Based on no experience whatsoever, my suggestion would be to:

  1. Generate a unique url.
  2. Respond immediately with a screen notifying the user their file is being generated, with an estimate of the time it will take, and a refresh header that will connect to the unique url.
  3. Start a background process to create the file.
  4. When the refresh occurs, use the unique url to locate the file that you created and give the user a download link.


Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.
"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".
In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

In reply to Re: Response timeout solution by BrowserUk
in thread Response timeout solution by vit

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