PHP: Cannot stream CSV file to client in response to AJAX call

Question

I am displaying a report to the client. I have made an ajax call that passes in a "delivery" variable, which is either "display" or "download".

Here is the ajax call:

$.ajax({
        type: 'POST',
        url: 'ajaxController.php',
        dataType: 'json',
        data: {
            e: "getReport",
            reportName: reportName,
            delivery: delivery
        },
        success: function (data) {
            if (delivery === 'display') {
                $("#reportDisplayTableHeader").html('');
                $("#reportDisplayTableBody").html('');
                Lifestyle.selectedReportRows = data;

                $.each(Lifestyle.selectedReportRows, function(key, row) {
                    rowHTML = '<tr>';

                    $.each(row, function(parameter, value) {
                        if (isHeader) {
                            rowHTML += '<td>' + parameter + '</td>';
                        } else {
                            rowHTML += '<td>' + value + '</td>';
                        }
                    });

                    rowHTML += '</tr>';

                    if (isHeader) {
                        $reportHead.append(rowHTML);
                        isHeader = false;
                    } else {
                        $reportTableBody.append(rowHTML);
                    }
                });

                $("#reportCaption").show();
            }
        }
    });

And here is the server side PHP:

    if ($delivery == 'display') {
        echo json_encode($return);
    } else if ($delivery == 'download') {
        header("Content-type: text/csv");
        header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=file.csv");           
        header('Content-Description: File Transfer');
        header("Pragma: no-cache");
        header("Expires: 0");
        echo "record1,record2,record3\n";
    }

In the case of "display" it returns the json just fine and the client side displays a table.

In the case of "download", I want it to pop up a download dialog where it can save off the CSV that I echo'd to them.

But what is happening is that the call is completing and the headers / csv is crossing the wire (thanks Fiddler), but no download dialog is appearing and the client does not know that I pushed csv to them.

What do I need to do in order to get the download dialog to pop up?

Thanks.

save it as a file, and return the url of that file to the end user and redirect the browser to it once returned — cmorrissey
– cmorrissey, Commented Aug 16, 2013 at 16:23
The problem saving a file is that later I have to do cleanup. Much tidier to push the file contents directly. — Lurk21
– Lurk21, Commented Aug 16, 2013 at 16:29

Michiel Dral · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-16 16:21:43Z

1

An Ajax call can not download something, or at least it is really hard. Better is to open a new window to the location of the php file (Then you should be using GET though) and then the user will be promted to download it.

answered Aug 16, 2013 at 16:21

Michiel Dral

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1 Comment

Lurk21 Over a year ago

Ok, I ended up not using ajax but window.open. Worked like a charm! Thanks.

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