shopping cart for file download

lara8

Hi all,

I am looking for a way to implement some kind of shopping cart to download multiple files at once.
Let me explain:

I am using PHP, HTML and MySQL to implement the following:
I have created a database and application showing thumbnails of all kinds of images. The thumbnails and the original image have been stored on a file-server.
I want the user to be able to somehow indicate (for instance with a checkbox) that he / she wants to download the original image(s) corresponding to certain thumbnail(s). After having indicated all images, the user should be able to press a button ("Download") and specify a location (on his / her PC) where he / she would like to store the selected images.
The interface (i.e. checkbox / button) is not relevant to me yet, the problem is that I have no idea how to download multiple images at a time?!!
Can anybody help me with my problem in any way???
Thanx in advance.

gushy

I did a site that's pretty much identical.
I found that there were two problems:

I wanted to download multiple files
All files were at least 1024x768 = a lot of Kb.

My solution?

I created a cart, and then when I hit checkout now, my script would copy all the files to a directory, zip them up and then send the zip file. 🙂

Only one file, and it's smaller. Can't be bad.

-- Nick Gushlow.

[deleted]

Okay, I'm very happy you managed to solve it, and I agree I've been thinking about a zip-file myself, but your entry doesn't really help me solve my problem 😉.
Thanks anyway for responding.

fandelem

he has the right idea though. i've never seen multiple file downloading before on any website. they have just allowed download of a zipped file or clicking on each link to download each file.

another approach could be emailing the files. with this approach, you could attach each file. but through the browser? i doubt it. and even if you found a way, i guarantee it wouldn't be supported by every browser. and then you are left with people complaining to you (trust me, the one time you make it browser dependant, you'll get an earfull from someone).

if i'm wrong, and there is a way to do multiple file downloading (or if you know a website that does this) -- i'd love to see it done ;o)

gushy

Lara,

I've given you the solution!! What exactly were you expecting, a copy of all my code?

Where would be the fun in that? :-)

My intention was to point you in the direction of the answer and let you try to figure it out from there.

If you really need it I could extract part of the code for you and post it, but I've always preferred to help with code only when there is a specific need. Otherwise you won't learn anything. :-)

I figured I'd point you in the right area (note - exec() is your friend) and then you could have a crack at it. If you get stuck with a particular part of your code not working, I could help debug that. And then at the end of the day not only have you got a working solution to your problem, but you've extended your knowledge base.

-- Nick Gushlow

Anon

Heh,
Just make a cycle for such many time as you have file ro download. Then open for each file new browser window and print all nessasary download headers and the data (for addtional help type 'force download' in search option on thetop of phpduiler.com site). Doing that you wll creat multipal open/save dialogs for all files. :-)