pass dynamic values when export to docx using PHPWord in laravel

Question

I am trying to export user details to .docx file. The file successfully exported but, it's giving the object. Phpword format is not working. How to write code to export the dynamic values properly, would someone help me, please?

In AdminController.php -

public function exportUserToDoc(Request $request, $id)
{
    $wordTest = new \PhpOffice\PhpWord\PhpWord();
    $newSection = $wordTest->addSection();

    $desc1 = User::find($id);

    $newSection->addText($desc1, array('name' => $desc1->name, 'email' => $desc1->email, 'phone' => $desc1->phone, 'address' => $desc1->address));
    $objectWriter = \PhpOffice\PhpWord\IOFactory::createWriter($wordTest, 'Word2007');
    try{
        $objectWriter->save(storage_path('TestWordFile.docx'));
    }catch (Exception $e){

    }
    return response()->download(storage_path('TestWordFile.docx'));
}

After downloading the doc file the result is like -

{"id":1,"name":"Emdadul Huq Shikder","email":"[email protected]","phone":"+8801674338411","address":"59\/6\/1 West Razabazar, Dhaka","status":0,"created_at":"2018-03-13 05:18:32","updated_at":"2018-03-13 05:35:51"}

I want to get the result as well formatted such as with header 'Name', 'Email' etc.

Answer 1

Step 1: Create a .docx file using a word processing program(OpenOffice, LibreOffice Writer, MS Word etc.) which will serve as the template of your 'User Document'(this way you can set size, margins, orientation and other attributes and also format your document creatively using the tools provided in the word processing program you use).

For dynamic values in your document, you can use variables as placeholders. The syntax of a document variable is ${variable}. Make sure that your variable names are unique.

Here's a screenshot of an example document template with document variables.

Step 2: Upload your document template to your server's storage path.

Step 3: Create a new TemplateProcessor and assign values to the variables you placed in your document template.

$desc1 = User::find($id);   

$my_template = new \PhpOffice\PhpWord\TemplateProcessor(storage_path('user_template.docx'));

$my_template->setValue('name', $desc1->name);
$my_template->setValue('email', $desc1->email);
$my_template->setValue('phone', $desc1->phone);
$my_template->setValue('address', $desc1->address); 

Step 4: Generate a safe file name(user_1.docx i.e.)

Step 5: Create a .docx file from your template with the safe file name you generated in the previous step.

try{
    $my_template->saveAs(storage_path('user_1.docx'));
}catch (Exception $e){
    //handle exception
}

Step 6: The complete code snippet to download the saved file.

public function exportUserToDoc(Request $request, $id)
{
    $desc1 = User::find($id);

    $my_template = new \PhpOffice\PhpWord\TemplateProcessor(storage_path('user_template.docx'));

    $my_template->setValue('name', $desc1->name);
    $my_template->setValue('email', $desc1->email);
    $my_template->setValue('phone', $desc1->phone);
    $my_template->setValue('address', $desc1->address);      

    try{
        $my_template->saveAs(storage_path('user_1.docx'));
    }catch (Exception $e){
        //handle exception
    }

    return response()->download(storage_path('user_1.docx'));
}