Create and Download Zip file in CodeIgniter

In PHP, ZipArchive Class is used for creating a zip file.

For adding a whole directory files need to read directory files one by one and add in the ZipArchive Class object.

CodeIgniter already provided a zip library that allows either add files or a directory for Compress.

Need to load the zip library for using it.

In this tutorial, I show how you can create a zip file, download, and save it to the server with CodeIgniter.

Demo Download

Store files
Configuration
Controller
View
Demo
Conclusion

1. Store files

Created a uploads directory at the project root.

Store files in uploads directory and created another sub-directory documents for storing files.

I am using uploads directory in zip file creation.
Create archivefiles directory at project root to save the created zip files.

2. Configuration

Default controller

Open application/config/routes.php and edit default_controller value to Zip.

$route['default_controller'] = 'Zip';

3. Controller

Create a Zip.php file in application/controllers/ directory.

Create 3 methods –

__construct – Load url helper and zip library.
index – Load index_view view.
createzip – This method is called on <form > submit.

Add files –

On the first button click, I am adding specified files for the compress.

For this, I have assign file path in $filepath1 and $filepath2.

To add file use $this->zip->read_file();. This method takes file-path as a parameter.

$this->zip->read_file([file-path]);

Pass the $filepath1 and $filepath2 in the method.

For downloading file on the user system call $this->zip->download() method. This method takes file-name as a parameter.

$this->zip->download([file-name]);

Add directory files and sub-directory –

On the second button click, I am adding whole directory files and sub-directory for compress.

Specify a directory path in the $path.

Use $this->zip->read_dir() to add directory files.

$this->zip->read_dir([directory-path]);

To save a zip file on a server call $this->zip->archive() method and pass the path with file-name where you want to store.

$this->zip->archive([file-path]);

Execute $this->zip->download() method for downloading the file to the user system.

Completed Code

<?php
defined('BASEPATH') OR exit('No direct script access allowed');

class Zip extends CI_Controller {

  public function __construct(){

     parent::__construct();
     $this->load->helper('url');

     // Load zip library
     $this->load->library('zip');

  }

  public function index(){
     // Load view
     $this->load->view('index_view');
  }

  // Create zip
  public function createzip(){

     // Read file from path
     if($this->input->post('but_createzip1') != NULL){

        // File path
        $filepath1 = FCPATH.'/uploads/image1.jpg';
        $filepath2 = FCPATH.'/uploads/document/users.csv';

        // Add file
        $this->zip->read_file($filepath1);
        $this->zip->read_file($filepath2);

        // Download
        $filename = "backup.zip";
        $this->zip->download($filename);

     }

     // Read files from directory
     if($this->input->post('but_createzip2') != NULL){
        // File name
        $filename = "backup.zip";
        // Directory path (uploads directory stored in project root)
        $path = 'uploads';

        // Add directory to zip
        $this->zip->read_dir($path);

        // Save the zip file to archivefiles directory
        $this->zip->archive(FCPATH.'/archivefiles/'.$filename);

        // Download
        $this->zip->download($filename);
     }

     // Load view
     $this->load->view('index_view');
  }

}

4. View

Create a index_view.php file application/views/ directory.

Create a <form > and set action='<?= base_url() ?>index.php/zip/createzip‘.

Create two submit buttons.

One for creating a zip file from the specified path.
and another for creating zip file from a directory.

Completed Code

<?php
defined('BASEPATH') OR exit('No direct script access allowed');
?>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
  <head>
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title>Create and Download Zip file in CodeIgniter</title>
  </head>
  <body>

    <form method='post' action='<?= base_url() ?>index.php/posts/createzip/'>
       <input type="submit" name="but_createzip1" value='Add file from path and download zip'>
       <input type="submit" name="but_createzip2" value='Add directory files and sub-directory, save archive and download zip'>
    </form>

  </body>
</html>

5. Demo

Click on a button.

6. Conclusion

If you want to add specific files then use read_file() method or use read_dir() method to add whole files and sub-directory for compress.

To save the created zip file use archive() method.

You can learn more about the zip library from here.

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