Hi guys I am using a simple html link to save a generated .xml file

<a href="./serverfile.xml">Save your file</a>

Problem is that, when I click on the above link, instead of opening the file dialog box to save the file in my local windows puter, the browser opens it like a web page.

Is there any solution to the problem? Maybe some JavaScript or something.... Also is it possible to open the file dialog box at a defined folder path?

Thank you so much !

Hi guys I am using a simple html link to save a generated .xml file

<a href="./serverfile.xml">Save your file</a>

Problem is that, when I click on the above link, instead of opening the file dialog box to save the file in my local windows puter, the browser opens it like a web page.

Is there any solution to the problem? Maybe some JavaScript or something.... Also is it possible to open the file dialog box at a defined folder path?

Thank you so much !

• javascript
• html

• This is something that you should ideally do at the server. Which server software are you using? – JJJ Commented Apr 18, 2015 at 16:57
• Possible dupe of stackoverflow./questions/3749231/… – nestedloop Commented Apr 18, 2015 at 16:58
• possible duplicate.. see this answer: stackoverflow./questions/10615797/… – micahblu Commented Apr 18, 2015 at 16:59
• possible duplicate of Force a browser to save file as after clicking link – redbmk Commented Apr 18, 2015 at 17:02
• possible duplicate of How to force a Download File prompt instead of displaying it in-browser with HTML? – Bram Vanroy Commented Apr 18, 2015 at 17:02

1 Answer 1

You could do so with headers from the server side with the following headers:

Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=Filename.xml

If you specify the server side language, if you have control on that side, I can change that to code instead of generic header.

Or from the client side via a html5 attribute: http://www.sitepoint./new-html5-attributes-hyperlinks-download-media-ping/.

<a href="./serverfile.xml" download="Filename.xml">Save your file</a>

That may not work in all browsers, see http://caniuse./#feat=download to see if you want to do client or server side handling.