PHP to CSV output to download

Question

The snippet reads an ouput stream in a new file CSV. That part works. I can open the file from the server and it looks perfect. The problem is with the file which downloads to my hard drive through the browser. It will not open and read properly in spreadsheet software or Excel on a Windows machine:

$NewFile = fopen($FileName,"w");
fwrite($NewFile, $output);
header('Content-Description: File Transfer');
header('Content-Type: application/octet-stream');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="'.$FileName.'"'); 
header('Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary');
header('Expires: 0');
header('Cache-Control: must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0');
header('Pragma: public');
header('Content-Length: ' . filesize($NewFile));
ob_clean();
flush();
readfile($NewFile);

The content of the CSV looks ��ࡱ� like when I open it from the browser download but looks perfect when I open it directly on the server or download the stored file with FTP.

Have you tried reading it through your browser, without trying to download it? That could tell you if it's your file being messed up by your browser, or if your download code is damaging something. — Patch
– Patch, Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 1:28
Since its a csv should not the encoding be Content-Type: text/plain or even text/csv — Adrian Cornish
– Adrian Cornish, Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 1:33
@AdrianCornish I believe you're right. Being a plain text file, regardless of it's extension and how programs interpret it, it is just text, and should be saved accordingly. — Patch
– Patch, Commented Aug 30, 2012 at 1:34

Community · Accepted Answer · 2023-11-17 20:42:18Z

4

The browser sees the application/octet-stream as a binary type. You need a text/plain content type:

header('Content-Type: text/plain');
// Or:
header('Content-Type: text/csv');
// Or: 
header('Content-Type: application/csv');

The Content-Transfer-Encoding header should be unnecessary if you have the Content-Type correctly set, and indeed it is probably misleading the browser into thinking it has received a binary file as well:

// No need, possibly harmful. Remove it...
// header('Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary');

###Update:

I see another problem. You are setting the Content-Length not to the size of the file, but rather to the file handle opened by fopen(), which mis-informs the browser of the number of bytes to expect. filesize() takes a string filename as its argument, not a file handle. You will probably need to close the handle with fclose($NewFile) before calling filesize().

// Instead of:
header('Content-Length: ' . filesize($NewFile));

// You mean to use $FileName
// close the file handle first...
fclose($NewFile);
header('Content-Length: ' . filesize($FileName));

edited Nov 17, 2023 at 20:42

CommunityBot

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answered Aug 30, 2012 at 1:33

Michael Berkowski

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5 Comments

mrmunk Over a year ago

I tried both application/csv and text/csv - have not tried text/plain but will.

Jonathan Lafleur Over a year ago

I would try with header('Content-Type: text/csv; charset=utf-8');

mrmunk Over a year ago

I think I'm just trying things now and not sticking with my knowledge - probably should pick it up again tomorrow but this is the last thing I need to finish this plugin. Based on what we have said here I now have:

$NewFile = fopen($FileName,"w"); fwrite($NewFile, $output); header('Content-Type: text/csv; charset=utf-8'); header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="'.$FileName.'"'); fclose($NewFile); header('Content-Length: '.filesize($FileName));

Same results. File on server is fine but browser is not. I'm beginning to wonder if there is something in the .htaccess file or config.

Jonathan Lafleur Over a year ago

Here is a documentation you can read about the encoding, because, far has I know it's an encoding problem : webmonkeyuk.wordpress.com/2011/04/23/…

mrmunk Over a year ago

Thanks everyone. I think I just need to get some rest and open it again tomorrow. I agree with @JonathanLaf that it looks like an encoding problem while it's outputting to the browser.

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