updating word/excel thru php-mysql

[swatisonee]

Hi,

I'm working on a project which has all data in a mysql database. i have set up forms for various inputs etc and all is well.

Now comes a problem - atleast for me.

There are some files in excel and word and these are updated by some users when an event takes place as under:

a. user visits a customer site to check work in progress.

b. he prepares a pre -install report which is an excel file.

c. he currently saves it on his pc and then emails the report to his boss.

d. now the company wants this report online.

e.when user makes a 2nd visit, he updates the excel file again and so on when he does the installation, makes a post -install report etc...

f.without giving the user ftp access, how can this excel file be uploaded to their website and then viewed by others ?

g. if it was a normal form i could put in a php mailer allowing attachements without a problem. But here the excel file itself needs to remain on the web and not be mailed as an attachment

h. the excel file runs into several sheets so i cannot make fields for all those nor can i create the format/logos etc thats on it.

i. the user wants the excel file to remain in the exact same format as it will form the case history if they need to refer back to work done etc.

j. they have similar setup for word documents too.

Thanks.

[Roger_Ramjet]

There are no Excel file functions as AFAIK, so you can't manipulate the spreadshaeet contents directly, same as you can with the PDF functions.

Now, you can upload and store files in almost any format with the general filesystem functions in php, and present a link to download it on any page. But I don't think that is what you want.

You could also store the file a blob data in your mysql database. Not a lot of point in that since you cannot display it or manipulate the contents.

There is a solution that may interest your bosses, Jeddox worksheet server . It also has links to Palo , an OpenSource application designed for Excel. They are working on a php API and have a demo php application already running.

Dunno about Word docs, not come across anything for them.

[swatisonee]

oh my this is amazing...i sent the link across for them to check . its way way way more advanced than anything i could have come up with - though i must admit that this is a real tiny company so i dont know whether this solution would be workable for them.

thanks !

[Shrike]

If you run a Windows server you can use [MAN]COM[/MAN] components to edit Office documents through PHP.