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Export a table to csv

Written byPhuoc Nguyen
Created
17 Mar, 2020
Last updated
07 May, 2021
Category
Level 2 — Intermediate
Assume that we have a `table` element and a `button` for exporting the table cells to CSV as following:
html
<table id="exportMe" class="table">
...
</table>

<button id="export">Export</button>

Export the table cells to CSV

The function below exports all the cells of `table` to CSV format. First, we select all the rows, loop over them and export each row to CSV.
In each row, we go through all cells, and retrive their text content.
js
const toCsv = function (table) {
// Query all rows
const rows = table.querySelectorAll('tr');

return [].slice
.call(rows)
.map(function (row) {
// Query all cells
const cells = row.querySelectorAll('th,td');
return [].slice
.call(cells)
.map(function (cell) {
return cell.textContent;
})
.join(',');
})
.join('\n');
};

Download the CSV

The function below creates a fake `a` element whose content is `text` and triggers the `click` event. For more information, you can visit the Download a file post.
js
const download = function (text, fileName) {
const link = document.createElement('a');
link.setAttribute('href', `data:text/csv;charset=utf-8,${encodeURIComponent(text)}`);
link.setAttribute('download', fileName);

link.style.display = 'none';
document.body.appendChild(link);

link.click();

document.body.removeChild(link);
};
The last thing is to connect all pieces together. We just need to handle the `click` event of the Export button:
js
const table = document.getElementById('exportMe');
const exportBtn = document.getElementById('export');

exportBtn.addEventListener('click', function () {
// Export to csv
const csv = toCsv(table);

// Download it
download(csv, 'download.csv');
});

Demo

See also

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Phước Nguyễn