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I am trying to build a CSV file in PHP, then call the PHP file from an AJAX call, which will then initiate a download of the CSV file upon success of the AJAX call. This works fine if I save a physical copy of the .csv on the server, but I would like to use php://ouput so I do not have to worry about physical files clogging up the server. Is it possible to initiate a download from returning php://output to AJAX? Here is my code:
HTML/jquery:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="jquery.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
$("#download").live("click", function() {
var request = $.ajax({
dataType: 'html',
url: 'php.php',
success: function(response) {
alert('Finished');
}
})
})
</script>
</head>
<body>
<h1 id="download">DOWNLOAD</h1>
</body>
</html>
PHP:
<?php
header('Content-type: application/vnd.ms-excel');
header('Content-disposition: attachment; filename="test.csv"');
$f = fopen('php://output', 'w');
fwrite($f,'this,is,a,test');
fclose($f);
readfile('php://output');
return;
?>
I am not sure how to get this to return a File Save dialog from my AJAX call.
This has to be simple, but I can't seem to find any examples that combines these two issues.
429
We cannot download the file through Ajax, must use XMLHttpRequest.
You can do this by creating and sending form via jquery (page not reloaded):
$(document).on('click', '#download', function () {
var form = $(document.createElement('form'));
form.attr('action', 'php.php');
form.attr('method', 'GET');
form.appendTo(document.body);
form.submit();
form.remove();
});
Also you can pass post parameters if need:
$(document).on('click', '#download', function () {
var form = $(document.createElement('form'));
form.attr('action', 'php.php');
form.attr('method', 'POST');
var input = $('<input>').attr('type', 'hidden').attr('name', 'x').val('x value');
form.append(input);
form.appendTo(document.body);
form.submit();
form.remove();
});
The following works, but is highly inneficient as it calls the php.php file twice. Does anybody have any better ideas?
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="jquery.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
$("#download").live("click", function() {
var request = $.ajax({
dataType: 'html',
url: 'php.php',
success: function(response) {
window.open('php.php');
}
})
})
</script>
</head>
<body>
<h1 id="download">DOWNLOAD</h1>
</body>
</html>
Is there anyway to cache 'php.php' for just this instance so that it loads instantly under window.open('php.php'), but will reload contents when I click download next?
Why does window.open(response) not work the same?
39
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