reading xls file into php

[bradkenyon]

i want to take an excel file (.xls) that is pre formatted, and will be stored on the server, and will be updated often.

 

is there a way that file can be read by php and outputted as an html form onto a webpage. the file is an excel file which was built as a form to be filled out. i need to then take the results from the html form and plug them into the appropriate cells on the .xls file, and force the user to either open the file as a .xls or save it.

 

i looked into http://sourceforge.net/projects/phpexcelreader/, but doesn't seem to be the thing that will do everything i ask for.

 

i need to keep the formatting intact.

 

thanks in advance for any guidance.