How to make a html form submit automatically using php

[Osram]

I have the following empty form that needs to be submitted automatically, but which doesn't work:

echo "<form name = \"myform\" id = \"myform\" style= \"margin-left:180px; padding-top:100px\" method=\"post\" action=\"";
echo htmlspecialchars($_SERVER["PHP_SELF"]);
echo "\">";	
echo "<input type=\"hidden\" name=\"Next\"  value =\"1\">";
echo "<input style = \"margin-left:260px\" type=\"submit\" name=\"submit\" value=\"Download\">";
echo "</form>";  
echo "<script>document.getElementById('myform').submit();</script>"; 

The reason I have this form is that I have a downloading routine at the beginning of the script:

if ($_SERVER["REQUEST_METHOD"] == "POST") {
   
   $OK=1;
   
   if($_POST["Next"]==1){
     $exe = "setup.exe";
     header("Content-Type: application/octet-stream"); // binary file
     header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=\"setup.exe\""); // download as "Installation-file.exe"
     header("Content-Length: " . filesize($exe)); // tells the browser and user how large the file download will be
     readfile($exe); // dump the file
     exit();
   } 

Can anyone help? Thanks in advance.

 

[Barand]

For downloading, the form and download code neeed to be in separate scripts. Set form action to the download script.

[Osram]

Well, the thing is that the script works as it is now by clicking the submit button. The download works fine. The only thing is that I want to avoid having to click the submit button, so that the submit happens automatically.

[cyberRobot]

Is there a reason for having the form? I imagine there's something directing the user to download the installation file, maybe a link. Could that link just go directly to the download script and bypass the form altogether?

Edited February 16, 2018 by cyberRobot
fixed typo

[Osram]

Yes, as long as the process is automatic, it doesn't matter which way it is done. I have also tried different commands to make the script start another script, but even that I have not been able to do.

[Osram]

So I finally found the solution myself. I put the download script in a separate file and used the following command:

 

window.open ('dl.php','_self',false);

 

Thanks for trying to help.

 

Sincerely