Exporting Views Data - Introduction

Activity 1

• Download and Install the Views Data Export module.

Once the module is installed you can start adding data export functionality to any view.

Activity 2: create exportable view of articles

Step 1: create basic view

Create a view with a Page display and table format, showing the 10 most recent articles.

Fields:

• ID
• title
• date of last change
• publication status
• name of author

At this point your view doesn't have any export functionality yet, and should look like this:

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Step 2: Add data export display

Add a 'Data export' display to your view:

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You can now start configuring the Data export display.

Step 3: Select export format

   Ensure that the display's Format is set to Data export
   In the Format settings, select the CSV format

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Step 4: Select export path and export filename

In 'Path setting's:

• provide the path at which the export should be reachable. A good option is to reuse the Page display's path and add '/export' (e.g. /recent-articles/export)
• provide the filename to be used when generating the export file
   

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Step 5: Test your export

If everything went well, you should be able to access your export at the path you provided (/recent-articles/export).

• Ensure you have set the export format to CSV
• Ensure you have set the export path and export filename correctly

Activity 3: Export users as JSON

XML and JSON are data formats that are often used to communicate with external applications via webservices and APIs (Application Programming Interfaces).

Assume you want to expose user related information as JSON and allow an external application to access your Drupal site to retrieve it.

A basic (though simplistic) way to build this functionality is to create a view that retrieves the information and uses a Data export display to return the information in the JSON format.

Note:
This example shows a quick-and-dirty way to make Drupal data available as JSON.

If you want to build a real production-ready webservice that client applications can connect to, you should install and use Drupal core JSON:API module, which properly exposes Drupal resources as API endpoints and deals with issues such as formatting, caching, authentication & security, and setting the correct HTTP headers.

Instructions

• Build a view of users
• Add a Page display with path 'users'
• Show the following fields: user id, username, email, date of creation, date of last access, and timezone
• Add a Data export display
• Set its data export format
• Set its path and filename

If everything went well, your JSON export file should be structured like this:

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Note:

The actual layout may depend on the text editor you're using to view the JSON file.

• In your Data export display, verify each field and try to remove all html and display related settings. The purpose of a data export is to generate a file with data, not with rendered images, html links, etc. Remember: the data export file is meant to be opened in a spreadsheet application.

Activity 4

In this activity you will create a similar view, but for exporting any given user (instead of exporting all users).

Begin by duplicating the 'Users' view you just made. Name it 'Single user', and give its Page display the path /single-user, and Data export path /single-user/export.

• When a user browses to /single-user/5, for instance, the Page view should be shown, displaying only the information for the user with ID 5.
• When a user browses to /single-user/export/5, for instance, the export file should contain only the information for the user with ID 5.

• You will need to add and configure the right kind of filter.
• Review the materials on the different types of Views filters and their purpose.

Troubleshooting

• Do NOT give the 'Single user' view the path /user, as that path is already used by Drupal itself. Having two systems that use the same path will cause unexpected results. The Views system will, unfortunately, not stop you from specifying a path that is already in use, so be careful.