Converting PHP Arrays to CSV Files

Converting an array of products to a CSV file can be a straightforward process, but errors can arise if the file ends up as a single long line or if the header does not initiate a download.

One solution to the single-line issue is to utilize the fputcsv() function instead of manually writing out values. By using fputcsv(), you can easily format data into a CSV-compatible structure. The code can be improved as follows:

[...]
$output = fopen("php://output",'w') or die("Can't open php://output");
header("Content-Type:application/csv"); 
header("Content-Disposition:attachment;filename=pressurecsv.csv"); 
fputcsv($output, array('id','name','description'));
foreach($prod as $product) {
    fputcsv($output, $product);
}
fclose($output) or die("Can't close php://output");

Another potential issue is ensuring that the header forces a download. To achieve this, add the following headers to your PHP script:

[...]
header("Content-type: application/octet-stream");
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=your_desired_name.xls");
[...]

By incorporating these modifications, your PHP script should now successfully convert the array of products into a CSV file, with the header prompting a download.