redirecting using header function

Anon

I am trying to have a link where a user clicks and triggers a download and a mysql update without visibly leaving the page. Here's what I have so far:

test.php

<body>
<a href="download_update.php?file=music/bash_1.mp3">click here</a>
</body>

download_update.php

<head>

<?
if (isset($file)){

connect()
mysql_query="update blah blah";

header("Location: $file");

}

</head>

The problem is that I get this error:
Warning: cannot add header information output already started by download_update.php. I suspect this is becuase I am declaring the tags so the header is being sent before the php is parsed... is there a way around this?

[deleted]

You may not print/output anything before you give the "header()" command.
This means you may not print anything, or have any characters outside the PHP tags, before you execute the header() command.

Anon

ok, so I tried this and I still get the headers already sent error:

<?
if (isset($file)){

connect()
mysql_query="update blah blah";

header("Location: $file");

}

</head>

any suggestions? Note that after sending the header info I then rely on a meta refresh to take me back to $HTTP_REFERER... is this not getting parsed 'cause of the header function?

Anon

be sure you have no white space at the top of your file. I used to have this problem, but you have to start at line one char one and put your openning php tags "<?" or you will ge this error.

And if you are redirectiong someone, you don't need anything after you close the php tags. try removing that.