using ASP to zip up file for downloading?

[Andrew]

I am running a windows 2000 sv with IIS. My asp script creates a text file
with an activation generated and put into the text file, so that the text
file can be inported into a software program tha I created. This take away
the maunuly typing in the code.

Is thier an easy way to use asp to zip of the file and then the user can
download the file?

My other question is, is there a way to create a function in asp that can
run when IE closes. I want to delete the file that was created for the user
when the user exits the page, so that they don't fill my hard drive.

Thanks

 

[Ray Costanzo [MVP]]

1. Why do you have to zip a text file? Is it large? The person can
download a text file just fine. If you are trying to get around the fact
that many people wouldn't know to right click the link and do a "Save target
as..." (or other for other browsers) and want to encourage the download,
take a look here. http://www.aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2161

If you decide you still want to zip the file, look here.
http://www.aspfaq.com/show.asp?id=2187

As for your other question, no. The server doesn't know when someone closes
his browser. Perhaps what you should do, should you decide not to zip the
text file, is do:

(Adapted from link above)
<%
Response.ContentType = "application/Andrew's Product Key" ' arbitrary
fn = "productkey.txt"
Response.AddHeader "Content-Disposition","attachment; filename=" & fn

Set adoStream = CreateObject("ADODB.Stream")
adoStream.Open
adoStream.Type = 2 ''(text instead of binary)
adoStream.WriteText "Your product key text"
adoStream.Position = 0
Response.Write adoStream.ReadText
adoStream.Close
Set adoStream = Nothing

Response.End
%>

Ray at home

 

[Andrew]

I'd rather have the people download the file as is, but when you click the
link, it just shows the contents of the file, instead of showing the download
dialog.

 

[Andrew]

thanks that was just what I was needing... thanks again..

 

[JitGanguly]

Just rename the file extension to somethign not recognizable, then it will
ask you to download.

Something like myfile.abc

 

[Aaron Bertrand [SQL Server MVP]]

Depending on how technically savvy the end user is, this might not be a very
wise option. If you can force a download prompt without renaming the file
(like the article demonstrates), why not do that?