Cell Class - PhpSpreadsheet

The Cell class represents a single cell within a worksheet. It manages the cell’s value, data type, formula, style, and various properties.

Class Overview

Namespace: PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Cell Source: src/PhpSpreadsheet/Cell/Cell.php A Cell object contains a value, knows its coordinate, data type, and provides access to formatting and calculation features.

Constructor

`__construct(mixed $value, ?string $dataType, Worksheet $worksheet)`

Create a new cell.

value

mixed

Initial value for the cell

dataType

string|null

Data type (see DataType::TYPE_*), or null for automatic detection

worksheet

Worksheet

Parent worksheet

use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Cell\Cell;
use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Cell\DataType;

// Cells are typically created via worksheet methods
$cell = $worksheet->getCell('A1');

Cells are typically created through worksheet methods like getCell() or setCellValue() rather than instantiated directly.

Getting Cell Information

`getCoordinate()`

Get the cell coordinate.

Return

string

Cell coordinate (e.g., ‘A1’, ‘B5’)

$cell = $worksheet->getCell('A1');
$coordinate = $cell->getCoordinate(); // 'A1'

`getColumn()`

Get the cell column.

Return

string

Column letter (e.g., ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘AA’)

$column = $cell->getColumn(); // 'A'

`getRow()`

Get the cell row number.

Return

int

Row number (1-based)

$row = $cell->getRow(); // 1

`getWorksheet()`

Get the parent worksheet.

Return

Worksheet

The worksheet containing this cell

$worksheet = $cell->getWorksheet();

Value Operations

`getValue()`

Get the cell value.

Return

mixed

The raw cell value

$value = $cell->getValue();

`getValueString()`

Get the cell value as a string.

Return

string

String representation of the value

$stringValue = $cell->getValueString();

`setValue(mixed $value, ?IValueBinder $binder = null)`

Set the cell value.

value

mixed

Value to set (string, number, DateTime, bool, etc.)

binder

IValueBinder|null

Optional custom value binder

Return

Cell

The cell object for method chaining

// Set different types of values
$cell->setValue('Hello World');
$cell->setValue(123.45);
$cell->setValue(new DateTime());
$cell->setValue(true);
$cell->setValue('=SUM(A1:A10)'); // Formula

`setValueExplicit(mixed $value, string $dataType = DataType::TYPE_STRING)`

Set the cell value with an explicit data type.

value

mixed

Value to set

dataType

string

Explicit data type constant

Return

Cell

The cell object for method chaining

use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Cell\DataType;

// Force a number to be treated as text
$cell->setValueExplicit('00123', DataType::TYPE_STRING);

// Set a formula
$cell->setValueExplicit('=A1+B1', DataType::TYPE_FORMULA);

// Set a boolean
$cell->setValueExplicit(true, DataType::TYPE_BOOL);

Available Data Types

DataType::TYPE_STRING   // String value
DataType::TYPE_FORMULA  // Formula
DataType::TYPE_NUMERIC  // Numeric value
DataType::TYPE_BOOL     // Boolean
DataType::TYPE_NULL     // Null/empty
DataType::TYPE_INLINE   // Inline string (rich text)
DataType::TYPE_ERROR    // Error value
DataType::TYPE_ISO_DATE // ISO date format

Data Type

`getDataType()`

Get the cell data type.

Return

string

Data type constant (DataType::TYPE_*)

$dataType = $cell->getDataType();
if ($dataType === DataType::TYPE_FORMULA) {
    echo "This cell contains a formula";
}

`setDataType(string $dataType)`

Set the cell data type.

dataType

string

Data type constant

Return

Cell

The cell object

use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Cell\DataType;

$cell->setDataType(DataType::TYPE_STRING);

`isFormula()`

Check if the cell contains a formula.

Return

bool

True if cell contains a formula

if ($cell->isFormula()) {
    echo "Formula: " . $cell->getValue();
}

Calculated Values

`getCalculatedValue(bool $resetLog = true)`

Get the calculated cell value (evaluates formulas).

resetLog

bool

default:"true"

Whether to reset the calculation log

Return

mixed

The calculated value

$cell->setValue('=SUM(A1:A10)');
$calculatedValue = $cell->getCalculatedValue();
echo $calculatedValue; // e.g., 55

`getCalculatedValueString()`

Get the calculated value as a string.

Return

string

String representation of calculated value

$stringValue = $cell->getCalculatedValueString();

`getOldCalculatedValue()`

Get the cached calculated value from the file.

Return

mixed

Cached calculated value

// Get the value last calculated by Excel
$oldValue = $cell->getOldCalculatedValue();

`setCalculatedValue(mixed $originalValue, bool $tryNumeric = true)`

Set the old calculated value (cached).

originalValue

mixed

Cached calculated value

tryNumeric

bool

default:"true"

Try to convert to numeric

$cell->setCalculatedValue(100);

Formatted Value

`getFormattedValue()`

Get the cell value with number formatting applied.

Return

string

Formatted value string

$cell->setValue(1234.56);
$cell->getStyle()
    ->getNumberFormat()
    ->setFormatCode('$#,##0.00');

$formatted = $cell->getFormattedValue(); // '$1,234.56'

Styling

`getStyle()`

Get the cell’s style object.

Return

Style

Style object for this cell

$style = $cell->getStyle();
$style->getFont()->setBold(true);
$style->getAlignment()->setHorizontal('center');
$style->getFill()
    ->setFillType(Fill::FILL_SOLID)
    ->getStartColor()->setARGB('FFFF00');

`getAppliedStyle()`

Get the applied style (including conditional formatting).

Return

Style

Effective style object

$appliedStyle = $cell->getAppliedStyle();

Hyperlinks

`hasHyperlink()`

Check if the cell has a hyperlink.

Return

bool

True if cell has a hyperlink

if ($cell->hasHyperlink()) {
    $url = $cell->getHyperlink()->getUrl();
}

`getHyperlink()`

Get the cell’s hyperlink.

Return

Hyperlink

Hyperlink object

$hyperlink = $cell->getHyperlink();
echo $hyperlink->getUrl();

`setHyperlink(?Hyperlink $hyperlink = null)`

Set a hyperlink for the cell.

hyperlink

Hyperlink|null

Hyperlink object, or null to remove

Return

Cell

The cell object

use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Cell\Hyperlink;

$hyperlink = new Hyperlink('https://example.com', 'Visit Example');
$cell->setHyperlink($hyperlink);

// Remove hyperlink
$cell->setHyperlink(null);

Data Validation

`hasDataValidation()`

Check if the cell has data validation.

Return

bool

True if cell has validation rules

if ($cell->hasDataValidation()) {
    $validation = $cell->getDataValidation();
}

`getDataValidation()`

Get the cell’s data validation object.

Return

DataValidation

Data validation object

$validation = $cell->getDataValidation();
$validation->setType(DataValidation::TYPE_WHOLE)
    ->setOperator(DataValidation::OPERATOR_BETWEEN)
    ->setFormula1(1)
    ->setFormula2(100)
    ->setShowErrorMessage(true)
    ->setErrorTitle('Invalid Value')
    ->setError('Value must be between 1 and 100');

`setDataValidation(?DataValidation $dataValidation = null)`

Set data validation for the cell.

dataValidation

DataValidation|null

Data validation object, or null to remove

use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Cell\DataValidation;

$validation = new DataValidation();
$validation->setType(DataValidation::TYPE_LIST)
    ->setFormula1('"Option1,Option2,Option3"')
    ->setShowDropDown(true);

$cell->setDataValidation($validation);

`hasValidValue()`

Check if the cell’s value is valid according to its validation rules.

Return

bool

True if value is valid

if (!$cell->hasValidValue()) {
    echo "Cell value does not meet validation criteria";
}

Merge Ranges

`isInMergeRange()`

Check if the cell is part of a merged range.

Return

bool

True if cell is in a merge range

if ($cell->isInMergeRange()) {
    $range = $cell->getMergeRange();
}

`isMergeRangeValueCell()`

Check if this is the master cell (top-left) of a merged range.

Return

bool

True if this is the value cell

if ($cell->isMergeRangeValueCell()) {
    echo "This is the master cell of a merge range";
}

`getMergeRange()`

Get the merge range that this cell belongs to.

Return

string|false

Range string (e.g., ‘A1:C3’), or false if not merged

$range = $cell->getMergeRange();
if ($range !== false) {
    echo "Cell is part of merge range: $range";
}

Range Checking

`isInRange(string $range)`

Check if the cell is within a specified range.

range

string

Range to check (e.g., ‘A1:D10’)

Return

bool

True if cell is in the range

if ($cell->isInRange('A1:D10')) {
    echo "Cell is within the range";
}

Complete Example

use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Spreadsheet;
use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Cell\DataType;
use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Cell\DataValidation;
use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Cell\Hyperlink;
use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Style\Fill;
use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Style\Alignment;

$spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
$worksheet = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();

// Get a cell
$cell = $worksheet->getCell('A1');

// Set value and check type
$cell->setValue('Product Name');
echo $cell->getDataType(); // TYPE_STRING
echo $cell->getCoordinate(); // 'A1'
echo $cell->getColumn(); // 'A'
echo $cell->getRow(); // 1

// Style the cell
$cell->getStyle()
    ->getFont()->setBold(true)
    ->getAlignment()
    ->setHorizontal(Alignment::HORIZONTAL_CENTER);

// Add a hyperlink
$hyperlink = new Hyperlink('https://example.com', 'Click here');
$cell->setHyperlink($hyperlink);

// Work with formula cell
$formulaCell = $worksheet->getCell('B1');
$formulaCell->setValue('=SUM(A1:A10)');

if ($formulaCell->isFormula()) {
    $calculatedValue = $formulaCell->getCalculatedValue();
    echo "Formula result: $calculatedValue";
}

// Add data validation
$cell = $worksheet->getCell('C1');
$validation = $cell->getDataValidation();
$validation->setType(DataValidation::TYPE_WHOLE)
    ->setOperator(DataValidation::OPERATOR_BETWEEN)
    ->setFormula1(1)
    ->setFormula2(100)
    ->setShowErrorMessage(true)
    ->setErrorTitle('Invalid Number')
    ->setError('Please enter a number between 1 and 100');

// Set value with explicit type
$cell = $worksheet->getCell('D1');
$cell->setValueExplicit('00123', DataType::TYPE_STRING);

// Check if cell is in a range
if ($cell->isInRange('D1:D100')) {
    echo "Cell is in the range";
}

// Get formatted value
$cell = $worksheet->getCell('E1');
$cell->setValue(1234.56);
$cell->getStyle()
    ->getNumberFormat()
    ->setFormatCode('$#,##0.00');
echo $cell->getFormattedValue(); // '$1,234.56'

Worksheet - Parent worksheet containing the cell
Spreadsheet - Parent workbook
DataType - Cell data type constants
DataValidation - Cell data validation rules
Hyperlink - Cell hyperlink
Style - Cell formatting and style

Core Classes

Readers

Writers

Calculation

Styling

Charts & Graphics

​Class Overview

​Constructor

​__construct(mixed $value, ?string $dataType, Worksheet $worksheet)

​Getting Cell Information

​getCoordinate()

​getColumn()

​getRow()

​getWorksheet()

​Value Operations

​getValue()

​getValueString()

​setValue(mixed $value, ?IValueBinder $binder = null)

​setValueExplicit(mixed $value, string $dataType = DataType::TYPE_STRING)

​Available Data Types

​Data Type

​getDataType()

​setDataType(string $dataType)

​isFormula()

​Calculated Values

​getCalculatedValue(bool $resetLog = true)

​getCalculatedValueString()

​getOldCalculatedValue()

​setCalculatedValue(mixed $originalValue, bool $tryNumeric = true)

​Formatted Value

​getFormattedValue()

​Styling

​getStyle()

​getAppliedStyle()

​Hyperlinks

​hasHyperlink()

​getHyperlink()

​setHyperlink(?Hyperlink $hyperlink = null)

​Data Validation

​hasDataValidation()

​getDataValidation()

​setDataValidation(?DataValidation $dataValidation = null)

​hasValidValue()

​Merge Ranges

​isInMergeRange()

​isMergeRangeValueCell()

​getMergeRange()

​Range Checking

​isInRange(string $range)

​Complete Example

​Related Classes

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Class Overview

Constructor

`__construct(mixed $value, ?string $dataType, Worksheet $worksheet)`

Getting Cell Information

`getCoordinate()`

`getColumn()`

`getRow()`

`getWorksheet()`

Value Operations

`getValue()`

`getValueString()`

`setValue(mixed $value, ?IValueBinder $binder = null)`

`setValueExplicit(mixed $value, string $dataType = DataType::TYPE_STRING)`

Available Data Types

Data Type

`getDataType()`

`setDataType(string $dataType)`

`isFormula()`

Calculated Values

`getCalculatedValue(bool $resetLog = true)`

`getCalculatedValueString()`

`getOldCalculatedValue()`

`setCalculatedValue(mixed $originalValue, bool $tryNumeric = true)`

Formatted Value

`getFormattedValue()`

Styling

`getStyle()`

`getAppliedStyle()`

Hyperlinks

`hasHyperlink()`

`getHyperlink()`

`setHyperlink(?Hyperlink $hyperlink = null)`

Data Validation

`hasDataValidation()`

`getDataValidation()`

`setDataValidation(?DataValidation $dataValidation = null)`

`hasValidValue()`

Merge Ranges

`isInMergeRange()`

`isMergeRangeValueCell()`

`getMergeRange()`

Range Checking

`isInRange(string $range)`

Complete Example

Related Classes