PHP createCSV and Post form - php

Question

I've got a form that I've been trying to rework. Essentially it was just interacting with a REST API provided by a third party to integrate with their software. On a separate form, I am able to create a csv file with data for import in to a server. I have been trying to re-work them so that on submit they both function but I am only able to get on or the other.
Here is my createCSV function
function createCSV(){
global $strnmbr, $Content, $hostname;
$ext = " - 'SOMETHING'.csv";
$FileName = "s" . $hostname . $ext;
header('Content-Type: application/csv');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="' . $FileName . '"');
echo $Content;
exit();
}
Then follows
if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
if($_SESSION['Hostname']==""){$hostname = sprintf("%'.05d", $_SESSION['Store Number']);}
else{$hostname = $_SESSION['Hostname'];}
$hostname1 = "'info here'" . ".s" . $hostname . ".'info here'";
$resolve = "FALSE";
$IP = "0.0.0.0";
$mac= strtolower($_POST['mpMAC']);
$proxy = "";
$outproxy = "";
$opstate = "OPSTATE";
$audiodevserial1 = $_POST['assetSN'];
$type = "TYPE";
$brand = "BRAND";
$series = "SERIES";
$model = "MODEL";
$modvers = "";
$login = "";
$password = "";
$continent = "North America";
$country = "United States";
$stateabr = $_SESSION['State'];
$city = $_SESSION['City'];
$StAddress = $_SESSION['Street'];
$zip = $_SESSION['Zip'];
$lat = "0";
$long = "0";
$RCV = "TRUE";
$SEND = "FALSE";
$category = "";
$SecHostname = "";
$SecIP = "";
$SecMac = "";
$MODE = "1";
$ITEM = $_SESSION['Store Number'];
$strnmbr = $_SESSION['Store Number'];
$timezone = $_POST['TIME_ZONE'];
$ACTIVE= "FALSE";
$RESTART= "Yes";
$Content .= "$hostname1, $resolve, $IP, $MAC, $proxy, $outproxy, $opstate, $SN, $type, $brand, $series, $model, $modvers, $login, $password, $continent, $country, $stateabr, $city, $StAddress, $zip, $lat, $long, $SEND, $RCV, $category, $SecHostname, $SecIP, $SecMac, $MODE, $ITEM, $strnmbr, $timezone, ACTIVE, $RestartPlaylist\n";
createCSV();
}
And finally within a on the page further down I return the info made from the request for the web call to the API.
if(isset($_POST['submit'])){
include_once('../tools/createConErr.php');
$_SESSION['requestID'];
echo "<tr><td> "MORE INFO HERE' - Location " . $_SESSION['Store Number'] . " - Ticket # <a href=\"'link here'" . $_SESSION['requestID'] . "\"target='_blank'>" . $_SESSION['requestID'] . "</a></td></tr>";
}
Both sets of code work individually, but not together. I've tried moving the bottom up and the top to the bottom and just trying to make a mash of the two but I can't seem to get it to work. I've tried putting them both within the same if(isset($_POST['submit'])){code} as I'm sure that's what needs to happen but it still didn't work.
I've changed some of the variable names and text for this post but I think you can still get the idea.
Any help is much appreciated.
THANKS!

Answer 1

I think the culprit is here:
header('Content-Type: application/csv');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="' . $FileName . '"');
If you define content as attachment, then the API return part of code goes to that attachment. If you run the API return part of code before sending the header, the header command does not work, since you had an echo before it and it is no longer a header. Maybe rethink the approach to include an auto-refresh with a second parameter, to run the second part of code?