Read pdf without download and print it with html php

Question

Good evening, I would like to create a feature for my users that allows them to read a pdf file without downloading or printing it. They will only be able to read the pdf file. I tried pdf.js which did not work, I also tried to convert my pdf to html via a script, I also tried this php code but the download and print button appears:

<?php
    
    // The location of the PDF file
    // on the server
    $filename = "/path/to/the/file.pdf";
    
    // Header content type
    header("Content-type: application/pdf");
    
    header("Content-Length: " . filesize($filename));
    
    // Send the file to the browser.
    readfile($filename);
?>

Do you have any solutions or technologies to suggest to me, I use PHP, HTML and JS.

Forgive me, but if you are sending the file to the client, thats downloading it — RiggsFolly, Apr 13 '22 at 10:08

Hamid Moladoust · Answer 1 · 2022-04-13T11:11:19.910

0

Try this one:

<?php

// Store the file name into variable
$file = '/path/to/the/filename.pdf';
$filename = 'filename.pdf';

// Header content type
header('Content-type: application/pdf');

header('Content-Disposition: inline; filename="' . $filename . '"');

header('Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary');

header('Accept-Ranges: bytes');

// Read the file
@readfile($file);

?>

PHP uses a standard code to display the pdf file in web browser. The process of displaying pdf involves location of the PDF file on the server and it uses various types of headers to define content composition in form of type, Disposition, Transfer-Encoding etc. PHP passes the PDF files to read it on the browser. Browser either shows it or download it from localhost server then display pdf.

Note: PHP is not actually reading the PDF file. It does not recognize File as pdf. It only passes the PDF file to the browser to be read there. If copy the pdf file inside htdocs folder of XAMPP then it does not need to specify the file path.

edited Apr 13 '22 at 11:11

answered Apr 13 '22 at 10:12

Hamid Moladoust

160
6

I tried the code, it automatically downloads the file. Thanks for your response – Boubacar Tounkara Apr 13 '22 at 10:17
1

@BoubacarTounkara Edit your browser Program preferences to open a pdf with a browser instead of downloading. – Teemu Apr 13 '22 at 10:20
1

As I mentioned above and @Teemu said, it is the browser's task to download this type of file or read it. – Hamid Moladoust Apr 13 '22 at 10:30
What was the point of creating `$file = 'filename.pdf';` – RiggsFolly Apr 13 '22 at 10:34
1

And if your solution is to change the Browser settings! Then thats not helpful. The OP can change his but he probably cannot force all his users to change theirs – RiggsFolly Apr 13 '22 at 10:35
@Teemu Thanks for the answer, if the solution is to change the browser settings. It does not meet the needs, I could not change the settings of all users. As it says RiggsFolly – Boubacar Tounkara Apr 13 '22 at 11:03
Modern browsers like firefox, chrome, IE edge, opera, ... have set to read pdf files by default. I noticed you, if you disable to read the pdf file, enable it again. – Hamid Moladoust Apr 13 '22 at 11:09
$file = 'filename.pdf'; means $file = '/path/to/the/filename.pdf'; file path. – Hamid Moladoust Apr 13 '22 at 11:11

score -1 · Answer 2 · answered Apr 13 '22 at 10:18

-1

The php script you offered only can download the file. if you use php ,you can try the demo ,which is using pdf2text here or try the method in this link read-pdf-files-with-php

answered Apr 13 '22 at 10:18

Huck c

102
4

Read pdf without download and print it with html php

2 Answers2