ASP open PDF in reading mode inside browser instead of showing download prompt

Question

Consider a UserGuide PDF file that must provide help for website users.

Here is the link to it in view :

@Html.ActionLink("User Guide","Help","Portal")

the controller that returns the file :

public ActionResult Help()
    {
        string path = Server.MapPath("~/Content/UserGuide.pdf");
        var fileBytes = System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes(path);
        var responseFile = new FileContentResult(fileBytes, "application/pdf")
        {
            FileDownloadName = "Guide.pdf"
        };
        return responseFile;
    }

but here, after user clicks the link, browser will prompt for downloading the file but the better way is, when user clicks the link, PDF pages show up inside browser. Just like a web page! can any body mention the best way to achieve this?

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:33

1

Looks like you need to return a FileStreamResult e.g.

Response.AppendHeader("content-disposition", "inline; filename=file.pdf");
return new FileStreamResult(stream, "application/pdf")

From SO here

or you can try FileResult e.g.

return File(fileArray, contentType, fileName)

From SO here

edited May 23 '17 at 12:33

Community

1
1

answered Jan 05 '17 at 05:36

majita

1,278
14
24

Yes, using `return new FileStreamResult(new FileStream(path,FileMode.Open), "application/pdf");` Did The job. – AmiNadimi Jan 05 '17 at 06:41
And Appending the header in first line is good but not necessary,I think. – AmiNadimi Jan 05 '17 at 06:44

ASP open PDF in reading mode inside browser instead of showing download prompt

1 Answers1