[SOLVED] Force Download of a remote file on another server, possible?

[ThunderAI]

There is a server that updates a known file every day.  How do I program PHP using header() or another function to go to this website, download the file and place it in a folder for another script to conduct work on it.

 

From what I can see an read about header() that doesn't seem to be able to do what I am looking for.  Is this type of request even possible?

[jonsjava]

prolly a simpler answer, but here's mine:

<?php
$file = "example.zip"; //the file name
$remote_url = "http://example/"; //the server address (minus the file name)
$local_dir = "/home/user/script/"; //the directory you want the file saved to (absolute path)
/* STOP EDIT */
$full_file = $local_dir.$file;
$command = "/usr/bin/wget $file --output-document=$full_file";
shell_exec($command);
?>

change  $file, $remote_url, and $local_dir, and it will save the file to your desired folder. Next, add it to a cron (ask if you need help w/ that), and it can do it for you automatically.

[ThunderAI]

Im going to need help with Cron, cause i dont even know what that it.

[ThunderAI]

prolly a simpler answer, but here's mine:

<?php
$file = "example.zip"; //the file name
$remote_url = "http://example/"; //the server address (minus the file name)
$local_dir = "/home/user/script/"; //the directory you want the file saved to (absolute path)
/* STOP EDIT */
$full_file = $local_dir.$file;
$command = "/usr/bin/wget $file --output-document=$full_file";
shell_exec($command);
?>

I tried to execute this on my own localhost to a server i also run, and it wont copy the file and wont give an error either

change  $file, $remote_url, and $local_dir, and it will save the file to your desired folder. Next, add it to a cron (ask if you need help w/ that), and it can do it for you automatically.

[jonsjava]

Is your server windows, or Linux?

[DarkWater]

You can use file_get_contents().

[jonsjava]

I'm too much of a linux admin. file_get_contents is much better.

[DarkWater]

I'm too much of a linux admin. file_get_contents is much better.

 

Lol, I love wget.  Just not when writing PHP.

[ThunderAI]

Is your server windows, or Linux?

 

The server is on a xampp install for development on a windows machine.

[DarkWater]

Lol, Windows. =/  You might want to consider getting a Linux server.

[jonsjava]

<?php
$file = "file.ext"; //the file name
$remote_url = "http://example.com/"; //the server address (minus the file name)
$local_dir = "c:/xampp/htdocs/your_folder"; //the directory you want the file saved to (absolute path)
/* STOP EDIT */
$full_file = $local_dir.$file;
$dl_file = file_get_contents($remote_url.$file);
print $dl_file;
$fh = fopen($full_file, "w+");
fwrite($fh, $dl_file);
fclose($fh);

?>

this should fix you up.

[DarkWater]

@jons_java:  He can just file_put_contents instead of the whole fopen routine.

[jonsjava]

@jons_java:  He can just file_put_contents instead of the whole fopen routine.

*grumble grumble* You just take all the fun out of programming! *lol*

[ThunderAI]

<?php
$file = "file.ext"; //the file name
$remote_url = "http://example.com/"; //the server address (minus the file name)
$local_dir = "c:/xampp/htdocs/your_folder"; //the directory you want the file saved to (absolute path)
/* STOP EDIT */
$full_file = $local_dir.$file;
$dl_file = file_get_contents($remote_url.$file);
print $dl_file;
$fh = fopen($full_file, "w+");
fwrite($fh, $dl_file);
fclose($fh);

?>

this should fix you up.

 

That my friend is awesome.  It works..  Now the question is, when i download a .rar file, when the download is over the screen in IE displays the contents of the file which is junk.  Can I prevent that from happening so tat the script can continue on to do other stuff?

[jonsjava]

remove print $dl_file;

I had that in there for testing purposes.

[ThunderAI]

Thanks so very much