link to download file as opposed to open file

ChicoMendez · 04-09-2007 1:35pm #1

hi,

i have a link on a site to a .txt file. the link currently opens the file in the browser - however i want it to download the file.

anyone know how to do this?

tnx

tbh · 04-09-2007 1:42pm

right click the link - > save target as / save link as (depending on your browser)

PixelTrawler · 04-09-2007 1:45pm

I presume you're left clicking.

Just right click and select "Save as..."
If its your site, print in italics underneath or beside the link "right click and select save as..." so that users know to do this.

I guess the other alternative would be to write a small script that would present the file for downloading on left clicking...

ChicoMendez · 04-09-2007 5:31pm

Joebloggs4817 wrote:

I presume you're left clicking.

Just right click and select "Save as..."
If its your site, print in italics underneath or beside the link "right click and select save as..." so that users know to do this.

I guess the other alternative would be to write a small script that would present the file for downloading on left clicking...

how do i write one of those scripts ?
id rather provide an easier solution than right click and save as - if it exists !
tnx

forbairt · 04-09-2007 6:52pm

if you've got php ... something like ...

<?php

header('Content-type: text/plain');

header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="myfile.txt"');

readfile('myfile.txt');
?>

something like this would do it for you ...

ChicoMendez · 05-09-2007 8:25am

great thanks

does anyone know is there an apache command that can be used so as all .txt or .lic files clicked on the site will be treated as a download (as opposed to open new window) ?

tnx

ChicoMendez · 05-09-2007 8:39am

in fact something strange is happening
on a webpage i have two links

one to a file called a.lic : this opens in the browser

another called b.lic : this opens a download dialogue

the content of a.lic is =

BEGIN LICENCE

PccOxzITrOk+NBsET9rxMzU+7c8KZKraHTudBy8VKGqTa5RRJFU6uiEihTHreE9o
N3YsOcWKoJV8lgqwNB+0kErJ1kKiyQ8tKqRreSxY8CFyCpru/dbJ4NM5WUyzHOXG
u1IOPtruKNLbNVlIuIF9S2q+Sn9Hwpb54m2f9Ej4MZ48P3htbCB2ZXJzaW9uPSIx
LjAiIGVuY29kaW5nPSJ1dGYtNyI/PjxTa3lSZWNvbj48UHJvZHVjdCBPd25lcj0i
enp6IiBJRD0iYzM5NmY4ZTQtYWNlNi0xMDJhLWIxMDUtMDAzMDQ4OTAwOTYwIiBF
bXBpcnVtQmFzaWM9Ik9uIiBNYXN0ZXI9IjEiIFNsYXZlPSIxIiBFbmRQZXJpb2Q9
IjAxLzA3LzIwMDgiIC8+PC9Ta3lSZWNvbj4=

END LICENCE

the content of b.lic is =

r,YIB]SX^BkHBe ,(@K=FPSO,1)IR#Q_(SX?ATCV,7*YDV"YNB*=Ke

anyone know why they would have different behaviour ?

tnx

forbairt · 05-09-2007 9:29am

you'll want to add in the following to your httpd.conf

<FilesMatch "\.(?i:txt)$">
  ForceType plain/txt
  Header set Content-Disposition attachment
</FilesMatch>

You'll also need to include the headers module mod_headers.so

matt-dublin · 05-09-2007 9:45am

try:
put this somewhere between <head> </head>
<script type="javascript">
function saveFile (fname)
{
document.execCommand('SaveAs',null,fname)
}
</script>

You can use a button

<input type="button" value="Save" onClick="saveFile('thispage.htm');">

or text

<a href="javascript:null()" onClick="saveFile('thispage.htm');">Save
File</a>

ChicoMendez · 10-09-2007 6:17pm

forbairt wrote:
you'll want to add in the following to your httpd.conf
<FilesMatch "\.(?i:txt)$">
  ForceType plain/txt
  Header set Content-Disposition attachment
</FilesMatch>
You'll also need to include the headers module mod_headers.so

thanx man that sorted it!

forbairt · 10-09-2007 7:09pm

cool ... you could also add it to the .htaccess for a specific folder which might be a better idea depending on what else will be happening on your server

CuLT · 10-09-2007 10:03pm

Dear God look at all those horrible javascript and php versions of a simple htaccess rule.

forbairt · 10-09-2007 10:11pm

CuLT wrote:

Dear God look at all those horrible javascript and php versions of a simple htaccess rule.

I did offer both ... php and .ht...

php version allows you to check who the user is first and what permissions they have ... (of course in this case ... that isn't required ...) and you could do .htpasswd ... auth ... but ... hmm...

you won't always have access to apache ... or .htacess files depending on your hosting provider whether its your own server or not and so on ...

link to download file as opposed to open file

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