This is a stupid thing but, what do I have to include as far as html to not have a file automatically start playing/executing on a user computer and for download box to pop up asking the user what they would like to do with the file?

Other than zipping or providing instructions for the user to "right click and save as"....

There has to be some way to force that download request box to open..anyone?

You can use a meta tag to refresh to the file

<META HTTP-EQUIV="Refresh" CONTENT="0; URL=FILE.zip">

0 = how many seconds it waits till it redirects.

I tried what you just suggested, but that caused the file, in this case a *.wmv movie file to automatically start playing when the page is displayed in the browser.

I am thinking something has to be added to generalize what to do when this type of file is accessed on the site, I just don't know what, I think maybe something in the header?


I WANT the download box to appear when the user clicks the link to it.

what ya think?

Put the .wmv into a zip file. and meta refresh it to the zip file.

I could do that, but I just want them to be able to download the file in it's current format. To have the choice to open it from it's current location or to save it to their hard disk.