Send file with PHP

[Githlar]

You may ask "Why would you want to send a file with PHP instead of just linking to the file directly?" Simple answer: Download counter. I want to make a simple text file counter that will show me how many downloads my piece of software has received. What I want to do is to link to a PHP file that will add a hit to this simple text file counter and then route the browser to the file... but I have no idea how to do this. Is it possible to send a file as a browser would usually receive it instead of dumping it to the screen? And, while I'm at it, I DO want to change the MIME type of this file, so the browser recognizes it the way it should as I can't do this with my webspace provider.

 

So, here's the rundown for the sake of simplicity:

1. User clicks the link, which leads to a PHP file.

2. The PHP file adds a count.

3. The PHP file sends the file with the application/x-xpinstall MIME type.

 

Any way to do this?

[mmarif4u]

If u r using db than its simple create an if statement where u have to put the download link, after that put

a query to insert record to db in that if statement.

I think it work, about flatfiles i have no idea,

Wait for someone who will try to help in flatfiles.

[Githlar]

Uh... what? I guess I forgot to mention that I'm a COMPLETE n00b. I haven't done this in so long that I've forgotten nearly everything I learned.

[chigley]

Look into the header() function, counters are fairly easy.

[Githlar]

I've heard of that, but I don't know enough about the internals of a browser to know what to send in order for the browser to think it's a file for download rather than display.

[Githlar]

So, does this mean I should make two calls to the header() function? One that says something along the lines of:

header( "Location: http://mysite.com/myfile.xpi" )

and then

header( "Content-Type: application/x-xpinstall" )

?

[chigley]

You'd be better doing something like this:

 

download.php

 

<?php

// Update your counter here, depending on your preferred method

header("Content-type: application/x-xpinstall"); // Set the content type to the XPI install

readfile("myfile.xpi"); // Read the XPI file to be installed

?>

 

Untested, but give it a try

[Githlar]

OK, well I got the redirect to work using header, but I still can't get the MIME type set. Any ideas?

[Githlar]

Haha! Thank you! I had never heard of readfile() before. I'll look that up as soon as I get done jumping for joy! I thank you very much for all your help. I was wondering if that Content-Type header would stay after a redirect... and I guess it didn't. But it's all fixed now thanks to you! Take THAT stupid web host.

 

For the record I was NOT looking forward to reading the HTTP/1.1 standard, haha! But, if you have an idea what you're looking for, it's not so bad I guess.

[chigley]

So did it work?

[Githlar]

Yes, it worked and I can't thank you enough.