ASP.NET MVC: returning plaintext file to download from controller method

Question

Consider the need to return a plain-text file from a controller method back to the caller. The idea is to have the file downloaded, rather than viewed as plaintext in the browser.

I have the following method, and it works as expected. The file is presented to the browser for download, and the file is populated with the string.

I'd like to look for a 'more correct' implementation of this method, as I am not 100% comfortable with the void return type.

public void ViewHL7(int id)
{
    string someLongTextForDownload = "ABC123";

    Response.Clear(); 
    Response.ContentType = "text/plain";
    Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition", string.Format("attachment; filename={0}.hl7", id.ToString()));
    Response.Write(someLongTextForDownload);
    Response.End();
}

tvanfosson · Accepted Answer · 2009-10-14 23:23:15Z

145

Use the File method on the controller class to return a FileResult

public ActionResult ViewHL7( int id )
{
    ...

    return File( Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes( someLongTextForDownLoad ),
                 "text/plain",
                  string.Format( "{0}.hl7", id ) );
}

answered Oct 14, 2009 at 23:23

tvanfosson

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2 Comments

Renato Bezerra Over a year ago

Tks tvanfosson. Your answer helped me so much.

Jimmy Over a year ago

wouldn't it be nice if SO could pick up the .net classes so we can see the overloads without having to google around :p

Liam · Accepted Answer · 2016-10-31 10:53:21Z

6

You'll want to return a FileContentResult from your method.

edited Oct 31, 2016 at 10:53

Liam

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answered Oct 14, 2009 at 23:21

Chris Missal

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