Downloading files from website to user's PC

LenexaKS · February 15th, 2008, 12:14 PM

Hi all,

I can't find any examples anywhere for how to download a file from my company's website to a user's PC. There'll be a gridview showing a list of (PDF) documents, with a linkbutton on each row, and when the user clicks on the linkbutton, I want it to open the download dialog so the user can browse to their desired folder and click download. (When I looked for this about 4-5 months ago, I couldn't find anything then either, and even found one comment that it wasn't possible.) Does anybody know how to do this? Thanks very much in advance for any help or advice.

-- LenexaKS

dparsons · February 15th, 2008, 12:27 PM

PDF's, by default, will open in the browser and, as far as I know, there is no way to pragmatically override these settings so that the user is prompated with a file download as oppsed to the pdf opening in the browser.

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Imar · February 15th, 2008, 12:39 PM

Hi there,

You can certainly do it, and it's pretty easy to do. Here's quick example:

Code:

string fileName = "Test.pdf";
Response.Clear();
Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition", "attachment; filename=" + fileName);
Response.ContentType = "application/x-unknown";
Response.WriteFile(Server.MapPath(fileName));

Searching for stream file asp.net on Google should give you more results / ideas.

Hope this helps,

Imar
---------------------------------------
Imar Spaanjaars
http://Imar.Spaanjaars.Com
Everyone is unique, except for me.
Author of Beginning ASP.NET 3.5 : in C# and VB, ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results and Dreamweaver MX 2004
Want to be my colleague? Then check out this post.

LenexaKS · February 15th, 2008, 12:41 PM

Thanks DParsons... I suspected that was the case.

dparsons · February 15th, 2008, 12:44 PM

Ya, I learned something today! Thats why Imar gets paid the big buck ;]

Good stuff.

================================================== =========
Read this if you want to know how to get a correct reply for your question:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
================================================== =========
.: Wrox Technical Editor / Author :.
Wrox Books 24 x 7
================================================== =========

Imar · February 15th, 2008, 12:53 PM

Big buck??

Imar
---------------------------------------
Imar Spaanjaars
http://Imar.Spaanjaars.Com
Everyone is unique, except for me.
Author of Beginning ASP.NET 3.5 : in C# and VB, ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results and Dreamweaver MX 2004
Want to be my colleague? Then check out this post.

dparsons · February 15th, 2008, 01:06 PM

Big bucks == big money. My mistake. =]

================================================== =========
Read this if you want to know how to get a correct reply for your question:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
================================================== =========
.: Wrox Technical Editor / Author :.
Wrox Books 24 x 7
================================================== =========

Imar · February 15th, 2008, 01:08 PM

I understand that. I was just wondering where the big money was coming from.

Or do you get paid for P2P posts?? ;)

Imar
---------------------------------------
Imar Spaanjaars
http://Imar.Spaanjaars.Com
Everyone is unique, except for me.
Author of Beginning ASP.NET 3.5 : in C# and VB, ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results and Dreamweaver MX 2004
Want to be my colleague? Then check out this post.

dparsons · February 15th, 2008, 01:17 PM

Haha, only in a perfect world would we get paid to post here but maybe Jim can squeeze that into his budget for next year ;]

================================================== =========
Read this if you want to know how to get a correct reply for your question:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
================================================== =========
.: Wrox Technical Editor / Author :.
Wrox Books 24 x 7
================================================== =========

LenexaKS · February 15th, 2008, 02:51 PM

Thanks Imar, works like a charm!
(BTW, dparsons said "big BUCK", not "big buckS". But good karma from saving an ignorant coder is its own reward.)