Question

I need to download two Excel files onto the client, and then run a (diff) executable against them. I know how to download a single Excel file, from
here. But how to download a second one automatically in succession? And then how to run a batch command on them? Is this even realistic? Any guidance or pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

Answer 1

To download multiple files at once you have two main options:

1) Just open multiple windows to your page generation script to download multiple files as per http://www.webdeveloper.com/forum/showpost.php?s=b4f6b25edeb6b7ea55434c4685a675fe&p=950225&postcount=6

2) Archive the files into a package (zip/arj/7z etc..) and send the archive to the client.
eg. http://www.motobit.com/tips/detpg_multiple-files-one-request/

As for doing the diff client-side that is a lot more tricky as Shhnap has already mentioned. If you are doing this for a controlled client base you may be able to get them to allow permissions for an ActiveX script that runs something client side. (Or fire off a console application) – but if you don’t have fine control over the client environment then i can’t think of a way to do it.

As Shhnap suggested can you not just do the comparison server-side (and then send this to the client as a third file?)