Are there any best practices or alternative approaches to executing Excel macros through PHP without relying on Visual Basic?

When executing Excel macros through PHP without relying on Visual Basic, one alternative approach is to use the PHPExcel library. This library allows you to read, write, and manipulate Excel files directly in PHP without the need for Visual Basic. By using PHPExcel, you can execute macros in Excel files without the need for external dependencies.

require 'PHPExcel/Classes/PHPExcel.php';

$excel = PHPExcel_IOFactory::load('example.xlsx');
$excel->setReadDataOnly(true);

$sheet = $excel->getActiveSheet();

$sheet->setAutoFilter('A1:C1');

$writer = PHPExcel_IOFactory::createWriter($excel, 'Excel2007');
$writer->save('example_output.xlsx');