Using HTML5/Javascript to generate and save a file

Question

I've been fiddling with WebGL lately, and have gotten a Collada reader working. Problem is it's pretty slow (Collada is a very verbose format), so I'm going to start converting files to a easier to use format (probably JSON). Thing is, I already have the code to parse the file in Javascript, so I may as well use it as my exporter too! The problem is saving.

Now, I know that I can parse the file, send the result to the server, and have the browser request the file back from the server as a download. But in reality the server has nothing to do with this particular process, so why get it involved? I already have the contents of the desired file in memory. Is there any way that I could present the user with a download using pure javascript? (I doubt it, but might as well ask...)

And to be clear: I am not trying to access the filesystem without the users knowledge! The user will provide a file (probably via drag and drop), the script will transform the file in memory, and the user will be prompted to download the result. All of which should be "safe" activities as far as the browser is concerned.

[EDIT]: I didn't mention it upfront, so the posters who answered "Flash" are valid enough, but part of what I'm doing is an attempt to highlight what can be done with pure HTML5... so Flash is right out in my case. (Though it's a perfectly valid answer for anyone doing a "real" web app.) That being the case it looks like I'm out of luck unless I want to involve the server. Thanks anyway!

Answer 1

Simple solution for HTML5 ready browsers...

function download(filename, text) {
    var pom = document.createElement('a');
    pom.setAttribute('href', 'data:text/plain;charset=utf-8,' + encodeURIComponent(text));
    pom.setAttribute('download', filename);

    if (document.createEvent) {
        var event = document.createEvent('MouseEvents');
        event.initEvent('click', true, true);
        pom.dispatchEvent(event);
    }
    else {
        pom.click();
    }
}

Usage

download('test.txt', 'Hello world!');

Answer 2

OK, creating a data:URI definitely does the trick for me, thanks to Matthew and Dennkster pointing that option out! Here is basically how I do it:

1) get all the content into a string called "content" (e.g. by creating it there initially or by reading innerHTML of the tag of an already built page).

2) Build the data URI:

uriContent = "data:application/octet-stream," + encodeURIComponent(content);

There will be length limitations depending on browser type etc., but e.g. Firefox 3.6.12 works until at least 256k. Encoding in Base64 instead using encodeURIComponent might make things more efficient, but for me that was ok.

3) open a new window and "redirect" it to this URI prompts for a download location of my JavaScript generated page:

newWindow = window.open(uriContent, 'neuesDokument');

That's it.

Answer 3

Here is a link to the data URI method Mathew suggested, it worked on safari, but not well because I couldn't set the filetype, it gets saved as "unknown" and then i have to go there again later and change it in order to view the file...

http://www.nihilogic.dk/labs/canvas2image/

Answer 4

I've used FileSaver (https://github.com/eligrey/FileSaver.js) and it works just fine.
For example, I did this function to export logs displayed on a page.
You have to pass an array for the instanciation of the Blob, so I just maybe didn't write this the right way, but it works for me.
Just in case, be careful with the replace: this is the syntax to make this global, otherwise it will only replace the first one he meets.

exportLogs : function(){
    var array = new Array();

    var str = $('#logs').html();
    array[0] = str.replace(/<br>/g, '\n\t');

    var blob = new Blob(array, {type: "text/plain;charset=utf-8"});
    saveAs(blob, "example.log");
}

Answer 5

Simple Solution!

<a download="My-FileName.txt" href="data:application/octet-stream,HELLO-WORLDDDDDDDD">Click here</a>

Works in all Modern browsers.

Answer 6

I found two simple approaches that work for me. First, using an already clicked a element and injecting the download data. And second, generating an a element with the download data, executing a.click() and removing it again. But the second approach works only if invoked by a user click action as well. (Some) Browser block click() from other contexts like on loading or triggered after a timeout (setTimeout).

<!DOCTYPE HTML>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <script type="text/javascript">
      function linkDownload(a, filename, content) {
        contentType =  'data:application/octet-stream,';
        uriContent = contentType + encodeURIComponent(content);
        a.setAttribute('href', uriContent);
        a.setAttribute('download', filename);
      }
      function download(filename, content) {
        var a = document.createElement('a');
        linkDownload(a, filename, content);
        document.body.appendChild(a);
        a.click();
        document.body.removeChild(a);
      }
    </script>
   </head>
  <body>
    <a href="#" onclick="linkDownload(this, 'test.txt', 'Hello World!');">download</a>
    <button onclick="download('test.txt', 'Hello World!');">download</button>
  </body>
</html>