in reply to Re: File Download
in thread File Download

Not necessarily... All you need is for the httpd daemon to have read access on the file. I took care of the paths, filenames, sizes, etc by using this little snippet:
sub DownloadFile {

    # $filepath is the directory
    # $filename is the name of the file
    my ($filepath,$filename) = @_;

    chdir($filepath) || return(0);
    my $filesize = -s $filename;

    # print full header
    print "Content-disposition: inline; filename=$filename\n";
    print "Content-Length: $filesize\n";
    print "Content-Type: application/octet-stream\n\n";

    # open in binmode
    open(READ,$filename) || die;
    binmode READ;

    # stream it out
    binmode STDOUT;
    while (<READ>) { print;    }
    close(READ);

    # should always return true
    return(1);
}

[download]
I hope that's useful. It has a few extra steps that aren't reeeaalllly needed, but its nice to be on the safe side.

Cheers!

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RE: RE: Re: File Download
by Anonymous Monk on Apr 27, 2000 at 17:23 UTC

    The crucial part is the "Content-disposition" parameter.

    Incidentally, you should use
    Content-disposition: attachment; filename=file

    Instead of "inline" if you really want the save-as box to pop up. It probably won't make any difference, but it could if the user has a program set up to handle the content-type you're returning (for example, if you're returning a pdf file).

    Incidentally, the RFC on HTTP/1.1 only defines behavior with "attachment". (And that only in an appendix under "Additional Features")

[reply]
      I had no idea that inline wasn't in the RFC. To be perfectly honest, I haven't even read it. I got the full header by ripping it off a bare telnet GET request and examining the response. I saw a CGI app that did what I wanted (I *think* its the download app at e.themes.org) and tried to mime what it was doing.

      One of those things that happen outta mere curiosity...
[reply]
        Oh! And for Win machines with Internet Exploder, it won't even ask you if it knows the file type... Even with the content-type being Octet/Stream it'll open .txt, .htm, .gif on the screen instead of popping-up the 'Save As' dialogue (which was what I wanted it to do in the 1st place, assuming that it IS a download app, and not a browse app.)
[reply]
Re: RE: Re: File Download
by wellsayd (Initiate) on Jul 26, 2002 at 16:45 UTC
    could elaborate on how to implement this? thanks! fromsir
[reply]

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