File Download

[kdallmer]

I am coding a page that allows the user to select videos as well as length, Netspeed, language, and media format.

I have figgured out how to get the from data assigned to varible but now I want that the varible assigned to the choices to beable to down load the desired video clip.

IS there Script verbage like the upload command, or do I have to rely on good old HTML?

The reason I ask is that my customer would like the user to download the video to his desktop and not be given the choice to Run from the web or download. I don't think it's possible.

[xboxhero]

This exact problem has haunted me and my developers. I don't think it is possible. Saying that I'm the last person to say anything is impossible. Maybe it's just not feasible with the current budget, timeline,ect. If you do find a solution please let me know. The only idea i can come up with is to .zip the files. This adds a step for the end user of course,but it gets the desired results.

[whammy]

.zipping the files is probably the easiest solution - as for forcing the download dialog box to come up (instead of opening in a browser window for people that have certain programs installed), this can also be done using a server-side language (instead of zipping the files) and defining the MIME type (although there is another step involved as well that I'd have to research a bit, at least with ASP)...

If you can't use a server-side language I'd stick to .zipping them... :)

And as for the user being given a choice to "run from the web" or downloading them, I don't think that's possible either since at least on windows systems the choice will always pop up, and you can't change user's machine settings for obvious security reasons... but the real question here is:

"does it matter?"

Either way it's the same file size that has to be downloaded (unless you .zip it in which case it is somewhat compressed) to the user's computer before they can use the file... so either way is going to use the same amount of bandwidth, I think...

Keep in mind though that everything I've said is just an educated guess - so take it with a grain of salt!

Anyone else have some ideas about this? :D

[kdallmer]

THanks Guys, I think you have confirmed my own thoughts on this, the reason to directly down load, was not based on band width but on how each media player handled the file. The customer had expressed the desire to have it downloaded to the desktop intead of launching from the web becuase of experences with how they, the players, handled the files... If the user drag and drops the file from the desktop to the player, it always plays, if the user tries directly fromt he web, he runs into issues. I think it may have more to do with mime types but I'd thought I would explore my options first..

Thanks! Any advice on Mime types?