[RESOLVED] Force download of MP3 file instead of streaming

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[RESOLVED] Force download of MP3 file instead of streaming

MrSnowDrop

Hi, i had encountered problem with MP3 file links:
in IE/Safari/Chrome, when a link to a MP3 file is clicked, the download starts correctly; but in Firefox that doesn't happen - clicking the MP3 file link, it starts an unwanted streaming through a preinstalled FF media plugin.
I need to force MP3 file download in all browsers, is there a simple way to do that in Javascript?

scragar

Not really in javascript, but if you set the files mimetype to application/octet-stream you would normally receive the dialog(since that's a universal binary/cannot display in the browser but not saying what file type it is yet mime)

MrSnowDrop

scragar;1145764 wrote:
Not really in javascript, but if you set the files mimetype to application/octet-stream you would normally receive the dialog(since that's a universal binary/cannot display in the browser but not saying what file type it is yet mime)

I'm using HTML/VBscript/Javascript (not PHP) in my webpages, but i thought to open a Multimedia Thread because the problem is an unwanted streaming process.
:o
So, how is it possible to change a MIME attribute of an MP3 file?... The need is to leave the file with his original extension because the same file is managed by a web-mediaplayer, but i'd like to let a download by clicking a specified button.

Eye_for_Video

Another option is to use a small PHP file to handle the download, put in the same folder as the .mp3:

<?php
$file = $_GET['file'];
header ("Content-type: octet/stream");
header ("Content-disposition: attachment; filename=".$file.";");
header("Content-Length: ".filesize($file));
readfile($file);
exit;
?>

which can be accessed in any anchor like this:

<a href="direct_download.php?file=fineline.mp3">Download the mp3</a>

see sample page here:
http://www.cidigitalmedia.com/tutorials/direct_download/direct_download.html
Best of luck,
Eye for Video
www.cidigitalmedia.com

MrSnowDrop

Thanks EyeForVideo, it seems PHP is the only way to resolve the problem... Unfortunately my pages are ASP extensions and dialog with my Database through VBscript code, so PHP is a little uncomfortable; that's the reason why i hope in a kind of Javascript solution
I've to learn PHP and create a dynamic page which redirects to MP3 files (download.php?fileID=1)... At the moment, i have to admit it, have really no idea in how to build dynamic php code.

Thanks again, regards.

Eye_for_Video

Are you sure that it has to be that complex?
You might want to at least give it a try.
Just create a simple PHP file from the code above. Name it
direct_download.php
It is NOT a part of any Web page, it is a small separate file, it just needs to reside in the same folder as the mp3.
The <a> just needs to use that file as the href.
It's just a plain anchor... nothing special, no different than linking to any other web page or file.
Best of luck,
Eye for Video

scragar

It's possible in asp.

<%
Response.ContentType = "Application/octet-stream";
string FilePath = MapPath("song.mp3");
Response.WriteFile(FilePath)
Response.End()
%>

MrSnowDrop

@EyeForVideo - Sure, i'll give a try next days... the other thing to consider, is that there's not a single file, but i have to manage a lot of MP3 through a Database, so i have to make the php-content dynamic: the php page has to request an ID number, corresponding to a MP3 file in the DB... i'll study some php to do that (i think is a little different from asp/vbscript code).

Regards

scragar

I've just had another thought, can't you just modify the iis settings?

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb742440.aspx

MrSnowDrop

scragar;1145921 wrote:
It's possible in asp.
<%
Response.ContentType = "Application/octet-stream"
string FilePath = MapPath("song.mp3")
Response.WriteFile(FilePath)
Response.End()
%>

I'll try again, but at the moment this is the result:

Microsoft VBScript runtime error '800a000d'
Type mismatch: 'mappath'

MrSnowDrop

scragar;1145923 wrote:
I've just had another thought, can't you just modify the iis settings?

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb742440.aspx

I think that could be a possible solution, although now the result is:

in IE - nothings changed (but it's ok, with IE i had no problems in download <a href="song.mp3">...)

in FF - it asks me if i want to save the whole ASP page!!!

I'll have to study hard next days, thanks a lot for the moment

Eye_for_Video

the PHP part is just one simple file and can handle multiple files... here's an example:
http://www.worldbarefootcenter.com/video/download_video.html
Download links for a gazzillion video.
It's just an anchor... if you can create a dynamic anchor (forget about there being a link to the PHP file).. link to it just as if it where an image file.
Best wishes,
EfV

MrSnowDrop

Eye for Video;1146205 wrote:
the PHP part is just one simple file and can handle multiple files...

WONDERFUL, PHP mini-page works pefect!... I'm sorry, i didn't immediately understood that it meant to be a dynamic page, i thought "file" was only an example in php... :o
I only have to put it in any folder where MP3 files are placed (the files are album-ordered), but really this is not a problem because the php code is very short.

Well, finally i have to admit that PHP code has so many rich functions and i don't understand why other server-side languages (like ASP) cannot do the same things...

Thanks a lot EyeForVideo!

DominikHoffmann

Eye for Video;1145805 wrote:
Another option is to use a small PHP file to handle the download, put in the same folder as the .mp3:
<?php
$file = $_GET['file'];
header ("Content-type: octet/stream");
header ("Content-disposition: attachment; filename=".$file.";");
header("Content-Length: ".filesize($file));
readfile($file);
exit;
?>
which can be accessed in any anchor like this:
<a href="direct_download.php?file=fineline.mp3">Download the mp3</a>
see sample page here:
http://www.cidigitalmedia.com/tutorials/direct_download/direct_download.html
Best of luck,
Eye for Video
www.cidigitalmedia.com

Unfortunately, using Safari, when I follow the download link using your PHP code, Safari downloads the PHP code, not the referenced MP3 file.

Will this not work, if the page code is in a directory one level higher than the MP3 files and the PHP code?

Yours,

Dominik Hoffmann

Eye_for_Video

Are you saying that the download links I posted do not work in Safari?
The links all work just fine in Safari on my machine.
Or are you having problems when you implement that download php file?

<a href="direct_download.php?file=fineline.mp3">Download the mp3</a>

of course the href=" has to be the correct path. So if the web page with the link on it is one level up or down, the path has to reflect that.... but it will work just fine.
Also the file= name has to be changed to the name of the file you are downloading. If you put file=direct_download.php, then it will download that file. So recheck your link code.
EfV

DominikHoffmann

Eye for Video;1191589 wrote:
Are you saying that the download links I posted do not work in Safari?
The links all work just fine in Safari on my machine.
Or are you having problems when you implement that download php file?

My issue was that I didn't understand that the PHP code snippet is for server-side execution. I was trying to use it while hosting content on my Apple MobileMe iDisk.

Thanks everyone for your help!

bigblackpapa

Please, do not create a public file proxy on your server, as suggested by "Eye for Video" and "scragar", this is a MEGA HUGE security hole :eek:, an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS feature :eek:! Anyone could use it to download anything from the server, including password files, personal cookies, credit card information, stealing identity and even locally crack all username / passwords to remotely access your server and use it for whatever they want... NEVER CREATE A PUBLIC FILE PROXY :mad:!!! Geez...

jackoconnell

Just a quick thought: any zip file is downloadable. Just place your mp3 in it.

Jack O'Connell

TimothyJMcGowan

Thank you, all who contributed to this. You've just made things a lot easier for me. Some of my clients didn't know how to right-click a file and what to choose to save the file to their computer. Even with the instructions right there on the page, it was too difficult. Now when they click on a link, their browser asks whether they want to run or save the file. Excellent!

I did make one modification: I put direct_download.php in a dedicated folder and link to it that way: <a href="[my catch-all folder]\direct_download.php?file=..."> That way, I don't have to remember to copy the php file to every folder in which I'm storing files for download, and I can still use it on any page on the site.

I need to make my site more accessible, especially to mobile users, and more standards-compliant, so I'll be studying here when I have the time.

-- Timothy J. McGowan

samiaeg

MrSnowDrop;1145777 wrote:
I'm using HTML/VBscript/Javascript (not PHP) in my webpages, but i thought to open a Multimedia Thread because the problem is an unwanted streaming process.
:o
So, how is it possible to change a MIME attribute of an MP3 file?... The need is to leave the file with his original extension because the same file is managed by a web-mediaplayer, but i'd like to let a download by clicking a specified button.

yes , i'm wondering too