Download Excel file Zend framework - excel

Question

When a user click a button I have to create an excel file (and this works perfect) but in the same time the user have to download the file that I've created before, but the download doesn't start...
Controller:
public function downloadAction() {
// I create the excel file .......
$this->_helper->layout->disableLayout();
$this->_helper->viewRenderer->setNoRender();
$this->getResponse()->setRawHeader( "Content-Type: application/vnd.ms-excel; charset=UTF-8" )
->setRawHeader( "Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=excel.xls" )
->setRawHeader( "Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary" )
->setRawHeader( "Expires: 0" )
->setRawHeader( "Cache-Control: must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0" )
->setRawHeader( "Pragma: public" )
->setRawHeader( "Content-Length: " . filesize( $filename ) )
->sendResponse();
echo json_encode(array(
'success' => 'true',
'xls' => 'http://'.$_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'].'/export/excel.xls'
));
exit();
}

Answer 1

Same time is not possible, as the content of the file is passed inside the body of the response with Content-Disposition header.
Yóu need to create 2 seperated calls.
After the client recieves the JSON Response, the client need to call another uri, maybe the one you just delivered to get the content of the file.
On a website you need to add an iframe into the page, which has src="http://'.$_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'].'/export/excel.xls".
<iframe src="http://'.$_SERVER['SERVER_NAME'].'/export/excel.xls"></iframe>
This will start the download inside the current page, else the page would be changed an an empty window will be shown.
Maybe use Javascript to generate the html for the iframe or just add a hidden iframe with id="downloadContainer" and just change the src for this iframe.
Another idea would be, sending the JSON data as header together with the file as body.
X-status: success
X-filename: //server.com/export/test.xls
But both params are not needed, as you could use default transfer specific params for it.
Why not use HTTP StatusCode for success/error status.
200 -Ok
201 -Created
400 -Bad request
404 -Not found
405 -Not allowed
500 -Server error
Set the HTTP Response Code inside Controller Action like that:
$this->getResponse()->setHttpResponseCode(405);
And for filename use your Content disposition header.
To send the file content just do:
readfile($absolute_path_to_file);
exit(1);