A way to generate and download CSV files client-side

There seems to be a lot of confusion about how to properly generate a file client-side and have it downloaded in modern browsers. I know how to do it (it’s not hard, but it uses a modern web API) and it could potentially be a valuable addition to the library.

Something like:

Papa.download(Papa.parse(csv), "data.json");   // download JSON file
Papa.download(Papa.unparse(data), "data.csv"); // download CSV file

Might take no more than about 20-30 lines of code. Should I do it?

[mholt]

This seems to work in all modern browsers:

var blob = new Blob([csvString]);
if (window.navigator.msSaveOrOpenBlob)  // IE hack; see http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ie/hh779016.aspx
    window.navigator.msSaveBlob(blob, "filename.csv");
else
{
    var a = window.document.createElement("a");
    a.href = window.URL.createObjectURL(blob, {type: "text/plain"});
    a.download = "filename.csv";
    document.body.appendChild(a);
    a.click();  // IE: "Access is denied"; see: https://connect.microsoft.com/IE/feedback/details/797361/ie-10-treats-blob-url-as-cross-origin-and-denies-access
    document.body.removeChild(a);
}

I used this for a project at my last work. If there’s no objection, I’ll be happy to build it into 4.2 or something.

[keemor]

For modern browsers solution goes like this, tested: IE11, FF & Chrome

var csvData = new Blob([arg.data], {type: 'text/csv;charset=utf-8;'});
//IE11 & Edge
if (navigator.msSaveBlob) {
    navigator.msSaveBlob(csvData, exportFilename);
} else {
    //In FF link must be added to DOM to be clicked
    var link = document.createElement('a');
    link.href = window.URL.createObjectURL(csvData);
    link.setAttribute('download', exportFilename);
    document.body.appendChild(link);    
    link.click();
    document.body.removeChild(link);    
}