Auto download in PHP/HTML only

[Ruatha]

I want to make a script that creates a zipfile, starts a download (Where the client get's to choose where to save it, as usual) and then deletes the file and returns the client to the staring page.

All this after the client has pressed the "execute button".

I only want to use HTML and PHP, no JAVA / VB script or CGI/Perl.

What I've done so far is to create the zip archive, after that I can either start a download (wich get's a PHP extension on some clients... (even though I'm using Content-Type: application/x-zip-compressed\n header) )
But if I then delete it (unlink), it get's deleted so fast that the client don't get to download it.

I'd really prefer to use some sort of HTML meta tag to initiate download rather than PHP wich I find buggy in the downloading (All these headers...)

I've tried setting
<base target="main"> in the HTML header and then making a auto refresh meta tag to the file, but it still opens in the same window, stopping the script from continuing, and it also has the "to fast deleted" problem...

Any ideas?

To clarify:

1. Client presses button.
   2 changes to the script page
   3 creates zip archive file to a temp directory.
   ( this is done dynamicly in the script, adding files here and there)
2. Start download.
   5 return user to start page and delete zip archive and temp directory.

I can do all those parts individually, but not get it to fit together!

[Hafkas]

a possible solution for the "too fast to delete" bug would be to create a "bot" on your web server that deleted zips with a file timestamp older than a few hours (or whatever time makes the most sense). Set the bot to run in cron as often as needed and you are good to go.

[Ruatha]

With "bot" do you mean an EXE/Bat file or is there something else you mean?
I don't want to have a PHP script running all the time in an open browser, but I'm planning on making an exe file that will perform some other duties on the server, I could implement your idea into it, thanks.

Another Idea I was having is to make two frames, one that sends the file and one with abutton "Press me when finished" that deletes the file and sends the client back to the main page, not perfect but achievable.

[Hafkas]

easiest way to create a bot is to just use php as you would on the command line...

on *nix "/yourpathtophphere/php myfilehere.php" or you can also create a shell script by using the format below.

#!/yourpathtophphere/php
<?php
php commands here
?>

on a windows based web server you would use it the same way except you would substiute batch file syntax and use task scheduler instead of cron...