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export datasets in xl/csv on ContentCreator

Elhadj, Hamza

Hi Team

I’m reaching out regarding an implementation we are working on to export dataSets(database) in CSV/XLS from ContentCreator.

What we are looking for

We would like to achieve , ideally:

  • Trigger export from ContentCreator (e.g., button/action) on dataset
  • geneate xl/csv file from the dataset and Automatically start the download for the user
    or Provide a direct, reliable download link immediately after generation

We have implemented as actual possible approach, a server-side Beanshell script that:

  • Retrieves data from datasets 
  • Generates an xl file with the data
  • Stores the generated file in the Media Store (specific folder) so to be available for the user for download

This part is working correctly, and the file is successfully created and can be downloaded manually afterward, the script have ContentCreator scope

Limitation

The current limitation is on the user experience side , After triggering the action in ContentCreator, the user still needs to manually navigate to the Media Store to download the file

Questions

  • Is there a recommended way in FirstSpirit to trigger a file download directly from ContentCreator ?
  • Are there APIs or plugin already put in place in ContentCreator that we can use
  • Are there best practices for exporting structured data (CSV/XLSX) in this context?

Any guidance, examples, or recommended patterns would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your help.

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Comments

6 comments

Date Votes
  • Official comment
    Jascha Teichmann
    • Edited

    There are two possible solutions for your requirement:

    1. As you already saved the data to a FirstSpirit media element, inside of your script just use the OperationAgent & DisplayElementOperation to display the Media inside of the ContentCreator media management, then it's only one click left to download the media element 👍

    OperationAgent can be retrieved via e.g.:
    operationAgent = context.requireSpecialist(OperationAgent.TYPE);

    ======

    2. When you render the csv in an own output-channel, wrap the CSV output in an html element and provide a download button with javascript creating a Blob:


    <button onclick="downloadCSV()">Download CSV</button>

    <script>
    function downloadCSV() {
      // Replace this with however you're holding the CSV text
      const csv = document.getElementById('csvData').textContent;

      const blob = new Blob([csv], { type: 'text/csv;charset=utf-8;' });
      const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);

      const a = document.createElement('a');
      a.href = url;
      a.download = 'data.csv';
      document.body.appendChild(a);
      a.click();
      document.body.removeChild(a);
      URL.revokeObjectURL(url);
    }
    </script>
  • Elhadj, Hamza
    • Edited

    Hei Hei Grace

    Thank you for the reply 
    Actually the issue is not the format of the file(csv/xlsx/xls) , the issue is to trigger the download once it is generated right after the script execution

    For now we i did not found a way to do that , apart from the work around of saving the file in the mediaStore and then the use can download it , i believe here the download operation is done throw MediaServlet  , smth that we cannot use as developer as far as i understood

    of course am talking strictly about ContentCreator , in SiteArchitect , things are different

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  • Holger Höbbel

    Hello Hamza,

    if I understand correctly ("from the dataset"), this is about outputting a specific dataset as, for example, a CSV file.
    I would solve the problem as follows:
    Create a new preview page (new page template, new table template, new page in the SiteStore with one dataset output per page on an undefined number of pages (defined on the data tab)).
    Configure the page template with the desired file extension and only output the body area there ($CMS_VALUE(#global.page.body(""))$).
    In the table template, create the corresponding textual output (CSV) using FirstSpirit template means.
    On a page where the datasets are already being output anyway, offer a link — only in the preview — that links to this new page, specifically to the respective dataset.

    If more than one dataset is to be output, you need to take a slightly different approach. If you know in advance which datasets are needed, you can either make corresponding configurations on the data tab of the target page reference(s), or use a version of the script that you have already written and have it output the source code of the page instead of a media file (you can use $CMS_RENDER(script:"<name of script>")$. In this case you just have to somehow pass the datasets to be output to the script. This can be done, for example, by having a script fill a corresponding input component on the target page accordingly and then calling the preview page (in which another script call renders the datasets).

    Disadvantage of these methods: The file name of the download file is unexpected/unusable (the extension, however, is correct if the page template was configured with the correct extension).

    Another possible solution could be (since you already have a script that crates a media file): Create a preview page with a download link for the media. Enhance the script, so it modifies the FS_REFERENCE on this page, so it links to the new created media file. Call the preview page afterwards with the WE_API (https://docs.e-spirit.com/odfs/template-develo/javascript-apis/contentcreator/common-function/index.html#in_der_vorschau_navigieren)

    Best regards
    Holger

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  • Elhadj, Hamza
    • Edited

    Hello Holger,

    Thank you for the reply 

    So for both solution i will need to create or trigger a preview page ?

    to put you more in context i will attach some screenshot of what I managed to do till now

    for now since I did not find a way to launch directly the download of the file once it is generated in the memory , I create it in media store and from then the user can download it

    (the perfect scenario is to be able to launch the download directly once the file is generated without the need to create it in the media or anywhere else)


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  • Holger Höbbel

    Hello Hamza,

    personally, I would always go through a preview page that is parameterized accordingly for outputting textual information.
    Only if the information is needed permanently would I take the route via a medium.

    However, if you don't want to go through FirstSpirit objects, you can certainly solve the whole thing via JavaScript without any problems. A corresponding JavaScript can be invoked via ClientScriptOperation: https://docs.e-spirit.com/odfs/access/de/espirit/firstspirit/webedit/server/ClientScriptOperation.html
    This approach would have several advantages:
    - no unnecessary nodes in the FirstSpirit project
    - the file name can be chosen meaningfully

    However, I'm not familiar enough with JavaScript to make a sensible proposal on how to generate a download of the corresponding information with it. That's why I didn't suggest this approach initially ;)

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  • Elhadj, Hamza

    Hello Holder 

    ClientScriptOperation was very helpful ,
    thank you

    Regards 
    Hamza

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