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Languages :: PHP :: how to download file....(any kind)
By: jigs77 U.S.A.  Date: 14/05/2003 00:00:00  English  Points: 20 Status: Answered
Quality : Excellent
hello everyone,
In a download section of my site i want to give download option of file, for any type of download so kindly help me what code i used to download the various kind of file format?????
By: Louskan Date: 14/05/2003 21:57:00 English  Type : Comment
What do you want in fact ?
Caus' if it's just download, a link to the file should be enough.
If you want it to be automatic, you can use an iframe

This code is used by download.com website:

<iframe height="0" width="0" src="<A HREF="http://www.clasys.com/iturbo54.exe">http://www.clasys.com/iturbo54.exe</A>"></iframe>
By: carchitect Date: 14/05/2003 22:08:00 English  Type : Comment
correct
By: VGR Date: 14/05/2003 22:12:00 English  Type : Answer
not exactly.

if the type is known to the browser, clicking (not right-clicking + save as ! ;-) will not download but "execute" the document. This may be unpleasant

you should force download this way :

either

1) use this before sending the data :
header("Content-type: application/application/save");

or
2)
header("Content-disposition: attachment;;filename=$filename");
header("Content-type: application/octetstream");
header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Expires: 0");

$client=getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT");
$fp=fopen("$filename","r");
$str=fread($fp,filesize($filename));
echo $str;
fclose($fp);
By: girish_nair Date: 14/05/2003 23:09:00 English  Type : Comment
Hi,

VGR is correct!

Also you can save some lines by using
readfile("$filename");

instead of
$fp=fopen("$filename","r");
$str=fread($fp,filesize($filename));
echo $str;
fclose($fp);



:)
By: VGR Date: 14/05/2003 23:22:00 English  Type : Comment
the only difference is that the "r" should be in fact "rb", something readfile() can not do. If the data is binary-unsafe...

moreover, I made a typo above in here :
header("Content-type: application/application/save");

I let you find it :D
By: OwenMania Date: 19/05/2003 13:41:00 English  Type : Comment
if i wish to the user to download from an FTP server
which command should i pick?

the url for a file is like this: <A HREF="ftp://name:password@202.111.111.22:21/filename.txt">ftp://name:password@202.111.111.22:21/filename.txt</A>

how to prompt user for download path, instead of letting the browser open it?

thank u very much
By: VGR Date: 19/05/2003 14:51:00 English  Type : Comment
that's the purpose of the application/save MIME-Type

that's also the purpose of the application/octetstream

wadduyamean ?
By: OwenMania Date: 20/05/2003 00:00:00 English  Type : Comment
oh i will try tat out later

i got a Q
if the download process is accidentally terminated
how to i use code to make it resume?
By: OwenMania Date: 20/05/2003 00:02:00 English  Type : Comment
to VGR
what i meant was does your code apply to FTP file transfer as well
like this path... <A HREF="ftp://name:password@202.111.111.22:21/filename.txt">ftp://name:password@202.111.111.22:21/filename.txt</A>
By: VGR Date: 20/05/2003 00:11:00 English  Type : Comment
AFAIK, yes (fopen wrappers) it applies to this kind of URI because you in fact use HTTP not FTP by doing this.

For the "resume", I'm afraid I don't have a solution.
By: Louskan Date: 20/05/2003 00:24:00 English  Type : Comment
OwenMania, it's not even your own question. I think you should open a new thread for that.
By: OwenMania Date: 20/05/2003 16:04:00 English  Type : Comment
pardon me because i am newbie

how to implement this thing in an ASp page?

header("Content-disposition: attachment;;filename=$filename");
header("Content-type: application/octetstream");
header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Expires: 0");

do i type it in meta tag?
By: VGR Date: 20/05/2003 16:32:00 English  Type : Comment
yes, that's a solution.

Those are HTTP header fields.

I suppose they can be coded as HTTP-META-TAGS, especially the Pragma: no-cache

But this is the PHP area, you know ? :D

That's why you got PHP code, not ASP code :D

perhaps you would receive more help from the ASP area guys ;-)
By: OwenMania Date: 20/05/2003 16:40:00 English  Type : Comment
oh no wonder it cannot work
thank u very very much for your comments
By: Louskan Date: 20/05/2003 16:45:00 English  Type : Comment
Won't
<META Http-Equiv="Content-disposition" Content="attachment;filename=file.ext">
<META Http-Equiv="Content-type" Content="application/octetstream">
<META Http-Equiv="Pragma" Content="no-cache">
<META Http-Equiv="Expires" Content="0">

written between <head></head> do the trick? Well I'm not sure, if someone could test! No time for that today :p
See ya.
By: VGR Date: 20/05/2003 16:50:00 English  Type : Comment
absolutely :D

it should work
By: adnan1983 Date: 22/05/2003 06:33:00 English  Type : Comment
Hi,

I have been trying to download a file using this code. What this is code does is takes the file path from the database, and then generates a link out of it. But it doesn't download anything. I tried to use header("Content-type: application/application/save"); , but kept saying cannot add header information, is it because of all the 'echo' statements. Can someone please tell me where exactly I have to add the header?

$retrieve = "SELECT * FROM files";

$run = mysql_query ($retrieve);
$result = mysql_fetch_array ($run);

echo "

<b>Filename from database, download file at link: </b> ";
$realpath = realpath ($uploadPath);
echo "<a href=\".$realpath.\">click</a>";
By: VGR Date: 22/05/2003 07:23:00 English  Type : Comment
application/application/save is a typo
should read
application/save
By: adnan1983 Date: 22/05/2003 07:29:00 English  Type : Comment
Where exactly should I place header("Content-type: application/save"); in this code, cause I keep getting "warning: cannot add header information." ? Thanks.


if($file_size == 0)
{
echo "<font color=#FF0000>Error: No file Uploaded.</font>";
exit;
}
else
{
$uploadPath = "/home/virtual/site70/fst/var/www/html/foo/uploads/".$file_name;
copy ($file, $uploadPath);

$db = mysql_connect ("localhost", "foo", "goo") ;

if (!$db)
{
echo "<font color=#FF0000>Cannot connect to the database at this moment, please try later again.</font>";
}
else
{

mysql_select_db ("somedatabase");

$file_info = "INSERT INTO files VALUES ('".$id."', '".$file_name."')";
$data_entered = mysql_query ($file_info);

$retrieve = "SELECT * FROM files";

$run = mysql_query ($retrieve);
$result = mysql_fetch_array ($run);

echo "

<b>Filename from database, download file at link: </b> ";

header("Content-type: application/save"); <----I have placed it her right before downloading.
$realpath = "uploads/".$file_name;
echo "<a href=".$realpath.">click</a>";
}
}
By: VGR Date: 22/05/2003 07:46:00 English  Type : Comment
you can't add header() if any output has begin. In your case, it's this posing the problem :

echo "

<b>Filename from database, download file at link: </b> ";

no, you don't need the header(). You've to choose either to display a <a href= link OR to send directly the data (in which case a header() for the type is welcome :D )

it's your choice. I recommend to download directly, this way :

if($file_size == 0) {
echo "<font color=#FF0000>Error: No file Uploaded.</font>";
exit;
} else {
$uploadPath = "/home/virtual/site70/fst/var/www/html/foo/uploads/".$file_name;
copy ($file, $uploadPath);
$db = mysql_connect ("localhost", "foo", "goo") ;
if (!$db) { // useless
echo "<font color=#FF0000>Cannot connect to the database at this moment, please try later again.</font>";
} else {
mysql_select_db ("somedatabase");
$file_info = "INSERT INTO files VALUES ($id,'$file_name');"; // double quotes have this purpose :D else use single ones (faster) I suppose $id is a numeric value :D
$data_entered = mysql_query ($file_info);
/* retrieval is useless, you've the data in memory !
$retrieve = 'SELECT * FROM files;';
$run = mysql_query ($retrieve);
$result = mysql_fetch_array ($run);
*/
header('Content-type: application/save');
readfile($uploadPath); // or $file
exit; // you've to make sure output is flushed and the script ends
} // if connection ok
} // if filesize=0
By: VGR Date: 22/05/2003 07:48:00 English  Type : Comment
if you choose the wa href= solution, the user won't be prompted for "save as..." except if he does right-click/save as... manually
By: adnan1983 Date: 22/05/2003 07:51:00 English  Type : Comment
coool, thanks for the help. Let me try this, if not I will be back.
By: adnan1983 Date: 22/05/2003 08:05:00 English  Type : Comment
thanks it works now.
By: adnan1983 Date: 22/05/2003 08:05:00 English  Type : Comment
but is there a possible to download it, when a link is clicked. Using the same method u posted.
By: VGR Date: 22/05/2003 08:20:00 English  Type : Comment
I told you already.

Unless you find a way to "force a right-click" when cliking a link, you can't with the link you tried first.

BUT you can, in fact, with this technique

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Title: how to download file....(any kind)
From: jigs77
Points: 20 Date: 05/14/2003 04:09AM PDT
Type: Open
hello everyone,
In a download section of my site i want to give download option of file, for any type of download so kindly help me what code i used to download the various kind of file format?????
Question History
Comment from Louskan Date: 05/14/2003 04:57AM PDT
What do you want in fact ?
Caus' if it's just download, a link to the file should be enough.
If you want it to be automatic, you can use an iframe

This code is used by download.com website:

<iframe height="0" width="0" src="<A HREF="http://www.clasys.com/iturbo54.exe">http://www.clasys.com/iturbo54.exe</A>"></iframe>

Comment from carchitect Date: 05/14/2003 09:08AM PDT
correct
Comment from VGR Date: 05/14/2003 09:12AM PDT
not exactly.

if the type is known to the browser, clicking (not right-clicking + save as ! ;-) will not download but "execute" the document. This may be unpleasant

you should force download this way :

either

1) use this before sending the data :
header("Content-type: application/application/save");

or
2)
header("Content-disposition: attachment;;filename=$filename");
header("Content-type: application/octetstream");
header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Expires: 0");

$client=getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT");
$fp=fopen("$filename","r");
$str=fread($fp,filesize($filename));
echo $str;
fclose($fp);

Comment from girish_nair Date: 05/14/2003 11:09AM PDT
Hi,

VGR is correct!

Also you can save some lines by using
readfile("$filename");

instead of
$fp=fopen("$filename","r");
$str=fread($fp,filesize($filename));
echo $str;
fclose($fp);



:)
Comment from VGR Date: 05/14/2003 11:22AM PDT
the only difference is that the "r" should be in fact "rb", something readfile() can not do. If the data is binary-unsafe...

moreover, I made a typo above in here :
header("Content-type: application/application/save");

I let you find it :D
Comment from OwenMania Date: 05/19/2003 08:41PM PDT
if i wish to the user to download from an FTP server
which command should i pick?

the url for a file is like this: <A HREF="ftp://name:password@202.111.111.22:21/filename.txt">ftp://name:password@202.111.111.22:21/filename.txt</A>

how to prompt user for download path, instead of letting the browser open it?

thank u very much
Comment from VGR Date: 05/19/2003 09:51PM PDT
that's the purpose of the application/save MIME-Type

that's also the purpose of the application/octetstream

wadduyamean ?
Comment from OwenMania Date: 05/20/2003 07:00AM PDT
oh i will try tat out later

i got a Q
if the download process is accidentally terminated
how to i use code to make it resume?
Comment from OwenMania Date: 05/20/2003 07:02AM PDT
to VGR
what i meant was does your code apply to FTP file transfer as well
like this path... <A HREF="ftp://name:password@202.111.111.22:21/filename.txt">ftp://name:password@202.111.111.22:21/filename.txt</A>
Comment from VGR Date: 05/20/2003 07:11AM PDT
AFAIK, yes (fopen wrappers) it applies to this kind of URI because you in fact use HTTP not FTP by doing this.

For the "resume", I'm afraid I don't have a solution.
Comment from Louskan Date: 05/20/2003 07:24AM PDT
OwenMania, it's not even your own question. I think you should open a new thread for that.
Comment from OwenMania Date: 05/20/2003 11:04PM PDT
pardon me because i am newbie

how to implement this thing in an ASp page?

header("Content-disposition: attachment;;filename=$filename");
header("Content-type: application/octetstream");
header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Expires: 0");

do i type it in meta tag?

Comment from VGR Date: 05/20/2003 11:32PM PDT
yes, that's a solution.

Those are HTTP header fields.

I suppose they can be coded as HTTP-META-TAGS, especially the Pragma: no-cache

But this is the PHP area, you know ? :D

That's why you got PHP code, not ASP code :D

perhaps you would receive more help from the ASP area guys ;-)
Comment from OwenMania Date: 05/20/2003 11:40PM PDT
oh no wonder it cannot work
thank u very very much for your comments

Comment from Louskan Date: 05/20/2003 11:45PM PDT
Won't
<META Http-Equiv="Content-disposition" Content="attachment;filename=file.ext">
<META Http-Equiv="Content-type" Content="application/octetstream">
<META Http-Equiv="Pragma" Content="no-cache">
<META Http-Equiv="Expires" Content="0">

written between <head></head> do the trick? Well I'm not sure, if someone could test! No time for that today :p
See ya.
Comment from VGR Date: 05/20/2003 11:50PM PDT
absolutely :D

it should work
Comment from adnan1983 Date: 05/22/2003 01:33PM PDT
Hi,

I have been trying to download a file using this code. What this is code does is takes the file path from the database, and then generates a link out of it. But it doesn't download anything. I tried to use header("Content-type: application/application/save"); , but kept saying cannot add header information, is it because of all the 'echo' statements. Can someone please tell me where exactly I have to add the header?

$retrieve = "SELECT * FROM files";

$run = mysql_query ($retrieve);
$result = mysql_fetch_array ($run);

echo "

<b>Filename from database, download file at link: </b> ";
$realpath = realpath ($uploadPath);
echo "<a href=\".$realpath.\">click</a>";
Comment from VGR Date: 05/22/2003 02:23PM PDT
application/application/save is a typo
should read
application/save
Comment from adnan1983 Date: 05/22/2003 02:29PM PDT
Where exactly should I place header("Content-type: application/save"); in this code, cause I keep getting "warning: cannot add header information." ? Thanks.


if($file_size == 0)
{
echo "<font color=#FF0000>Error: No file Uploaded.</font>";
exit;
}
else
{
$uploadPath = "/home/virtual/site70/fst/var/www/html/foo/uploads/".$file_name;
copy ($file, $uploadPath);

$db = mysql_connect ("localhost", "foo", "goo") ;

if (!$db)
{
echo "<font color=#FF0000>Cannot connect to the database at this moment, please try later again.</font>";
}
else
{

mysql_select_db ("somedatabase");

$file_info = "INSERT INTO files VALUES ('".$id."', '".$file_name."')";
$data_entered = mysql_query ($file_info);

$retrieve = "SELECT * FROM files";

$run = mysql_query ($retrieve);
$result = mysql_fetch_array ($run);

echo "

<b>Filename from database, download file at link: </b> ";

header("Content-type: application/save"); <----I have placed it her right before downloading.
$realpath = "uploads/".$file_name;
echo "<a href=".$realpath.">click</a>";
}
}
Comment from VGR Date: 05/22/2003 02:46PM PDT
you can't add header() if any output has begin. In your case, it's this posing the problem :

echo "

<b>Filename from database, download file at link: </b> ";

no, you don't need the header(). You've to choose either to display a <a href= link OR to send directly the data (in which case a header() for the type is welcome :D )

it's your choice. I recommend to download directly, this way :

if($file_size == 0) {
echo "<font color=#FF0000>Error: No file Uploaded.</font>";
exit;
} else {
$uploadPath = "/home/virtual/site70/fst/var/www/html/foo/uploads/".$file_name;
copy ($file, $uploadPath);
$db = mysql_connect ("localhost", "foo", "goo") ;
if (!$db) { // useless
echo "<font color=#FF0000>Cannot connect to the database at this moment, please try later again.</font>";
} else {
mysql_select_db ("somedatabase");
$file_info = "INSERT INTO files VALUES ($id,'$file_name');"; // double quotes have this purpose :D else use single ones (faster) I suppose $id is a numeric value :D
$data_entered = mysql_query ($file_info);
/* retrieval is useless, you've the data in memory !
$retrieve = 'SELECT * FROM files;';
$run = mysql_query ($retrieve);
$result = mysql_fetch_array ($run);
*/
echo "

<b>Filename from database, download file at link: </b> ";
$realpath = "uploads/".$file_name;
echo "<a href=download.php?filepath=\"$realpath\">click</a>"; // you can add a target="_new" (see option (3) below in download.php )
} // if connection ok
} // if filesize=0


---------- download.php :
<?php
$filepath=$_GET['filepath'];
header('Content-type: application/save');
readfile($filepath); // or $file
// 1) exit; // you've to make sure output is flushed and the script ends
// or 2) I suggest to redirect
// or 3) if you opened this with a target= in the calling script, do :
// echo '<script>self.close;</script>';
?>
By: lumpofmilk Date: 04/06/2003 21:00:00 English  Type : Comment
I am using this code

<?php

$filename = $_GET['filename'];

header("Content-disposition: attachment;;filename=$filename");
header("Content-type: x-pn-multirate-realvideo");
header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Expires: 0");

$client=getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT");
$fp=fopen("$filename","r");
$str=fread($fp,filesize($filename));
echo $str;
fclose($fp);

?>

But when I try to download a file, the download stops at about 400-500kb, when the actual file size is 4mb... I was downloading at 30kb/sec what could be wrong?
By: VGR Date: 04/06/2003 21:13:00 English  Type : Comment
the default maximum execution time of 30 seconds ?

use "set_time_limit(0);" before downloading (better code will afterwards reset it to the gp* previous value, that you can get with ini_get() or something like that)
By: lumpofmilk Date: 04/06/2003 22:54:00 English  Type : Comment
I am new to PHP (I code in ASP) so can you please tell me where to put this line in the code?
I did this:

<?php

$filename = $_GET['filename'];

header("Content-disposition: attachment;;filename=$filename");
header("Content-type: x-pn-multirate-realvideo");
header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Expires: 0");
set_time_limit(0);

$client=getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT");
$fp=fopen("$filename","r");
$str=fread($fp,filesize($filename));
echo $str;
fclose($fp);


?>

but it still didn't help and my download stoppped after 15 seconds.
By: VGR Date: 04/06/2003 23:02:00 English  Type : Comment
sorry for three places above, it looks like I missed a copy-paste :D

for the place where to put the set_time_limit : anywhere before the echo $str ;-)

why not where it is now.

More "logical" would be on the very first line of the script

do as you wish.
By: VGR Date: 04/06/2003 23:04:00 English  Type : Comment
please note $client= line is useless

"stopped after 15 seconds" ? hummm how weird

do you use IE6 ? :D Patched with SP1 ? :D
By: lumpofmilk Date: 04/06/2003 23:34:00 English  Type : Comment
I'm using IE 5.5
By: VGR Date: 04/06/2003 23:42:00 English  Type : Comment
ok, so it's not one of the infamous IE6 problems.

could you try this ?

<?php

set_time_limit(0); // note that this may fail, and will if you're on "safe mode" !!

$filename = $_GET['filename'];

header("Content-disposition: attachment;;filename=$filename");
header("Content-type: application/save");
header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Expires: 0");

$client=getenv("HTTP_USER_AGENT");
$fp=fopen("$filename","r");
$str=fread($fp,filesize($filename));
fclose($fp);

echo $str;

?>




By: lumpofmilk Date: 05/06/2003 00:13:00 English  Type : Comment
No, still no change..
when I test this on netscape it downloads it in less than a second as a .php file
and on IE 5.5 it downloads about 400-500kb as .rm file
By: VGR Date: 05/06/2003 00:31:00 English  Type : Comment
ok, why not this then ?

<?php

set_time_limit(0); // note that this may fail, and will if you're on "safe mode" !!

$filename = $_GET['filename'];

header("Content-disposition: attachment; filename=$filename");
header("Content-type: application/save");

$fp=fopen("$filename","r");
$str=fread($fp,filesize($filename));
fclose($fp);

echo $str;

?>


By: lumpofmilk Date: 06/06/2003 00:11:00 English  Type : Comment
still the same.....
maybe its a server problem?
By: VGR Date: 06/06/2003 00:49:00 English  Type : Comment
ok, now this :

<?php

set_time_limit(0); // note that this may fail, and will if you're on "safe mode" !!

$filename = $_GET['filename'];

header("Content-disposition: attachment;;filename=$filename");
header("Content-type: application/octetstream");

$fp=fopen("$filename","r");
$str=fread($fp,filesize($filename));
fclose($fp);

echo $str;

?>


By: lumpofmilk Date: 07/06/2003 00:00:00 English  Type : Comment
nope..
By: VGR Date: 07/06/2003 00:09:00 English  Type : Comment
then may-be a server config problem... Or you are in safe_mode

Do register to be able to answer

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