How to open PDF file in a new tab or window instead of downloading it (using asp.net)?

Question

This is the code for downloading the file.

System.IO.FileStream fs = new System.IO.FileStream(Path+"\\"+fileName, System.IO.FileMode.Open, System.IO.FileAccess.Read);
byte[] ar = new byte[(int)fs.Length];
fs.Read(ar, 0, (int)fs.Length);
fs.Close();

Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", "attachment;filename=" + AccNo+".pdf");
Response.ContentType = "application/octectstream";
Response.BinaryWrite(ar);
Response.End();

When this code is executed, it will ask user to open or save the file. Instead of this I need to open a new tab or window and display the file. How can I achieve this?

NOTE:

File won't necessary be located in the website folder. It might be located in an other folder.

Answer 1

Response.ContentType = contentType;
HttpContext.Current.Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition", "inline; filename=" + fileName);
Response.BinaryWrite(fileContent);

And

<asp:LinkButton OnClientClick="openInNewTab();" OnClick="CodeBehindMethod".../>

In javaScript:

<script type="text/javascript">
    function openInNewTab() {
        window.document.forms[0].target = '_blank'; 
        setTimeout(function () { window.document.forms[0].target = ''; }, 0);
    }
</script>

Take care to reset target, otherwise all other calls like Response.Redirect will open in a new tab, which might be not what you want.

Answer 2

Instead of loading a stream into a byte array and writing it to the response stream, you should have a look at HttpResponse.TransmitFile

Response.ContentType = "Application/pdf";
Response.TransmitFile(pathtofile);

If you want the PDF to open in a new window you would have to open the downloading page in a new window, for example like this:

<a href="viewpdf.aspx" target="_blank">View PDF</a>

Answer 3

this may help

Response.Write("<script>");
Response.Write("window.open('../Inventory/pages/printableads.pdf', '_newtab');");
Response.Write("</script>");

Answer 4

You have to create either another page or generic handler with the code to generate your pdf. Then that event gets triggered and the person is redirected to that page.