This Rails plugin is the easiest way to export to Excel. It gives you the ability to call to_xls to a collection of activerecords (Array). The builder options are the same as to_json / to_xml, except for the :include.

NOTE: IMO I would use the to_csv plugin; it’s more compatible. (github.com/arydjmal/to_csv)

@users = User.all

#
# defaults are export headers and all fields
#

@users.to_xls
@users.to_xls(:only => [:last_name, :role])
@users.to_xls(:headers => false)
@users.to_xls(:except => [:last_name, :role])
@users.to_xls(:methods => :admin?)
@users.to_xls(:headers_mapping => { :last_name => "family name", :address => "living place" })

In config/initializers/mime_types.rb register the custom mime type.

Mime::Type.register "application/vnd.ms-excel", :xls

In the controller where you want to export to excel, add the format.xls line.

class UserController < ApplicationController

  def index
    @users = User.all

    respond_to do |format|
      format.html
      format.xml { render :xml => @users }
      format.xls { send_data @users.to_xls }
    end
  end

  def show...
  def new...
  def edit...
  def create...
  def update...
  def destroy...

end

None.

./script/plugin install git://github.com/arydjmal/to_xls.git

Does not work on a single activerecord, ie, User.first.to_xls.

Copyright © 2009 Ary Djmal, released under the MIT license