Code to force a windows comp to use MSWORD to open a doc

[wintersilke]

I've got a webpage that has a downloadable .doc with some VBA code in it.  When the link is clicked, the user's browser tries to open the doc file embedded in the browser, fails because of the VBA code, and then opens the file in MSWord.  I would like to make this process more seamless and have come to understand that there a combination of html code and php code that will can force the user's local computer open the server saved word document using MS Word.

 

I originally used this code from another forum but was unable to get it to work.  I substituted my server file link in the html code as the target.  Now, when the link is clicked, the php file is opened up as a txt file within the browser.

 

Any help would be appriciated.

 

create a downloadword.php file

 

 

<?

if($_GET["dwn"]) {

 

  // ob_clean(); // emptying the buffer (v >= 4.2)

 

  // Dialog for the download

  header("content-type: application/octet-stream");

  // only for application type:  application/octet-stream !

  header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=".$_GET["dwn"]);

 

  // open with MSWord

  header("content-type: application/msword");

  // open with MSExcel

  // header("content-type: application/vnd.ms-excel");

  // open with text

  // header("content-type: text/plain");

 

  flush(); // send the buffer

 

  readfile($_GET["dwn"]); // send the file

 

}?>

 

 

Check or Uncheck the commented lines, depending on what type of file you use. (word, excel, or other)

 

 

In your HTML file :

 

  <A href="downloadword.php?dwn=yourfile.doc">Test</A>

 

 

Change yourfile.word with the correct file.

[Mchl]

Do you have php available on your server?

[ignace]

// Dialog for the download
   header("content-type: application/octet-stream");

   // open with MSWord
   header("content-type: application/msword");
   // open with MSExcel
   // header("content-type: application/vnd.ms-excel");
   // open with text
   // header("content-type: text/plain");

 

This basically replaces content-type with: application/octet-stream then rechanges it to application/msword until it finally ends up with text/plain. You can only define one content-type

[Mchl]

This basically replaces content-type with: application/octet-stream then rechanges it to application/msword until it finally ends up with text/plain. You can only define one content-type

 

Probably a piece of code given as an example somewhere else

 

Anyway,  wintersilke if you do have PHP available, first try changing <? to <?php and see if the script runs this time instead of being downloaded.

[wintersilke]

It is not working...and yes it was a piece of code that I copied from elsewhere that was suppose to do what I wanted to happen....

 

Its very odd....this html code is basically downloading the php code and displaying it as plain text in the browser...

 

href=3D"http://............/downloadword.=

php?dwn=3D\\myserver\...............\Con=

ductivity_Request.doc">Online=20

                        Request Form;</A><A=20

 

Forgive me if I do not display the entire addresses.  I realize that anyone can see what I write here.

 

Does anyone see anything wrong with what I have here?

 

 

[wintersilke]

I just learned that if you are prompted to download the php file, that means that php is not running on that server so this solution to my problem is not going to work at the moment.

 

I guess that means a java solution of some sort.

[Mchl]

You probably mean JavaScript. It won't help as far as I know.

[haku]

That's right, it won't. Javascript can't do what you want.