Writting a file to specified location 1

[sylve]

I have php code that writes a xml file to a specific location. The code is really simple, called by a hyperlink.
Right now, it saves my file to my .php's directory.

I want the user to choose where he wants to save the file by means (hopefully) of Save As dialog box.
Here is a simplified sample of the writting code.

$file = fopen("$file_name","w");
	
//(code that fills $xml_buffer)
	
fwrite($file, $xml_buffer);
fclose($file);

I'm just starting php and javascript but i am willing to use any of those languages to get it done. Can anybody help me work out something that will let the user specify where he wants the file saved?

 

[RISTMO]

Where to save it on the server or where to save it on his local machine?

Rick

http://www.ristmo.com/

http://www.arabchurch.com/

http://www.genuineautos.com/

http://www.spokaneclassifiedsonline.com/

 

[sylve]

On his local machine would be best. This is for a intranet.

 

[DRJ478]

You have to stream the file down to the browser sending the appropriate headers - a 'forced' download. The browser handles the file save and location dialog.

 

[rayne]

How do you stream the file down to the browser? Is it different depending what browser the user is using?
Thanks for the help

 

[jpadie]

i'm not aware of any x-browser incompatibility on basic file streaming.

assuming you have the contents of that which you wish to save as a long text string, you just set some headers and then echo the file. the headers tell the browser to treat it as a file download rather than something to display on the screen.

the headers might look like:

header("Cache-Control: no-cache, must-revalidate");
header("Pragma: no-cache");
header("Content-type: application/octet-stream");

the application/octet-stream is the key one. this tells the browser that it's something to "open or save".

if you are streaming a file that is on the server get the file size and add it to the header info by

header("Content-length: " .filesize ($path.$filename));

you would also stream a pre-existing file most easily with the command (after the headers):

readfile($path.$filename);

OR if your php implementation doesn't support readfile (pre php3 - unlikely...)

$fh = fopen($path.$filename,"rb");
fpassthru ($fh);

hth
Justin

 

[sylve]

I got my code to work by erasing the fopen, fwrite and fclose. Rayne, the header function helped.

header("Content-type: application/xml");
header("Content-Length: $len");
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=" .$file_name);
print ($xml_buffer);

This prompts for a save then will open the buffer.

Thank you all for the help