I have a link on the website to a php file that generates native excel file on a fly ant outputs it directly to browser via headers for user to to open/save. Since it takes some time for the file to be generated I'd like to use jQuery Ajax to make the call and use some loading animation in the mean while.
The only thing I'm not sure how to do is how to output the file into the browser after Ajax call? Is it even possible?
(N.B. This is a paraphrasing of @dmitry's answer, but just elaborated upon)
The problem you have is that there is no means of directly returning a file to the user via AJAX - the browser has to request the file using a normal, synchronous HTTP request.
To solve this, your PHP will need to:
file_put_contents() or similar).Your JS, on receiving this response will then need to:
window.open() (or redirect in the current tab/window by setting location.href).I think you can make a trick: generate file and return path to generated file in your Ajax response and then just call
window.location = fileUrl
also there some techniques with iframe Ajax
Why don't you use iframe where you load the actual php file that generates the excel file? That way you won't block the UI while the file is being generated and browser will trigger download dialog.
There's no way that you can send a file via javascript, at least not in the manner of forcing the browser to open the download dialog.
