PHP is reading file instead of downloading

Question

I have script below for downloading files from a folder using PHP, it is working local but online it is reading and printing on the page instate of downloading.

if( $result && count($result) > 0){
    $row = $result[0];
    $book = true;
    $Location = './files/';
    $bookLocation = $Location . $row['file_name']; // exampe: report.zip
    if( file_exists( $bookLocation ) ){
        $fileLocation = $bookLocation;
        $file_size = filesize($fileLocation);
        echo 'Please wait downloading the file....';
        header('Content-Description: File Transfer');
        header('Content-Type: application/force-download');
        header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=' . $row['file_name']);
        header('Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary');
        header('Expires: 0');
        header('Cache-Control: must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0');
        header('Pragma: public');
        header('Content-Length: ' . $file_size);
        ob_clean();
        flush();
        readfile($fileLocation);
        exit;      
    }else{
        echo '<h3>Sorry!, file not found...</h3>';
    }
}

.htaccess script

RewriteEngine on

RewriteRule ^$ index.html
RewriteRule ^index.html$ index.php

RewriteRule ^([0-9]{1,9})(/)([^/\.]+[^/\.]+)(_+[^/\.]+)(\.html|)/?$ index.php?id=$1&cat=$3
RewriteRule ^([^/\.]+[^/\.]+)(\.html|)/?$ index.php?page=$1
RewriteRule ^(.*)(/)([0-9]{1,9})(/)(.*)(\.html|)/?$ index.php?view_file=$3&file=$5
RewriteRule ^(.*)(/)([0-9]{1,9})(/)(.*)(\.htm)/?$ index.php?download=$3

RewriteRule ^(author)(/)(.*)(.html)/?$ index.php?user=$1

Thanks for the help.

try to make a new file with a link.. the link will be to this file.. .. then try to execute the new page and click on link !! — zod, Apr 03 '12 at 14:45
HI @Core , plese edit with your answer if you got any answer for this problem :) — Prifulnath, Feb 23 '17 at 08:41

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 03 '12 at 14:45

2

It is possible that in certain browsers, you set it to automatically download and run that particular file type.

If that is the case, there is no way to "fix" this. The browser decides what to do with the file, even if you tell it to download it, the user might have told it to run directly.

Big Edit

While my earlier comment is correct, you have a major issue in your code:

    $file_size = filesize($fileLocation);
    echo 'Please wait downloading the file....';
    header('Content-Description: File Transfer');

You must remove that echo statement. It is bound to cause issues, such as the headers not being sent. Considering your description, I'd say this is your problem.

See, once you send any content, you cannot send more headers.

answered Apr 03 '12 at 14:45

Christian

27,509
17
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Well, it should work **if** there is a `ob_start()` somewhere earlier, right? – bububaba Apr 03 '12 at 14:52
That echo is probably the problem, and not any other, since he is using binary as content-type. – Tei Apr 03 '12 at 14:53
@bububaba Correct, but I didn't see `ob_start()` anywhere. – Christian Apr 04 '12 at 06:33

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 03 '12 at 14:57

0

As Christian suggested, you must remove the echo statement in your code. If it doesn't work for you even after that, try replacing the line

header('Content-Type: application/force-download');

with

header('Content-Type: application/octet-stream');

answered Apr 03 '12 at 14:57

safrazik

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PHP is reading file instead of downloading

2 Answers2

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