PHP and COM - Striving To Excel

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Since COM is a Microsoft invention, it won't surprise you to hear that PHP's COM extension is only available for the Windows version of PHP. If you're using *NIX - well, you're outta luck. Shut down your browser and read a book instead.

If you're still interested, though, pop open your favourite editor and create a PHP script containing the following lines of code (this example assumes that you have a properly-installed copy of Microsoft Excel on your system):

<?php
// create an object instance
$excel = new COM("Excel.Application") or die("Excel could not be
started");
// pop open the Excel application
$excel->Visible = 1;
// turn off alerts
$excel->DisplayAlerts = 0;
// add a workbook
$excel->Workbooks->Add();
// save 
$excel->Workbooks[1]->SaveAs("C:\\Inventory.xls");
// close the application
$excel->Quit();
$excel = null;
?>

Now, when you run this script through your Web browser, the following things should happen very fast:

1. Microsoft Excel will start up automatically.

2. A new workbook will be added.

3. The workbook will be automatically saved as "C:\Inventory.xls"

4. Microsoft Excel will automatically shut itself down.

Wondering how this happened? Keep reading!

Next: The Number Game >>
 

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