Download file via sucess function

Question

I have a success function which hits the server, send a list of data process it and create an excel file on the processed data. The whole code is working fine but I cannot download file. File is being created on the server.

Client side code is..

MOCService.getFilterExcel($scope.filterExcel).success(function (data, responce) {
                    console.log(responce)
                    return responce;
                })

Server side:

public ActionResult getFilterExcel(List<FilterExcel> data)
    {
        System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection conn = null;
        try
        {


            string filename = "";

            var oldfilename = System.Web.HttpContext.Current.Request.PhysicalApplicationPath + "\\datafiles\\lswm\\reports.xlsx";
            filename = System.Web.HttpContext.Current.Request.PhysicalApplicationPath + "\\datafiles\\report\\report" + HttpContext.User.Identity.Name + ".xls";

            System.IO.File.Copy(oldfilename, filename, true);
            conn = new System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection("Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0;Data Source=" + filename + "; Extended Properties=\"Excel 12.0 Xml;HDR=NO\";");
            conn.Open();

            //return null;
            int i = 3;
            foreach (var item in data)
            {
                var strsql = "insert into [Report$C" + (i) + ":L" + (i) + "] (f1,f2,f3,f4,f5,f6,f7,f8,f9,f10)values ('{0}','{1}','{2}','{3}','{4}','{5}','{6}','{7}','{8}','{9}')";
                var cmd = conn.CreateCommand();
                cmd.CommandText = string.Format(strsql, item.ccrfNo,
                    item.requestDate,
                    item.requestedBy,
                    item.title,
                    item.changeImpact,
                    item.plant,
                    item.division,
                    "",
                    item.taskStatus,
                    item.currentPhase
                    );
                var rowcount = cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
                i++;
            }

        }
        catch(Exception ex)
        {

        }
        finally
        {
            if (conn != null && conn.State == ConnectionState.Open) conn.Close();
        }
        return File(Request.PhysicalApplicationPath + "\\datafiles\\report\\report" + HttpContext.User.Identity.Name + ".xls", "Application/MS-excel", "report" + HttpContext.User.Identity.Name + ".xls");
    }

And if I hit the action method directly from URL then the file is downloaded but via application it does not download.

You cannot download files using ajax. You need to use `location.href = ...` in the success callback to call a method that returns the file — , Dec 03 '16 at 09:19
is the file that you are trying to download is only excel?? or are there chances for other file type too? — Rajshekar Reddy, Dec 03 '16 at 09:21
Possible duplicate of [Download a file by jQuery.Ajax](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4545311/download-a-file-by-jquery-ajax) — , Dec 03 '16 at 09:22
@StephenMuecke you can still download the file via ajax.. we just need to have a iframe and set the src to this controller action.. which will downbload the file to client machine automatically — Rajshekar Reddy, Dec 03 '16 at 09:23
Possible duplicate of [Download Excel file via AJAX MVC](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/16670209/download-excel-file-via-ajax-mvc) — rafrcruz, Dec 03 '16 at 09:24
@StephenMuecke but that does download right? my reply was to your comment `You cannot download files using ajax. ` — Rajshekar Reddy, Dec 03 '16 at 09:25
@RohanSampat I am not sure about this function `MOCService.getFilterExcel(` but you can set the src of an iframe to point to your controller and get the download happen.. But it requires a `HttpGet` method only. — Rajshekar Reddy, Dec 03 '16 at 09:26
@StephenMuecke since its a excel this file is not compatible with browser file view engine and hence is forced to download, in case of img, pdf, txt its displayed within the iframe itself — Rajshekar Reddy, Dec 03 '16 at 09:31
@Reddy, You do not need IFrames (read both the links marked as duplicated above) — , Dec 03 '16 at 09:33
@RohanSampat sending array of values as query string parameters.. — Rajshekar Reddy, Dec 03 '16 at 09:36

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Dec 03 '16 at 09:32

var blob = new Blob([res.data], {type: "application/*"});
        var objectUrl =(window.URL || window.webkitURL).createObjectURL(blob);
        var downloadLink = document.createElement("a");
        document.body.appendChild(downloadLink);
        downloadLink.style = "display: none";
        downloadLink.href = objectUrl;
        downloadLink.download = "Sample.xlsx";
        downloadLink.click();

this works for me.

score 0 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:55

The best way I know of to download files using AJAX is to use FileSaver.js. This handles lots of various tricks you would have to do yourself otherwise. So you just need to use the Blob api to get the blob itself and combine it with the FileSaver.js to save the file to disk.

P.S. There are multiple info on google and on SO (e.g. here) how to get the blob using AJAX, and then you can use FileSaver.js github page to figure out how to save that blob to disk.

Download file via sucess function

2 Answers2