How to force browser to save a GIF but not open it.

[ttest]

I have a cgi script that generate html content on the fly. I want the browser to prompt the file save dialog instead of showing the html content when user click on the cgi hyperlink. The problem is, how do I force the browser to prompt the file save dialog?

I have tried to send the header 'Content-Type: application/octet-stream' or 'Content-Type: application/x-msdownload' to the browser, but the browser still show the html instead of prompt the file save dialog.

Any other idea?

ttest
thum@starwarsfan.com

 

[ttest]

After reading the HTTP RFC document, I have found the answer to this question. First, IE and Netscape browsers react differently to the Content-Type: application/octet-stream header.

For Netscape 4.x and 6.x, when it encounter this header, it will show the 'Save' dialog.

For IE, when it encounter this header, it will try to identify the content by itself. If the content is a html document, IE will still display the html. To force IE to show the 'Save' dialog, you have to send 2 headers. First, send the Content-Type: application/octet-stream header. Then send the Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="fname.ext". Substitute the fname.ext with the filename you want the user to save as.

ttest
thum@starwarsfan.com