utils } from 'xlsx';
// assuming `todos` is a VueJS ref whose value is an array of objects
const ws = utils.json_to_sheet(todos.value);
const wb = utils.book_new();
utils.book_append_sheet(wb, ws, "SheetJSQuasar");
The SheetJS write
function7 with the option type: "buffer"
will generate
Uint8Array
objects that can be converted to blobs and exported:
import { write } from 'xlsx';
// on iOS and android, `XLSX.write` with type "buffer" returns a `Uint8Array`
const u8: Uint8Array = write(wb, {bookType: "xlsx", type: "buffer"});
The cordova-plugin-file
API writes the data to the filesystem. The code uses
the File and Directory Entries API8:
// Request filesystem access for persistent storage
window.requestFileSystem(window.PERSISTENT, 0, function(fs) {
// Request a handle to "SheetJSQuasar.xlsx", making a new file if necessary
fs.root.getFile("SheetJSQuasar.xlsx", {create: true}, entry => {
// Request a FileWriter for writing data
entry.createWriter(writer => {
// The FileWriter API needs an actual Blob
const data = new Blob([u8], {type: "application/vnd.ms-excel"});
// This callback is called if the write is successful
writer.onwriteend = () => {
// TODO: show a dialog
};
// writer.onerror will be invoked if there is an error in writing
// write the data
writer.write(data);
});
});
});
Demo
:::note
The Android demo was last tested on 2023 September 18 with Quasar 2.12.7
on an
emulated Pixel 3 + Android 13 ("Tiramisu") API 33.
The iOS demo was last tested on 2023 September 18 with Quasar 2.12.7
on an
emulated iPhone SE (3rd generation) + iOS 16.4.
:::
The demo draws from the ViteJS example. Familiarity with VueJS and TypeScript is assumed.
- Ensure all of the dependencies are installed. Install the CLI globally:
npm i -g @quasar/cli cordova
(you may need to run sudo npm i -g
if there are permission issues)
- Create a new app:
npm init quasar
When prompted:
- "What would you like to build?":
App with Quasar CLI
- "Project folder":
SheetJSQuasar
- "Pick Quasar version":
Quasar v2 (Vue 3 | latest and greatest)
- "Pick script type":
Typescript
- "Pick Quasar App CLI variant":
Quasar App CLI with Vite
- "Package name": (just press enter, it will use the default
sheetjsquasar
- "Project product name":
SheetJSQuasar
- "Project description":
SheetJS + Quasar
- "Author": (just press enter, it will use your git config settings)
- "Pick a Vue component style":
Composition API
- "Pick your CSS preprocessor":
None
- "Check the features needed for your project": Deselect everything
- "Install project dependencies":
No
- Install dependencies:
{\ cd SheetJSQuasar npm i npm i --save https://cdn.sheetjs.com/xlsx-${current}/xlsx-${current}.tgz
}
- Set up Cordova:
quasar mode add cordova
When prompted, enter the app id org.sheetjs.quasar
.
It will create a new src-cordova
folder. Continue in that folder:
cd src-cordova
cordova platform add ios
cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-wkwebview-engine
cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-file
:::note pass
If there is an error Could not load API for iOS project
, it needs to be reset:
cordova platform rm ios
cordova platform add ios
cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-file
:::
Return to the project directory:
cd ..
- Enable file sharing and make the documents folder visible in the iOS app.
The following lines must be added to
src-cordova/platforms/ios/SheetJSQuasar/SheetJSQuasar-Info.plist
:
<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)
- Start the development server:
quasar dev -m ios
:::caution pass
If the app is blank or not refreshing, delete the app and close the simulator, then restart the development process.
:::
- Add the Dialog plugin to
quasar.config.js
:
framework: {
config: {},
// ...
// Quasar plugins
// highlight-next-line
plugins: ['Dialog']
},
- In the template section of
src/pages/IndexPage.vue
, replace the example with a Table, Save button and Load file picker component:
<template>
<q-page class="row items-center justify-evenly">
<!-- highlight-start -->
<q-table :rows="todos" />
<q-btn-group>
<q-file label="Load File" filled label-color="orange" @input="updateFile"/>
<q-btn label="Save File" @click="saveFile" />
</q-btn-group>
<!-- highlight-end -->
</q-page>
</template>
This uses two functions that should be added to the component script:
const meta = ref<Meta>({
totalCount: 1200
});
// highlight-start
function saveFile() {
}
async function updateFile(v: Event) {
}
return { todos, meta, saveFile, updateFile };
// highlight-end
}
});
The app should now show two buttons at the bottom:
:::caution
If the app is blank or not refreshing, delete the app and close the simulator, then restart the development process.
:::
- Wire up the
updateFile
function:
import { defineComponent, ref } from 'vue';
// highlight-start
import { read, write, utils } from 'xlsx';
import { useQuasar } from 'quasar';
// highlight-end
export default defineComponent({
// ...
// highlight-start
const $q = useQuasar();
function dialogerr(e: Error) { $q.dialog({title: "Error!", message: e.message || String(e)}); }
// highlight-end
function saveFile() {
}
async function updateFile(v: Event) {
// highlight-start
try {
const files = (v.target as HTMLInputElement).files;
if(!files || files.length == 0) return;
const wb = read(await files[0].arrayBuffer());
const data = utils.sheet_to_json<any>(wb.Sheets[wb.SheetNames[0]]);
todos.value = data.map(row => ({id: row.Index, content: row.Name}));
} catch(e) { dialogerr(e); }
// highlight-end
}
To test that reading works:
- Download https://sheetjs.com/pres.numbers
- In the simulator, click the Home icon to return to the home screen
- Click on the "Files" icon
- Click and drag
pres.numbers
from a Finder window into the simulator.
- Make sure "On My iPhone" is highlighted and select "Save"
- Click the Home icon again then select the
SheetJSQuasar
app - Click the "Load" button, then select "Choose File" and select
pres
:
Once selected, the screen should refresh with new contents.
- Wire up the
saveFile
function:
function saveFile() {
// highlight-start
/* generate workbook from state */
const ws = utils.json_to_sheet(todos.value);
const wb = utils.book_new();
utils.book_append_sheet(wb, ws, "SheetJSQuasar");
const u8: Uint8Array = write(wb, {bookType: "xlsx", type: "buffer"});
const dir: string = $q.cordova.file.documentsDirectory || $q.cordova.file.externalApplicationStorageDirectory;
/* save to file */
window.requestFileSystem(window.PERSISTENT, 0, function(fs) {
try {
fs.root.getFile("SheetJSQuasar.xlsx", {create: true}, entry => {
const msg = `File stored at ${dir} ${entry.fullPath}`;
entry.createWriter(writer => {
try {
const data = new Blob([u8], {type: "application/vnd.ms-excel"});
writer.onwriteend = () => {
try {
$q.dialog({title: "Success!", message: msg});
} catch(e) { dialogerr(e); }
};
writer.onerror = dialogerr;
writer.write(data);
} catch(e) { dialogerr(e); }
}, dialogerr);
}, dialogerr);
} catch(e) { dialogerr(e) }
}, dialogerr);
// highlight-end
}
The page should revert to the old contents.
To test that writing works:
- Click "Save File". You will see a popup with a location:
- Find the file and verify the contents are correct. Run in a new terminal:
find ~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator -name SheetJSQuasar.xlsx |
while read x; do echo "$x"; npx xlsx-cli "$x"; done
Since the contents reverted, you should see
SheetJSQuasar
id,content
1,ct1
2,ct2
3,ct3
4,ct4
5,ct5
-
Use "Load File" to select
pres.numbers
again. Wait for the app to refresh. -
Click "Save File", then re-run the command:
find ~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator -name SheetJSQuasar.xlsx |
while read x; do echo "$x"; npx xlsx-cli "$x"; done
The contents from pres.numbers
should show up now, with a new header row:
SheetJSQuasar
id,content
42,Bill Clinton
43,GeorgeW Bush
44,Barack Obama
45,Donald Trump
46,Joseph Biden
Android
- Create the Android project:
cd src-cordova
cordova platform add android
cd ..
- Start the simulator:
quasar dev -m android
To test that reading works:
- Click and drag
pres.numbers
from a Finder window into the simulator. - Tap "Load", tap the
≡
icon, tap "Downloads" and selectpres.numbers
.
To test that writing works:
-
Tap "Save File". You will see a popup with a location.
-
Pull the file from the simulator and verify the contents:
adb exec-out run-as org.sheetjs.quasar cat files/files/SheetJSQuasar.xlsx > /tmp/SheetJSQuasar.xlsx
npx xlsx-cli /tmp/SheetJSQuasar.xlsx
-
See "File Picker" in the Quasar documentation. ↩︎
-
See "SheetJS Data Model" for more details on workbooks, worksheets, and other concepts. ↩︎
-
See "Workbook Helpers" in "Utilities" for details on
book_new
andbook_append_sheet
. ↩︎ -
See
requestFileSystem
in the MDN Web Docs for more details. ↩︎