xsheetjs/docbits/30_export.md

## Writing Workbooks

For writing, the first step is to generate output data.  The helper functions
`write` and `writeFile` will produce the data in various formats suitable for
dissemination.  The second step is to actual share the data with the end point.
Assuming `workbook` is a workbook object:

<details>
  <summary><b>nodejs write a file</b> (click to show)</summary>

`XLSX.writeFile` uses `fs.writeFileSync` in server environments:

```js
if(typeof require !== 'undefined') XLSX = require('xlsx');
/* output format determined by filename */
XLSX.writeFile(workbook, 'out.xlsb');
/* at this point, out.xlsb is a file that you can distribute */
```

</details>

<details>
  <summary><b>Photoshop ExtendScript write a file</b> (click to show)</summary>

`writeFile` wraps the `File` logic in Photoshop and other ExtendScript targets.
The specified path should be an absolute path:

```js
#include "xlsx.extendscript.js"
/* output format determined by filename */
XLSX.writeFile(workbook, 'out.xlsx');
/* at this point, out.xlsx is a file that you can distribute */
```

The [`extendscript` demo](demos/extendscript/) includes a more complex example.

</details>

<details>
  <summary><b>Browser add TABLE element to page</b> (click to show)</summary>

The `sheet_to_html` utility function generates HTML code that can be added to
any DOM element.

```js
var worksheet = workbook.Sheets[workbook.SheetNames[0]];
var container = document.getElementById('tableau');
container.innerHTML = XLSX.utils.sheet_to_html(worksheet);
```

</details>

<details>
  <summary><b>Browser upload file (ajax)</b> (click to show)</summary>

A complete example using XHR is [included in the XHR demo](demos/xhr/), along
with examples for fetch and wrapper libraries.  This example assumes the server
can handle Base64-encoded files (see the demo for a basic nodejs server):

```js
/* in this example, send a base64 string to the server */
var wopts = { bookType:'xlsx', bookSST:false, type:'base64' };

var wbout = XLSX.write(workbook,wopts);

var req = new XMLHttpRequest();
req.open("POST", "/upload", true);
var formdata = new FormData();
formdata.append('file', 'test.xlsx'); // <-- server expects `file` to hold name
formdata.append('data', wbout); // <-- `data` holds the base64-encoded data
req.send(formdata);
```

</details>

<details>
  <summary><b>Browser save file</b> (click to show)</summary>

`XLSX.writeFile` wraps a few techniques for triggering a file save:

- `URL` browser API creates an object URL for the file, which the library uses
  by creating a link and forcing a click. It is supported in modern browsers.
- `msSaveBlob` is an IE10+ API for triggering a file save.
- `IE_FileSave` uses VBScript and ActiveX to write a file in IE6+ for Windows
  XP and Windows 7.  The shim must be included in the containing HTML page.

There is no standard way to determine if the actual file has been downloaded.

```js
/* output format determined by filename */
XLSX.writeFile(workbook, 'out.xlsb');
/* at this point, out.xlsb will have been downloaded */
```

</details>

<details>
  <summary><b>Browser save file (compatibility)</b> (click to show)</summary>

`XLSX.writeFile` techniques work for most modern browsers as well as older IE.
For much older browsers, there are workarounds implemented by wrapper libraries.

[`FileSaver.js`](https://github.com/eligrey/FileSaver.js/) implements `saveAs`.
Note: `XLSX.writeFile` will automatically call `saveAs` if available.

```js
/* bookType can be any supported output type */
var wopts = { bookType:'xlsx', bookSST:false, type:'array' };

var wbout = XLSX.write(workbook,wopts);

/* the saveAs call downloads a file on the local machine */
saveAs(new Blob([wbout],{type:"application/octet-stream"}), "test.xlsx");
```

[`Downloadify`](https://github.com/dcneiner/downloadify) uses a Flash SWF button
to generate local files, suitable for environments where ActiveX is unavailable:

```js
Downloadify.create(id,{
	/* other options are required! read the downloadify docs for more info */
	filename: "test.xlsx",
	data: function() { return XLSX.write(wb, {bookType:"xlsx", type:'base64'}); },
	append: false,
	dataType: 'base64'
});
```

The [`oldie` demo](demos/oldie/) shows an IE-compatible fallback scenario.

</details>

The [included demos](demos/) cover mobile apps and other special deployments.

### Writing Examples

- <http://sheetjs.com/demos/table.html> exporting an HTML table
- <http://sheetjs.com/demos/writexlsx.html> generates a simple file