Making a PDF available for download.

[acorn1]

I know I can just point someone to a URL containing a PDF file but I want my customers to be able have the choice to either open the file or download it. On many websites I have seen when you click a download link a gray window opens that gives you the choice as mentioned.

My other problem with just passing a URL to someone, is that they now know where to locate that file and can just hand it out to anyone else. Obviously that's no good if you are trying to sell a particular PDF.

Any advice with this would be greatly appreciated, I am a bit of a novice with web design as you can probably tell.

Regards
Acorn1

[LeeU]

Well, this script (http://www.withinweb.com/phpipnmonitor/index.php) will help with the selling downloads and hiding the links part. Many people have their browsers configured to either download, open or ask for a choice, so that would be the function of the browser. You can always place a note in the link to click to download, right-click to open.

[acorn1]

Thanks for your very prmpt response, I have had a quick look at the script link you included. I have not had any experience with PHP, mainly I have just used HTML for most things, although I realise that has its limitations.

My intension is only to put about three ebooks on my website, but I will also be selling about 100 physical products eventually. I don't currently take card payments but I am trying to incorporate those facilities using paypal. As I am not very clude up with all this, I thought I would just try and use buy now buttons with paypal but it does reveal the URL to the PDF. Is there not a simpler but reasonably secure way of doing this using paypals buy now button.

Thanks again for your help.

[kiwibrit]

Looks like a shopping cart solution needed, to me. If you google something like shopping cart download file paypal you may find something suitable.

[BrassMonkey]

Hi,

You could try using ZenCart - www.zen-cart.com - it's open source software and therefore free :). I've been using it to sell pdf's and some non-downloadable products for over a year now and I've been really pleased with it. It can get a bit technical now and then as it uses PHP, CSS and XHTML, but there's a really good forum on the main website and there's always someone there to help. FYI, I only know HTML and a little bit of CSS but even I've managed to customise it with relative ease. :D You don't really need to know any PHP unless you want to start re-writing the shopping cart software! :eek:

BrassMonkey

[LeeU]

Wow, that's an impressive software.

[acorn1]

Thanks very much for all your help, I will have a look at zen cart along with a few others listed by paypal. As you say, I think a shopping cart of some kind is going to be necessary.

Your advice is very much appreciated.
Regards
Acorn1