Browse -> execute -> problem

[predator]

I have this form where I can browse files. If a choose a specific file and I want to press the submit button and the file opens (no matter if it is a powerpoint or a simple image).

I guess, I need to use exec, but I'm not sure how it should look like.

<? if (isset($_POST['submit'])){

//here's where I need the code to execute my file

}

?>
<form method="post" action="<?php echo $PHP_SELF; ?>" enctype="multipart/form-data">
<input type="file" name="form_data"  size="20">
<input type="submit" name="submit" value="Kör">
</form>

[JakesSA]

are your file sitting in a db?

You dont need to use the exec function, just make your header() function are of content type.

eg: header("Content-type: application/pdf");

[predator]

no, it is not in the db. I just browse the file that is on my computer, then click the submit button and then I want the file to display.
Don't know how to do it, although I bet it is rather simple

[predator]

anyone with an idea?
I'm running desperate at this point.

[superwormy]

You can't just use your webbrowser to view the file...

If you send the correct Content-type header ( www.php.net/header ) it will most likely work OK, or if you just actually click on the file...

You def. SHOULD NOT be using exec(), not sure why you thought that...

Why would you want your code to execute the file as indicated in your comments? Then the server woudl run and view your file... and the client would never see it at all...

[predator]

well, perhaps I should explain more what I want it really to do.

Imagine this scenario

You are holding a presentation in front of a crowd with the help of a php-site (in full screen).
You want to a powerpoint-presentation. Instead of of closing your browser and look up the file in the explorer...

you just have a browse button right there on the site, where you can select your file and simply open it for view. It would basically be like a short cut for you to execute/open the ppt-file.

I'm curious to know if something like this would work, because I would rather not upload ppt-file to the server or database since the image size of them are like 100-200 mb.

[Weedpacket]

As superwormy said, check out the header() function. Or you could just have links to the files that you click on:
<a href="some_marketing_wheeze.ppt">Sales Prospects for Third Quarter</a>.

[predator]

I actually did check out the header function but it still did not work.

I tried it two different ways

1)

<?php 
$path= $_POST["path"]; 
$path = str_replace("file:///","", $path); 
$path = str_replace("://",":/", $path); 
header("Location: $path");  

exit;     

?> 

2)

<?php 
header("Content-type: application/vnd.ms-powerpoint"); 
header("Content-Disposition: inline; filename=downloaded.ppt"); 
readfile('$_POST["path"];'); 
?> 

In 1) it will not str_replace and therefore my browser can't find my path

In 2) I just open an empty ppt-file instead of the one I wish to view (which I select by browsing a form).

Any ideas?

[superwormy]

Why the heck would you want to have to download a 200mb PowerPoint file everytime you want to view it?!?

You would be better off keeping it on CD and carrying it with you, or better yet, why not turn the stupid crappy PowerPoint presentation into a nice slick HTML one?

I would go with WeedPacket's suggestion, it's better to let the webserver handle things like this.

[predator]

well, I have given up ... uploading the powerpoints.

I can't do html-presentations ... since there are like 60-80 different powerpoints.
I am doing a general presentation through a php-site and when I need additional information, I want to smoothly open up a power point from the computer.

The site is running in full screen so I don't want to close down the browser window, open up explorer, search for the file and open it there.

No, I want to have a browse button on my site, where I browse my computer, click the submit-button ... and the powerpoint opens.

The following code should take care of my request (but for some reason it will not str_replace my path)

in_pp.php
<?
require("dbmanager.php");
?> 
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
<head>
<title>Browse powerpoint</title>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<link href="style2.css" rel="STYLESHEET" type="text/css">
</head>

<body>
<form name="sendFile" method="post" action="in_pp2.php" enctype="multipart/form-data">
<input type="hidden" name="path"/>
<input type="hidden" name="isubmit" value="Open"/>
<input type="file" size="15" name="file" class="button"/>
<input type="button" value="Open" class="button" OnClick="this.form.path.value = this.form.file.value; this.form.submit()">
</form>
</body>
</html>

in_pp2.php
<?php
$path= $_POST["path"];
$path = str_replace("file:///","", $path);
$path = str_replace("://",":/", $path);
header("Location: $path"); 
exit;                 

?>