CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptdownload
Maxim V. Pavlov
Maxim V. Pavlov

Reputation: 10509

JavaScript downloader

I want to allow a web site users to be able to download files from my site, but with the help of a client-side downloader with an ability to continue an interrupted download.

For example, I want to sent a person a file with a size of 30+ Meg. I want the user to have the best downloading experience, so I can't afford him downloading 25 Meg and then getting the download dropped due to the network problems on his side.

Therefore, I want to have a javascript downloader rendered on a download page, that will show the actual client-side file delivery, and when it is downloaded, to give an ability to a user to save the file.

Or is it not possible due to the fact that javascript won't be able to open a save file dialog and save to a file system?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 1897

Answers (2)

Minras
Minras

Reputation: 4346

I'm afraid that is not possible with JavaScript and that's why:

To continue downloading from the certain point you should send to the server the position number to start downloading from. And as JavaScript has no access to local file system, you can't get that position.

UPD: it seems that I was too hurrying with the reply. The file size can be gotten using the HTML5 File API and after getting the file size you can pass it to the server which should support the partial downloading.

But anyway, after downloading another part of the file you should sew two pieces together in some way; standard web browser dialog will only suggest to overwrite the file.

UPD2: to work with files in some Internet Explorers you can use FileSystemObject:

var fso;
fso = new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");

Upvotes: 3

lmcanavals
lmcanavals

Reputation: 2366

I'd look into making a plugin or extension. Like those DownloadThemAll extensions for firefox and Google chrome. Another alternative would be to use Flash, either alone or integrating it with javascript like hinted here: http://www.communitymx.com/content/article.cfm?cid=0922A

Upvotes: 0

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