Download text file via ASP.NET MVC dynamically changed

Question

I have to generate file depending on input (checkboxes) and download it:

[HttpGet]
    public FileResult GenerateFormatSettingsFile(IEnumerable<string> values)
    {
        var content = FileSettingsGenerator.Generate(values);
        MemoryStream memoryStream = new MemoryStream();
        TextWriter tw = new StreamWriter(memoryStream);

        tw.WriteLine(content);
        tw.Flush();
        tw.Close();

        return File(memoryStream.GetBuffer(), "text/plain", "file.txt");
    }

And on my view this:

<button id="GenetateFormatSettingsFile" class="btn btn-primary"  data-dismiss="modal"  style="margin-right: 1500px">Generate</button>

$(document).ready(function() {
        $("#GenetateFormatSettingsFile").click(function() {
            var f = {};
            var checkboxes = [];
            $('input:checked').each(function() {
                checkboxes.push($(this).attr("value"));
            });
            f.url = '@Url.Action("GenerateFormatSettingsFile", "Home")';
            f.type = "GET";
            f.dataType = "text";
            f.data = { values: checkboxes},
                f.traditional = true;

            f.success = function(response) {

            };
            f.error = function(jqxhr, status, exception) {
                alert(exception);
            };
            $.ajax(f);
        });
    });
</script>

The problem is the download doesn't start. How could I fix it?

If I do it with Html.ActionLink, the download starts, but I can't pass the values of checkboxes which is done by my ajax function above

Thanks!

Edit - that's how my check-boxes looks like:

<div class="container">
<div class="row">
    <div class="col-xs-12">
        <div class="modal" id="formatterSettings" tabindex="-1">
            <div class="modal-dialog">
                <div class="modal-content">
                    <div class="modal-header">
                        <button class="close" data-dismiss="modal">&times;</button>
                        <h4 class="modal-title">Settings</h4>
                    </div>
                    <div class="modal-body">
                        <form>
                            <div class="form-group">
                                <label for="defaultG">To default view</label>
                                <input class="form-control" type="checkbox" value="Default" id="defaultG">
                            </div>
                            <div class="form-group">
                                <label for="extendedG">To extended view</label>
                                <input class="form-control" type="checkbox" value="Extended" id="extendedG">
                            </div>
                            /div>
                        </form>
                    </div>
                    <div class="modal-footer">
                        <div class="col-md-6">
                            <button id="GenetateFormatSettingsFile" class="btn btn-primary"  data-dismiss="modal"  style="margin-right: 1500px">Generate</button>
                            @Html.ActionLink("Generate!", "GenerateFormatSettingsFile")
                        </div>
                        <div class="col-md-6">
                            <a  class="btn btn-primary" data-dismiss="modal" >Generate From Code</a>
                        </div>
                    </div>
                </div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>

Ajax is not the best solution for a file download! Do a normal request — Shyju, Jun 17 '18 at 18:05
You need to give each checkbox a `name="values"` attribute if making a normal post. Refer also [Download Excel file via AJAX MVC](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/16670209/download-excel-file-via-ajax-mvc) — , Jun 17 '18 at 22:49

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 17 '18 at 18:51

0

Put a submit button in your form and POST your form synchronously (without ajax). when a form is posted, values of all input elements (TextBoxes, CheckBoxes, ...) are sent to the server (with the request) and you don't need to do anything.

answered Jun 17 '18 at 18:51

Mehrdad Tajdini

121
4

The only issue with this approach is the page reloads. It is more pleasing to the eye of the user when you just use an Ajax call instead. – IyaTaisho Jun 19 '18 at 12:55
@IyaTaisho, You cannot download a file using ajax! – Jun 19 '18 at 22:30
I wasn't necessarily talking about downloading a file. The comment provided was talking about pulling in the data from the page (textboxes, checkboxes, etc). You don't have to use a form to pull that data is what I was speaking about, not the file download portion. The download portion, yes, you cannot pull using Ajax. – IyaTaisho Jun 20 '18 at 14:26

Download text file via ASP.NET MVC dynamically changed

1 Answers1