How to implement file download with AJAX and MVC

Question

I would like to provide a file download operation by using the jQuery AJAX call with some params under MVC

Example

(javascript)
function DoDownload(start         


        

Answer 1

What I ended up doing is calling my controller from my javascript like:

var url = "/mycontroller/GetFile?startDate=" + $("#mydate").val() + etc...

window.location = url;

mycontroller.cs

 public void GetFile(DateTime startDate) 
{

}

My original concern was with the date parameters. I didnt want to have to parse it.

Answer 2

Using the ActionLink helper, you can pass multiple params to your controller:

HtmlHelper.ActionLink(
    string linkText, 
    string actionName, 
    string controllerName, 
    object routeValues, 
    object htmlAttributes
)

So in your case:

@Html.ActionLink("Download file", "GetFile", "MyController", new { startDate = "##" }, new { id="mydownloadlink" })

Using jQuery you can change the value of the startDate in the link with the content of your date picker or textbox.

$("#mydownloadlink").attr("href").replace("##", $("#yourdatetexbox").val);

Then, in your controller, just use one of the other answers here, about FileResult.

Hope this help you...

Answer 3

Your controller action method should return a FileResult instead of void. And there is no need to do this via AJAX - in fact, you don't want to do this with AJAX. You'll need the browser involved so it knows to provide a download dialog for the user.

See these links:

Handling an ASP.NET MVC FileResult returned in an (jQuery) Ajax call

File download in Asp.Net MVC 2

I hope this helps.

Answer 4

You can use the File method of controller class to return a file back to the browser.

The below sample returns a pdf file.

public ActionResult GetFile(int id)
{
  var fileInfo=repositary.GetFileDedetails(id);
  var byteArrayOFFile=fileInfo.FileContentAsByteArray();
  return File(byteArrayOFFile,"application/pdf","yourFriendlyName.pdf");
}

Assuming repositary.GetFileDedetails method returns the details of the file from the id.

You may also return the file from a physical location(a path) or a stream. Check all the overloads of the File method and use appropriate one.

This has nothing to do with ajax. this is normal GET request over a browser.