how to save ajax result as pdf file? - php

Question

Trying to download a file which is dynamically generated by the the data posted. I have the results coming back. I'm just not sure how I can save the results into a proper file locally once the information (stream) is returned from the server.
Here is the ajax call:
function download_pdf(){
alert("made it" + result_array);
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
url: "report_generation/downlaod_pdf.php",
data: { result_array: result_array },
success: function(results){
alert(results);
},
error:
function(xmlHttpRequest, status, error){
alert(xmlHttpRequest + "| ajax failure: could not download haq report | " + status + " | error:" + error);
var xmlHttpRequestStr = "";
for(var x in xmlHttpRequest)
xmlHttpRequestStr = xmlHttpRequestStr + xmlHttpRequest[x];
alert(xmlHttpRequestStr);
}
});
}
This function is called from a hyperlink like so, and the success method is returning...
<a class="haq_button" href="javascript:download_pdf()"><span>Download Report As PDF</span></a>
UPDATE: Here is a snippet of code from the file generation in download_pdf
// set the headers, prevent caching
header("Pragma: public");
header("Expires: -1");
header("Cache-Control: public, must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0");
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=\"$file_name\"");
// set appropriate headers for attachment or streamed file
if ($is_attachment) {
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=\"$output_file_name\"");
}
else {
header('Content-Disposition: inline;');
header('Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary');
}
// set the mime type based on extension, add yours if needed.
$ctype_default = "application/octet-stream";
$content_types = array(
"exe" => "application/octet-stream",
"pdf" => "application/pdf",
"zip" => "application/zip",
"mp3" => "audio/mpeg",
"mpg" => "video/mpeg",
"avi" => "video/x-msvideo",
);
$ctype = isset($content_types[$file_ext]) ? $content_types[$file_ext] : $ctype_default;
header("Content-Type: " . $ctype);
//check if http_range is sent by browser (or download manager)
if(isset($_SERVER['HTTP_RANGE']))
{
list($size_unit, $range_orig) = explode('=', $_SERVER['HTTP_RANGE'], 2);
if ($size_unit == 'bytes')
{
//multiple ranges could be specified at the same time, but for simplicity only serve the first range
//http://tools.ietf.org/id/draft-ietf-http-range-retrieval-00.txt
list($range, $extra_ranges) = explode(',', $range_orig, 2);
}
else
{
$range = '';
header('HTTP/1.1 416 Requested Range Not Satisfiable');
exit;
}
}
else
{
$range = '';
}
//figure out download piece from range (if set)
list($seek_start, $seek_end) = explode('-', $range, 2);
//set start and end based on range (if set), else set defaults
//also check for invalid ranges.
$seek_end = (empty($seek_end)) ? ($file_size - 1) : min(abs(intval($seek_end)),($file_size - 1));
$seek_start = (empty($seek_start) || $seek_end < abs(intval($seek_start))) ? 0 : max(abs(intval($seek_start)),0);
//Only send partial content header if downloading a piece of the file (IE workaround)
if ($seek_start > 0 || $seek_end < ($file_size - 1))
{
header('HTTP/1.1 206 Partial Content');
header('Content-Range: bytes '.$seek_start.'-'.$seek_end.'/'.$file_size);
header('Content-Length: '.($seek_end - $seek_start + 1));
}
else
header("Content-Length: $file_size");
header('Accept-Ranges: bytes');
set_time_limit(0);
fseek($file, $seek_start);
while(!feof($file))
{
print(#fread($file, 1024*8));
ob_flush();
flush();
if (connection_status()!=0)
{
#fclose($file);
exit;
}
}
// file save was a success
#fclose($file);
exit;

Answer 1

It's not posible. Only you can do is to open new browser window with that PDF url or change location of current window like that: window.location = 'report_generation/downlaod_pdf.php';

Answer 2

This is not possible using javascript/ajax. You have to use regural download link, or in your case form. If you want to have some error handling using javascript if pdf generation fails and still keep the same page open, you can submit into a hidden iframe.

Answer 3

You can create a dynamic form and submit it, it will open a new window/tab and if it fails you can show a message in that page. In anyway, the right way to handle and track an exception is not on the receiver, but sender (download_pdf.php)
To create a dynamic form:
var VerifyForm = document.createElement("form");
VerifyForm.target = "_blank"; //You must specify here your target
VerifyForm.method = "POST";
VerifyForm.action = "download_pdf.php";
var dataInput = document.createElement("input");
dataInput.type = "hidden";
dataInput.name = "mydata"; //var name
dataInput.value = value; //var value
VerifyForm.appendChild(dataInput); //Apend var to form, repeat for n
document.body.appendChild(VerifyForm);
VerifyForm.submit();
If you still try to it at your own way, is impossible, I recommend you read more about what means the capital "A" in "Ajax"

Answer 4

You can try to force the download of the file by adding these HTTP headers in the downlaod_pdf.php
header("Pragma: public");
header("Expires: 0");
header("Cache-Control: public");
header("Content-Type: application/pdf");
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=$your_file_name");
header("Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary");
readfile($your_file_content);
EDIT : and also add window.location.href = your_php_script_path in the js file