I'm writing a web application that, among other things, allows users to upload files to my server. In order to prevent name clashes and to organize the files, I rename them once they are put on my server. By keeping track of the original file name I can communicate with the file's owner without them ever knowing I changed the file name on the back end. That is, until they go do download the file. In that case they're prompted to download a file with a unfamiliar name.
My question is, is there any way to specify the name of a file to be downloaded using just HTML? So a user uploads a file named 'abc.txt' and I rename it to 'xyz.txt', but when they download it I want the browser to save the file as 'abc.txt' by default. If this isn't possible with just HTML, is there any way to do it?
Can't find a way in HTML. I think you'll need a server-side script which will output a content-disposition header. In php this is done like this:
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="downloaded.pdf"');
if you wish to provide a default filename, but not automatic download, this seems to work.
header('Content-Disposition: filename="filetodownload.jpg"');
In fact, it is the server that is directly serving your files, so you have no way to interact with it from HTML, as HTML is not involved at all.
When they click a button to download the file, you can add the HTML5 attribute download
where you can set the default filename.
That's what I did, when I created a xlsx file and the browser want to save it as zip file.
<a href="path/to/file" download="renamed.txt">Download</a>
<a href="downloads/export.xlsx" download="Data-Export.xlsx">Download Export</a>
This will have to be done on the server side. You will have to have the old file name in a database somewhere, and then you could move it to a temp folder with the correct name and send that file to the user. TBQH i think you should consider avoiding name clashes with sub directories and store the path to each file in your database instead of old name / new name.
Well, @Palantir's answer is, for me, the most correct way!
If you plan to use that with multiple files, then i suggest you to use (or make one) PHP Download Manager.
BUT, if you want to make that to one or two files, I will suggest you the mod_rewrite option:
You have to create or edit your .htaccess file on htdocs folder and add this:
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^abc\.txt$ xyz.txt
With this code, users will download xyz.txt data with the name abc.txt
NOTE: Verify if you have already the "RewriteEngine on " on your file, if yes, add only the second for each file you wish to redirect.
Good Luck ;)
(Sorry for my english)
it's very easy by using HTML5 download
attribute!
here is my codepen demo.
https://codepen.io/xgqfrms/full/GyEGzG/
my screen shortcut.
add gif
demo.