Dynamically Create and Download Doc File

Question

So I'm trying to both dynamically create a .doc file and have the user download it when he clicks a button.

These are the headers i found to download a file

header('Content-Description: File Transfer');
header('Content-Type: application/octet-stream');

And these are the headers i found to make a a word document

header('Content-type: application/vnd.ms-word');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; Filename='.$myFile);

I'm just having a hard time just fitting the picture together because they both tasks have a 'Content-Type' header. Do i create the file first, save it, then download it? Or can i do it all (create a doc file and have user download it) in one php file?

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 31 '11 at 22:11

5

You only need the "headers found to make a word document." The first set are for a generic streaming download.

answered Oct 31 '11 at 22:11

Niet the Dark Absol

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so i only need the last two headers to both create and have user download a doc file? does $myFile have to be an actual file on my server or is that the downloaded file name? – blee908 Oct 31 '11 at 22:14
That will be the downloaded filename. – Niet the Dark Absol Oct 31 '11 at 22:15
that makes sense...any additional headers i should include to make the download process smoother? i saw alot for downloading files. – blee908 Oct 31 '11 at 22:17
Nope, that should be all you need. – Niet the Dark Absol Oct 31 '11 at 22:23

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 31 '11 at 22:12

Your second set of headers are fine. No need for the first. The Content-Disposition header is the one that will typically force a download. (Although, you should be aware that clients can do whatever they want with a file, and you have no direct control over this.)

You can create the file and send it straight to the client without saving it to the server's disk, depending on how you are creating this document.

Dynamically Create and Download Doc File

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