How to "USE DomPDF to create PDF reports rather than TCPDF"?

[pakricard]

Hi @timschofield:

I have around 10 custom PDF reports with TCPDF and would like to convert to DomPDF.

Do you have a prompt that you feed to your IDE to convert them that you could share? Or what strategy are you using?

Thanks,
R

[timschofield]

Hi @pakricard

Unfortunately I am doing them by hand, but I think the effort is worthwhile.

Basically I convert them to html, but instead of echoing them straight to the browser I store it in a variable - I use $HTML just for consistency.

Then to convert them to a PDF I just run:

	$dompdf = new Dompdf(['chroot' => __DIR__]);
	$dompdf->loadHtml($HTML);

	// (Optional) Setup the paper size and orientation
	$dompdf->setPaper($_SESSION['PageSize'], 'landscape');

	// Render the HTML as PDF
	$dompdf->render();

	// Output the generated PDF to Browser
	$dompdf->stream($_SESSION['DatabaseName'] . '_NameOfReport_' . date('Y-m-d') . '.pdf', array(
		"Attachment" => false
	));

This method has the advantage that if I want to output to a spreadsheet as well I can just run:

	header('Content-Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet');

	$File = 'NameOfReport-' . Date('Y-m-d') . '.' . 'ods';

	header('Content-Disposition: attachment;filename="' . $File . '"');
	header('Cache-Control: max-age=0');
	$reader = new \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Reader\Html();
	$spreadsheet = $reader->loadFromString($HTML);

	$writer = \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\IOFactory::createWriter($spreadsheet, 'Ods');
	$writer->save('php://output');

(To output as an Excel file just change ods and Ods to xls and Xls)

and obviously to display it in the browser just run:

	$Title = _('NameOfReport');
	include ('includes/header.php');
	echo '<p class="page_title_text"><img src="' . $RootPath . '/css/' . $Theme . '/images/maintenance.png" title="' . _('Search') . '" alt="" />' . ' ' . $Title . '</p>';
	echo $HTML;
	include ('includes/footer.php');

So the report logic is only written once, regardless of the output format required. They are fairly easy to change, just a bit laborious to actually do.

The first one I did as a proof of concept was ReorderLevel.php and I tend to use that as my template.

Thanks
Tim

[pakricard]

Thanks, @timschofield
As I am developing with VS Code, I tried this prompt

Modify this script to use DomPDF instead of TCPDF.
To create the HTML Code, use the variable $HTML.
the DomPDF should be loaded via Composer with this line:
	require_once 'vendor/autoload.php'; // Ensure DomPDF is loaded via Composer


Use the variables $_POST['PrintPDF'], to ask the user if he wants to download/print the PDF, download an ODS file or just view the data on the screen

If user has selected $_POST['PrintPDF'] use code similar to:

$dompdf = new Dompdf(['chroot' => __DIR__]);
	$dompdf->loadHtml($HTML);

	// (Optional) Setup the paper size and orientation
	$dompdf->setPaper($_SESSION['PageSize'], 'landscape');

	// Render the HTML as PDF
	$dompdf->render();

	// Output the generated PDF to Browser
	$dompdf->stream($_SESSION['DatabaseName'] . '_NameOfReport_' . date('Y-m-d') . '.pdf', array(
		"Attachment" => false
	));

If user has selected $_POST['PrintPDF'] use code similar to:
	header('Content-Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet');

	$File = 'NameOfReport-' . Date('Y-m-d') . '.' . 'ods';

	header('Content-Disposition: attachment;filename="' . $File . '"');
	header('Cache-Control: max-age=0');
	$reader = new \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Reader\Html();
	$spreadsheet = $reader->loadFromString($HTML);

	$writer = \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\IOFactory::createWriter($spreadsheet, 'Ods');
	$writer->save('php://output');
	
If user has selected $_POST['View'] use code similar to:

	$Title = _('NameOfReport');
	include ('includes/header.php');
	echo '<p class="page_title_text"><img src="' . $RootPath . '/css/' . $Theme . '/images/maintenance.png" title="' . _('Search') . '" alt="" />' . ' ' . $Title . '</p>';
	echo $HTML;
	include ('includes/footer.php');
	
Use FixedAssetRegister.php as example and proof of concept.

Both with Claude 3.7 and Gemini 2.5. The results are great. Only minor touch-ups needed. It really speeds up the coding time.

Thanks,
R

[timschofield]

Thanks Ricard. I hadn't used any of the AI coding assistants, but I have just tried it with your suggestions, and the results look good

…

On Wed, 30 Apr 2025 at 03:05, pakricard ***@***.***> wrote: Thanks, @timschofield <https://github.com/timschofield> As I am developing with VS Code, I tried this prompt Modify this script to use DomPDF instead of TCPDF. To create the HTML Code, use the variable $HTML. the DomPDF should be loaded via Composer with this line: require_once 'vendor/autoload.php'; // Ensure DomPDF is loaded via Composer Use the variables $_POST['PrintPDF'], to ask the user if he wants to download/print the PDF, download an ODS file or just view the data on the screen If user has selected $_POST['PrintPDF'] use code similar to: $dompdf = new Dompdf(['chroot' => __DIR__]); $dompdf->loadHtml($HTML); // (Optional) Setup the paper size and orientation $dompdf->setPaper($_SESSION['PageSize'], 'landscape'); // Render the HTML as PDF $dompdf->render(); // Output the generated PDF to Browser $dompdf->stream($_SESSION['DatabaseName'] . '_NameOfReport_' . date('Y-m-d') . '.pdf', array( "Attachment" => false )); If user has selected $_POST['PrintPDF'] use code similar to: header('Content-Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet'); $File = 'NameOfReport-' . Date('Y-m-d') . '.' . 'ods'; header('Content-Disposition: attachment;filename="' . $File . '"'); header('Cache-Control: max-age=0'); $reader = new \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Reader\Html(); $spreadsheet = $reader->loadFromString($HTML); $writer = \PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\IOFactory::createWriter($spreadsheet, 'Ods'); $writer->save('php://output'); If user has selected $_POST['View'] use code similar to: $Title = _('NameOfReport'); include ('includes/header.php'); echo '<p class="page_title_text"><img src="' . $RootPath . '/css/' . $Theme . '/images/maintenance.png" title="' . _('Search') . '" alt="" />' . ' ' . $Title . '</p>'; echo $HTML; include ('includes/footer.php'); Use FixedAssetRegister.php as example and proof of concept. Both with Claude 3.7 and Gemini 2.5. The results are great. Only minor touch-ups needed. It really speeds up the coding time. Thanks, R — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#405 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAAL6LBFK2XVBTPPRIJC5G324A4Y3AVCNFSM6AAAAAB37V2NHKVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43URDJONRXK43TNFXW4Q3PNVWWK3TUHMYTEOJYG43DONI> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

-- www.weberp.org @TimSchofield.or.uk - bsky.app Blog: https://kwamoja.home.blog/

[dalers]

I'm just trying to understand.... You guys are guru level! :-)

Is there a mistake in the 2nd option? Instead of:

If user has selected $_POST['PrintPDF'] use code similar to:
	header('Content-Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet');

	$File = 'NameOfReport-' . Date('Y-m-d') . '.' . 'ods';
     ...

should it read:

If user has selected $_POST['SaveODS'] use code similar to:
	header('Content-Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet');

	$File = 'NameOfReport-' . Date('Y-m-d') . '.' . 'ods';
     ...

Also, could this approach (using Gemini...) save effort to create a new report?

Cheers,
Dale

[andrewgaluski]

My advice here would be to get a working script from Tim that does what he describes. Figure out the query for the report you want, which I'm assuming you can do because you write the sequel inside the app or modify it already. Tell AI that you want to make a new report and that this is the sequel and you can even reference dollar sign SQL or however Tim referenced it in his script then give it Tim's script and say give me a new version of this with my report logic. Also add what filters you want or what you want, the title to be, etc. Tell the AI to follow the same code of standards in the sample script.

[timschofield]

I think you're right Dale. Good spot!

I think there are certain aspects of writing a report such as the SQL, that the AI would struggle with, though Ricard is more experienced at this so he may know better.

Tim