A question from Web Developers!

[Aceones!]

salam
ok ppl, my question is that how to force the web browser to initiate a file download (that save/open dialog box) programmatically from a server side script.
for example, there are different users visiting a site, and now i want to send a user a particular file which could be written/ generated on the fly, means there is no link for the file like "http://www.mydomain.com/myfile.exe" the downloaded file could of any type

i've tried the following asp script:

  dim fileToDownload
  dim outputString
  dim fso
  dim myFile
  fileToDownload = "test.exe"
  response.buffer=TRUE

' write header for application type
  response.ContentType="application/unknown"
  Response.AddHeader "Content-Disposition", "filename=" & fileToDownload

' open the file in text formate
  Set fso = createobject("scripting.filesystemobject")
  Set myFile = fso.opentextfile( server.MapPath(fileToDownload), 1, false)

' loop and write
   Do While Not myFile.AtEndOfStream
    outputString=myFile.readline
    response.write outputString & vbcrlf
   Loop

' close everything
   myFile.close
   set myFile=nothing
   set fso=nothing

' Flush everything in the buffer, thereby sending the file to the client.
   response.flush 

when the script is called, it displays the desired dialog but when i open the downloaded file, it is corrupt , i tried bmp, and it came allll black, i tried exe, and when i run it opened that dos prompt window and terminated itself even the exe file downloaded was a valid windows application with a proper gui

i know u will tell me to search it on web, i've tried a lil bit and found similar solutions

can anybody plz tell me is there anything wrong with the above script which i'm using, the header the method of writing the file back to client or anything

thnx in advance
raheel

[khan_sahib]

hmmmm,

why don't u want the user to have the flexibility to click the "file" which allows the download box to open rather than an automatic one?

[RT Wolf]

Hehe, people have done some pretty wack things for that. Just put in a **** tag.

[Aceones!]

Originally posted by khan_sahib:
hmmmm,

why don't u want the user to have the flexibility to click the "file" which allows the download box to open rather than an automatic one?

u can say for security purpose or what if the file is a binary/ executable which is sold out to that person who has paid through a credit card!!!
think of it this way now

[Aceones!]

Originally posted by RT Wolf:
Hehe, people have done some pretty wack things for that. Just put in a **** tag.

how???
can u plz explain a bit

[RT Wolf]

<**** **********="refresh" CONTENT="15;URL=http://www.domain.com"> 

Just put that between your head tags.

I believe that is it. the number 15 is the number of seconds before the page redirects.

Hope this helps.

[Aceones!]

Originally posted by RT Wolf:

<**** **********="refresh" CONTENT="15;URL=http://www.domain.com"> 

Just put that between your head tags.

I believe that is it. the number 15 is the number of seconds before the page redirects.

Hope this helps.

oh thats great idea thank u very much RT Wolf
but this keeps refreshing the page, i gotta do it with the help of javaScript

thnx again

[RT Wolf]

Originally posted by Aceones!:


oh thats great idea thank u very much RT Wolf
but this keeps refreshing the page, i gotta do it with the help of javaScript

thnx again

You're welcome! Sorry it ain't any help.