path on server

router

Hello!
I'm coding a web where you can download a file.
I have a link like this in a page:
echo "<a href='". $file_download."' target='_blank'>$file</a>";

where $file=/home/files/my_file.txt

But the file isn't in my path server...like that:
my server path -> /home/server/htdocs/
my files path -> /home/files/

My link don't work, the web broser saids:
The requested URL /home/files/my_file.txt was not found on this server.
Must i put the files in the server path too ??
Thanks!!
Router
🙂

Weedpacket

Short answer: yes.

Longer answer: You're getting URLs and paths mixed up. You're wanting a URL - the path would be relative to the root of your site's directory tree (wherever you've got it) - what you're calling the "server path", not relative to your entire server's filesystem.

If the file you're wanting them to download is outside your site's directory tree, and you don't want to move it so that it's inside, then you can have links to a script that uses [man]readfile[/man] or suchlike function to fetch the file and pass it through.

IMPORTANT!
In that download.php script, YOU MUST CHECK $_GET['file'] (which is where the filename that is to be downloaded is stored) to make sure that it's safe! Otherwise I could ask for any file on your system. This, not incidentally, is exactly why your method doesn't work.

khaine

The server cant access anythinig lower than its own root directory. However php can all you need to do is output the correct download headers.

Your link would be something like

download.php would be

<?php
header("Cache-control: private");
header("Content-Type: application/force-download; name=\"$file\"");
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=\"$file \"");
header("Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary");
header("Content-Length: $content_length");
$fp = fopen($file,"r");
$fp = fopen($file_fullpath,"r");

while (!feof($fp))
{
print(fread($fp, 4000));
flush();
}

fclose($fp);fclose($fp);
?>

I actually got this from searching the forums here

http://www.phpbuilder.com/board/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10212801&highlight=force+a+download

hope that helps

Mark.

router

Hello again!
Thank you very much weedpacket and khaine!
Now, i understand all....I've mixed urls and path..
Thank you again, i'm going to change my page, to download rigth.
Thank you again!!!
Router 🙂