Question

Is there a way to stream a file using ASP.NET MVC FileContentResult within the browser with a specific name?

I have noticed that you can either have a FileDialog (Open/Save) or you can stream the file in a browser window, but then it will use the ActionName when you try to save the file.

I have the following scenario:

byte[] contents = DocumentServiceInstance.CreateDocument(orderId, EPrintTypes.Quote);
result = File(contents, "application/pdf", String.Format("Quote{0}.pdf", orderId));

When I use this, I can stream the bytes, but a OPEN/SAVE file dialog is given to the user. I would like to actually stream this file in a browser window.

If I just use the FilePathResult, it shows the file in a browser window, but then when I click on “Save” button to save the file in PDF, it shows me the Action Name as the name of the file.

Has anyone encountered this?

Answer 1

This might be helpful for whoever else faces this problem. I finally figured out a solution. Turns out, even if we use the inline for "content-disposition" and specify a file name, the browsers still do not use the file name. Instead browsers try and interpret the file name based on the Path/URL.

You can read further on this URL:
Securly download file inside browser with correct filename

This gave me an idea, I just created my URL route that would convert the URL and end it with the name of the file I wanted to give the file. So for e.g. my original controller call just consisted of passing the Order Id of the Order being printed. I was expecting the file name to be of the format Order{0}.pdf where {0} is the Order Id. Similarly for quotes, I wanted Quote{0}.pdf.

In my controller, I just went ahead and added an additional parameter to accept the file name. I passed the filename as a parameter in the URL.Action method.

I then created a new route that would map that URL to the format:
http://localhost/ShoppingCart/PrintQuote/1054/Quote1054.pdf

routes.MapRoute("", "{controller}/{action}/{orderId}/{fileName}",
                new { controller = "ShoppingCart", action = "PrintQuote" }
                , new string[] { "x.x.x.Controllers" }
            );

This pretty much solved my issue.