header("Location: $pdf");

[E9B6]

I have a script which is called using 'url' /folder/file.php?pdf=cr491-12.pdf the latter part being created from a link button.

The file file.php stores the pdf file name [$pdf = cr491-12.pdf] and then has a form in which a password is entered.

If the password is correct, the link is activated using header ("Location: $pdf")

This works fine on pcs but on the ipad, the page is opened but remains totally blank.

I know the file name is OK, because on test, knowing the full url of the file, I can enter that in google on the ipad and it opens right away.

Is there a problem using header in this way and is there a better way that would work on ipad etc?

[Weedpacket]

For one thing, you should be using a full URL, not just a filename.

[E9B6]

In the actual php file the full url is transmitted - the example above was just to explain the problem

[E9B6]

To make it clear

I have a script which is called using 'url' /folder/file.php?pdf=cr491-12.pdf the latter part being created from a link button.

The file file.php stores the pdf file name [$pdf = //url// + 'cr491-12.pdf'] and then has a form in which a password is entered.

If the password is correct, the link is activated using header ("Location: $pdf")

This works fine on pcs but on the ipad, the page is opened but remains totally blank.

I know the file name is OK, because on test, knowing the full url of the file, I can enter that in google on the ipad and it opens right away.

Is there a problem using header in this way and is there a better way that would work on ipad etc?

[johanafm]

I'd still like to repeat exactly what Weedpacket said, because it still looks to me as if you are NOT providing a fully qualified url. Do note that a fully qualified url is nothing less than http://domain/path…

Should you feel that you really do have this… I recommend that you insert the following two lines for debugging purposes before your redirect

printf('The value of $pdf is "%s"', $pdf);
exit;

# just before your existing header redirect
header('location: ...');

Also note that if anyone is given the url which resolved to the pdf file, they can download it directly, bypassing your form entirely.

[E9B6]

What I didn't say but is clear from the above is that the $pdf file is constructed from

$pdf="http://site.com/folder/".$pdf ; before calling header etc.

The full url is therefore passed [despite what you have assumed] and it works fine on pcs etc

It does not work on the ipad - why?

[Weedpacket]

Do you also set the appropriate content-type header (application/pdf)?
Can you look at and compare the full set of headers sent by the server to your ipad in both cases (the generated one and the direct one)?

[E9B6]

Yes = header('Content-type: application/pdf');

Nothing appears on the ipad - just a blank screen. So it is not possible to check the headers.

On the pc it is possible to view content of the screen with html tidy and similar.

There doesn't appear to be a way of doing this on the ipad.

[Derokorian]

When you say 'on the ipad' I assume you mean on safari. Try installing chrome on the ipad and see if you get the same issue, if you do you can open developer tools and inspect the raw request and response headers. If you don't, I imagine there is a way to do it in safari as well.

[E9B6]

Thank you Derkorian

Whilst not solving the EXACT problem here, you certainly pointed me in the right direction.

Using Chrome on the ipad, the pdf file opened exactly as it does on pcs. Still no response on Safari. I also used AVG safe browser which again opend it without a problem.

So I wondered about the pdf file itself. It was one that had been supplied by someone else and was approx 400mb in size. I opened it in foxit, then 'printed' it using pdf creator and obtained a new pdf file which was only about 165mb in size.

This pdf file opened in every browser on the pc and the ipad.

So the coding was OK after all and Safari objected to the pdf file.

Problem solved but not in the way I expected.

Many thanks to all who participated - much appreciated.

[E9B6]

Problem solved