[SOLVED] Download problem

[Tomski]

Hi,

 

I'm having problems downloading an MySQL table to a csv file.  I followed this pretty useful tutorial:

 

http://www.ineedtutorials.com/code/php/export-mysql-data-to-csv-php-tutorial

 

But as opposed to getting a download box the output is dumper into the browser.  I assume it's something to do with my header arguments, but having sat here for ages trying a variety of arrangements and getting nowhere I thought I'd ask you guys.  I'm getting the same thing on both Mozilla/5.0 and IE7.  Here is my code:

 

function exportMysqlToCsv($table,$filename){ // = 'export.csv'){

    $csv_terminated = "\n";
    $csv_separator = ",";
    $csv_enclosed = '"';
    $csv_escaped = "\\";
    $sql_query = "select * from $table";

    // Gets the data from the database
    $result = mysql_query($sql_query);
    $fields_cnt = mysql_num_fields($result);


    $schema_insert = '';

    for ($i = 0; $i < $fields_cnt; $i++)
    {
        $l = $csv_enclosed . str_replace($csv_enclosed, $csv_escaped . $csv_enclosed, stripslashes(mysql_field_name($result, $i))) . $csv_enclosed;
        $schema_insert .= $l;
        $schema_insert .= $csv_separator;
    } // end for

    $out = trim(substr($schema_insert, 0, -1));
    $out .= $csv_terminated;

    // Format the data
    while ($row = mysql_fetch_array($result))
    {
        $schema_insert = '';
        for ($j = 0; $j < $fields_cnt; $j++)
        {
            if ($row[$j] == '0' || $row[$j] != '')
            {

                if ($csv_enclosed == '')
                {
                    $schema_insert .= $row[$j];
                } else
                {
                    $schema_insert .= $csv_enclosed . str_replace($csv_enclosed, $csv_escaped . $csv_enclosed, $row[$j]) . $csv_enclosed;
                }
            } else
            {
                $schema_insert .= '';
            }

            if ($j < $fields_cnt - 1)
            {
                $schema_insert .= $csv_separator;
            }
        } // end for

        $out .= $schema_insert;
        $out .= $csv_terminated;
    } // end while


    //Letting browser know length
    header("Content-Length: " . strlen($out));

    // Output to browser with appropriate mime type, you choose 
    //header("Content-type: text/x-csv");
    //header("Content-type: text/csv");


    //cache stuff
    header("Expires: 0");
    header("Cache-control: private");
    header("Cache-Control: must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0");
    //header("Content-Type: application/vnd.ms-excel");
    //header("Content-type: text/plain");
    header("Content-type: text/x-csv");
    header("Content-disposition: attachment; filename=" . $filename . ".csv");

    echo $out;
    echo headers_sent(); //testing headers
    exit;

}

?>

 

Cheers,

 

T

[ignace]

I don't think there is a problem with your code your browser just recognizes the extension and instead of downloading it display's it. The same thing happens when you download a pdf file instead of downloading, the browser reads the file, loads the plugin and display's the pdf in browser.

 

Try adding a different extension and see if that helps

 

P.S. remove the echo headers_sent();

[Tomski]

Cheers for the reply.

 

I thought that was the point of the:

 

header("Content-disposition: attachment; filename=" . $filename);

 

So that you could save the out put as a file instead of displaying it.  I tried it with a pdf extension and get the same thing.

 

T

[ignace]

I was actually referring to an extension that your browser definitly not knows like .foo for example

[PFMaBiSmAd]

What is your code that is using that function? If you are outputting any content before the headers, the headers don't work.

[Tomski]

I was about to post what's written below.  Then I realised that my connectDB has an echo in if the connection fails.  Removed it and hey presto.  What a tit, I read that header sticky too before posting.

 

Anyway cheers guys.

 

 

My calling code is below.  I'm just trying to get the download to work before I add it to my page so there in no output.  I searched around quite a lot before posting this as well so was aware of that common mistake so I don't think it's that.

 

<?

     include('connectDB.php');  //connect to database

     require 'exportcsv.inc.php';
     $table="arrivals"; // this is the tablename that you want to export to csv from mysql.
     exportMysqlToCsv($table, 'export.csv');

?>

[PFMaBiSmAd]

Add the following two lines immediately after your first opening <?php tag (and please use full <?php tags instead of the short <? tag, which may in fact be the cause of your problem) -

 

ini_set ("display_errors", "1");
error_reporting(E_ALL);

 

You may need to temporarily comment out the header() statements to see exactly what is being sent to the browser.