How to keep a HttpServletRequest alive for an Excel Download

Question

I send a request to the server initiating the creation of an Excel-Workbook. The problem is the request times out when I process a lot of data. I send the Excel-Workbook back via the ServletOutputStream of the HttpResponse.

I tried using the PrintWriter of the Response to keep the Request alive but that takes me to another Page, which I don't want. When I write Data to the OutputStream the Excel-File gets corrupted.

Is there anyway to solve this problem in an easy way, or is it going to be quite complicated?

Thanks

Answer 1

I think you got two options:

1. Stream the Excel to the client as it's generated. As long as you send data the request won't time out.

2. If streaming is not possible you could create the file asynchronous and allow download when done