exporting using ajax doesn't download the file

[karunkshrestha]

If I call this route using ajax, I don't get a prompt to download the file. I can see the content by using firebug.

Route::get('courses',function(){
    $result = Courses::all();
                Excel::create('TestCSVCase')
                    ->sheet('SheetName')
                    ->with($result->toArray())->export('csv');
});

[MaatwebsiteSupport]

Hey

As far as I know, it's not possible to set the download headers when doing an ajax request.

[daraghoshea]

Hi, I am looking at using the jquery file download plugin (http://johnculviner.com/jquery-file-download-plugin-for-ajax-like-feature-rich-file-downloads/) to mimic the effect of ajax downloading.

The plugin's method is dependent upon a header being sent when the file is being downloaded, but the LaravelExcelWriter::_download() method does not allow for the headers to be altered.

Ideally, an event could be fired allowing for the headers to be adjusted prior to being sent to LaravelExcelWriter::_setHeaders()

Perhaps the following code change could be considered:

Current

$this->_setHeaders(array(
        'Content-Type'        => $this->contentType,
        'Content-Disposition' => 'attachment; filename="' . $this->filename . '.' . $this->ext . '"',
        'Expires'             => 'Mon, 26 Jul 1997 05:00:00 GMT', // Date in the past
        'Last-Modified'       => Carbon::now()->format('D, d M Y H:i:s'),
        'Cache-Control'       => 'cache, must-revalidate',
        'Pragma'              => 'public'
    ));

Suggested

$headers = new Illuminiate\Support\Collection(array(
        'Content-Type'        => $this->contentType,
        'Content-Disposition' => 'attachment; filename="' . $this->filename . '.' . $this->ext . '"',
        'Expires'             => 'Mon, 26 Jul 1997 05:00:00 GMT', // Date in the past
        'Last-Modified'       => Carbon::now()->format('D, d M Y H:i:s'),
        'Cache-Control'       => 'cache, must-revalidate',
        'Pragma'              => 'public'
    ));

Event::fire('maatwebsite.excel.headers', $headers);

$this->_setHeaders( $headers->toArray() );

It's a great package, but unfortunately I probably couldn't use it without this flexibility. Thanks.