Structured output examples
Structured output Excel examples, explained clearly.
Open a focused example to see the implementation path, copy-ready PHP, expected workbook behavior, and the production boundary that matters.
01Convert a workbook with toStructuredArray()Return workbook-level source information, every sheet, normalized columns, rows, summaries, warnings, and errors in one PHP array.
＋
Return workbook-level source information, every sheet, normalized columns, rows, summaries, warnings, and errors in one PHP array.
MnbExcel::read()toStructuredArray()toStructuredWorkbookArray()<?php
use Mnb\PHPExcel\MnbExcel;
$structured = MnbExcel::read(__DIR__ . '/fixtures/contacts.xlsx')
->toStructuredArray([
'header_row' => true,
'skip_empty_rows' => true,
'header_case' => 'snake',
'rename_headers' => [
'e_mail' => 'email',
],
]);
print_r($structured['source']);
print_r($structured['summary']);
print_r($structured['sheets'][0]['rows'] ?? []);02Return selected-sheet structured outputReturn the structured representation for one selected worksheet without wrapping it in a workbook sheets collection.
＋
Return the structured representation for one selected worksheet without wrapping it in a workbook sheets collection.
sheet()toStructuredSheetArray()toStructuredArray()<?php
use Mnb\PHPExcel\MnbExcel;
$sheet = MnbExcel::read(__DIR__ . '/fixtures/orders.xlsx')
->sheet('Orders')
->toStructuredSheetArray([
'header_row' => true,
'skip_empty_rows' => true,
'include_cell_metadata' => false,
]);
print_r($sheet['headers']);
print_r($sheet['summary']['row_counts']);
if ($sheet['rows'] === []) {
echo "No returned data rows.\n";
}
foreach ($sheet['rows'] as $row) {
print_r($row['values'] ?? $row);
}03Create flat structured rowsFlatten each structured record while retaining the original physical source row number for validation and error reporting.
＋
Flatten each structured record while retaining the original physical source row number for validation and error reporting.
toStructuredArray()toStructuredSheetArray()<?php
use Mnb\PHPExcel\MnbExcel;
$result = MnbExcel::read(__DIR__ . '/fixtures/import.xlsx')
->sheet(1)
->toStructuredArray([
'structure' => 'sheet',
'header_row' => true,
'row_format' => 'flat',
'preserve_original_row_numbers' => true,
'original_row_number_key' => 'source_row',
]);
foreach ($result['rows'] as $row) {
printf("Source row %d: %s\n", $row['source_row'], $row['email']);
}04Return structured JSON from an APISerialize the full structured workbook directly to compact JSON for a controller or API endpoint without creating a temporary file.
＋
Serialize the full structured workbook directly to compact JSON for a controller or API endpoint without creating a temporary file.
toStructuredJson()saveStructuredJson()<?php
use Mnb\PHPExcel\MnbExcel;
header('Content-Type: application/json; charset=UTF-8');
echo MnbExcel::read(__DIR__ . '/fixtures/students.xlsx')
->toStructuredJson([
'header_row' => true,
'skip_empty_rows' => true,
'include_hidden_rows' => false,
'include_hidden_columns' => false,
'header_case' => 'snake',
], [
'pretty' => false,
'trailing_newline' => false,
]);05Return structured XML from an APISerialize structured workbook data to XML with a custom root element for integrations that do not consume JSON.
＋
Serialize structured workbook data to XML with a custom root element for integrations that do not consume JSON.
toStructuredXml()saveStructuredXml()<?php
use Mnb\PHPExcel\MnbExcel;
header('Content-Type: application/xml; charset=UTF-8');
echo MnbExcel::read(__DIR__ . '/fixtures/students.xlsx')
->toStructuredXml([
'header_row' => true,
'skip_empty_rows' => true,
'header_case' => 'snake',
], [
'root' => 'structured_workbook',
'pretty' => true,
]);06Explain total, empty, skipped, and returned row countsRead structured sheet counts that distinguish logical row positions, physically stored records, sparse gaps, skipped empty records, the header, and final data rows.
＋
Read structured sheet counts that distinguish logical row positions, physically stored records, sparse gaps, skipped empty records, the header, and final data rows.
ReadSession::toStructuredSheetArray()<?php
$data = MnbExcel::read(__DIR__ . '/fixtures/orders.xlsx')
->sheet('Orders')
->toStructuredSheetArray([
'header_row' => 1,
'skip_empty_rows' => true,
'include_cell_metadata' => false,
]);
$counts = $data['summary']['row_counts'];
print_r([
'total' => $counts['total'],
'source_records' => $counts['source_records'],
'empty' => $counts['empty'],
'explicit_empty' => $counts['explicit_empty'],
'implicit_empty' => $counts['implicit_empty'],
'skipped_empty' => $counts['skipped_empty'],
'header' => $counts['header'],
'returned' => $counts['returned'],
]);