Downloading a PDF (not opening it) using jQuery

Question

I need to trigger a file download using Javascript when user clicks on a certain button. To do that I use:

window.open('my_url.com/my_file.pdf');

However, in Firefox this opens the PDF in a new tab. I'd like instead that the PDF file doesn't get opened but downloaded, with a dialog box asking for a folder in which downloading the file.

How to do that?

DUPE: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1296085/download-file-using-jquery — box86rowh, Sep 02 '13 at 16:14
I do not think this can be done from Javascript (but I may be wrong); you need to serve the file with `Content-disposition: attachment` instead. — Andrea Corbellini, Sep 02 '13 at 16:19
box86rowh: the solution given to the answer you mention just does the same thing as what I already have, it opens the PDF instead of downloading it. — drake035, Sep 02 '13 at 17:32

Laz Karimov · Answer 1 · 2013-09-02T17:50:21.763

2

Download jquery plugin from jqueryfiledownload.apphb.com

In JS

    $.fileDownload('pdfDownload.php', {
        httpMethod: 'POST',
        data: {},
        successCallback:function(){
        },
        failCallback:function(){
        }
    });

In PHP
EDIT

In pdfDownload.php do whatever you want

// your PHP CODE
// ....

  header('Content-Type: application/pdf');
  header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=someName.pdf;');
  readfile('path/to/someName.pdf');

edited Sep 02 '13 at 17:50

answered Sep 02 '13 at 16:20

Laz Karimov

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10
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This is for a normal href link to PDF. In my case it's a button that leads to whatever and to which I have attached a PDF file using Javascript (but the original function/destination of the button remains intact) – drake035 Sep 02 '13 at 17:34
You mean you want to ask user from where to download it? – Laz Karimov Sep 02 '13 at 17:38
Well there's only 2 possibilities in Firefox: either a file is opened, or it is downloaded in which case the browser asks where to download it isn't it? – drake035 Sep 02 '13 at 17:40
First of all this script works in any browser. Opened where? In browser? May be I got what you meant, look at update – Laz Karimov Sep 02 '13 at 17:48
If you want to send some data and recieve it on Server side use `data: {},` line from example. On server side you can get data from $_POST – Laz Karimov Sep 02 '13 at 17:54

Downloading a PDF (not opening it) using jQuery

1 Answers1