I am having big troubles gettinga file to force download. I have php script that allows a user to upload a file, the php uploads it using the php ftp commands. the user can also delete the file. This all works fine, and the file uploads alright, if i go through a ftp client and download the uploaded file, the file is fine.

But i want it all php web based. the user can download uplaoded files, but i dont want the download links shown, so im trying to use the header("Content-type: application/force-download"); method, that pops up the save dialog box.

Now when i click on the file, the save dialog pops up and i can save the file to the local disk, but the file is damaged, it is the right size, example: a 15kb jpeg downloads as a 15kb on the localdisk but is damaged and wont open.

I'm kinda lost why the file is doing this, here is the related code:

PHP Code:

$file = $dir.$sub."/".$_REQUEST["file"]; 
$filename = basename($file); 
header("Content-type: application/force-download"); 
header("Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary"); 
header("Content-length: ".filesize($file)); 
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=$filename"); 
readfile($file); 


if i echo out $file it is:
/usr/home/virtual/ptiphoenix.com/webroot/htdocs/downloads/clients/canadaka/documents/small_logo.png

$filename is: small_logo.png

wrong
header("Content-type: application/force-download");

correct

PHP Code:

header("Content-type: application/octet-stream"); 


i changed it too:
header("Content-type: application/octet-stream");

but the file save dialog box tried to save the file as an html document.

i found the issue, at least the issue that has been stopping it form working this last couple steps.

To test the paths, i was echoing some variables. they were being output before the header. but gave no error. But looking at the file in a hex editor, like you said, i found those echo lines in the file. So I removed the echo's and it seems to be working now! Tested a .png .xls .zip they all work.

PLEASE TELL ME HOW YOU DID THAT ? BECAUSE I NEED IT VERY URGENTLY ...

header('Content-type : application/x-octet-stream');
header('Content-Disposition : attachment ;filename="$filename"');

I am using this, but the file is not saving into its format, but to html/text and if i save it to .txt, there is no content !!!

PLEASE REPLY ME

Kind of an old thread to dig up. But for one thing, the OP didn't have quotes (") around the file name. So try changing your second line to either

PHP Code:

header('Content-Disposition : attachment ;filename=' . $filename);
// or
header("Content-Disposition : attachment ;filename=$filename"); 


Also, you didn't use the "Content-Transfer-Encoding" and "Content-length" headers.

Thank you Mattias for answering Highlander's question!

@Highlander, in the future please don't bring up old threads and post in them, start your own thread for help.

Thank You,
Giselle