The thing with creating a module is you can't yet say "computer, make me a list of the info I need" like they do in StarTrek yet.
We're still at the stage of having to step by step walk the computer through each step of the situation in YES/NO question fashion.
So building a module is just like that; You have to go in super incremental steps that the computer can follow.
So while it may seam straight forward to want:
Quote: I have a template built which is generating the data for a CSV data file, but how would I make a link the user can click to download a file they can open in excel?
There is actually quite a few steps that need to be accurately outlined for the server to return the right information.
From your request I think this is your setup:
* data exists in a datastore that you (or your users) have put there via forms on your site.
* you want to retrieve that data from the database. (some of it, all of it, a subset of it).
* you want to format that data into a structure. (need to decide what that structure is going to look like)*
* once the data is structured you want to save it in a format that excel will recognize. (need to know if that is just a normal .csv file or something special)
* you need to create a mechanism to start of this retrieval process.
If you were planning on building a module to do it it would involve walking the server through the steps to get back what you want and format it the way your after.
If its just going to be a one-off thing, it might be easier to go into your database and choose to export the table your after as a .csv file (depending on if the structure is compatible with what your wanting to do.)
ACP -> TOOLS -> DEVELOPER TOOLS -> DATABASE ADMIN -> export -> CSV (check the table your after.)
Its not difficult to build the module your after but it does involve plodding along one step at a time.
Come on StarTrek, hurry up and get here.