PHPExcel - Set cells as string while uploading from Array

$objPHPExcel->getActiveSheet()->fromArray($dataArray,null,"A2")

I've the above line of code. The problem is, I am not good at iterating and I want all the cell values to be set as STRING so as to avoid automated modifications of texts leading zeros.

P.S. In Addition, code for setting as STRING for selective columns will be appreciated.

Thanks!

When you set cell values individually, you have the option of setting the datatype explicitly, but when you use the fromArray() method, you don't have this option.

However, by default, PHP uses a default value binder to identify datatypes from the values passed, and set the cell datatype accordingly. This default behaviour is defined in a class /PHPExcel/Cell/DefaultValueBinder.php.

So you can create your own value binder, as described in the PHPExcel Documentation, that would set every value as a string datatype.

Something like:

class PHPExcel_Cell_MyColumnValueBinder extends PHPExcel_Cell_DefaultValueBinder implements PHPExcel_Cell_IValueBinder
{
    protected $stringColumns = [];

    public function __construct(array $stringColumnList = []) {
        // Accept a list of columns that will always be set as strings
        $this->stringColumns = $stringColumnList;
    }

    public function bindValue(PHPExcel_Cell $cell, $value = null)
    {
        // If the cell is one of our columns to set as a string...
        if (in_array($cell->getColumn(), $this->stringColumns)) {
            // ... then we cast it to a string and explicitly set it as a string
            $cell->setValueExplicit((string) $value, PHPExcel_Cell_DataType::TYPE_STRING);
            return true;
        }
        // Otherwise, use the default behaviour
        return parent::bindValue($cell, $value);
    }
}

// Instantiate our custom binder, with a list of columns, and tell PHPExcel to use it
PHPExcel_Cell::setValueBinder(new PHPExcel_Cell_MyColumnValueBinder(['A', 'B', 'C', 'E', 'F']));

$objPHPExcel = new PHPExcel();
$objPHPExcel->getActiveSheet()->fromArray($dataArray,null,"A2");