title: Using PHPExcel in CakePHP
body: <p><strong>Background</strong></p>
  
  <p>Well I tried to ask this question, but it got closed down faster than a horrible security leak. I want to write an excel file using PEAR's Spreadsheet Excel Writer. I Google'd endlessly for a easy way to do this, and finally <a href="https://github.com/segy/PhpExcel" rel="nofollow">found a helper</a> that might actually do the job.</p>
  
  <p>But it uses PHPExcel, so I'll have to rewrite that script, which is the least of my worries. I just don't want to start now, and then still not be able to get it working.</p>
  
  <p>I have also downloaded <a href="http://phpexcel.codeplex.com/" rel="nofollow">PHPExcel</a> as required by the helper.</p>
  
  <p><strong>What do I have?</strong></p>
  
  <p>I have the helper and I've added the helper to the controller like so:</p>
  
  <pre><code>public $helpers = array('PhpExcel.PhpExcel'); 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>and I've created (copied and pasted) the script online into the view, just to test if it works.</p>
  
  <p><strong>What is the problem</strong></p>
  
  <p>I get an error:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Error: The application is trying to load a file from the PhpExcel plugin
  
  Error: Make sure your plugin PhpExcel is in the app\Plugin directory and was loaded
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I have included the file in the <code>APP/Vendor/PHPExcel.php</code> folder (because I read somewhere that if the plugin doesn't follow the MVC framework, it needs to go in there) but it still doesn't work. Also tried it in the plugin directory and same error. This is the first time I'm using helpers (and hopefully not the last) so I'm pretty clueless with this. </p>
  
  <p>I've also included the actual helper in the <code>APP/View/Helper/</code> folder as <code>PhpExcelHelper.php</code>.</p>
  
  <p>And the thing is I can't even get past step 1. Can someone tell me where the files need to go so that I can get this to work?</p>