Any way to force download a remote file?

Im looking to add a "Download this File" function below every video on one of my sites. I need to force the user to download the file, instead of just linking to it, since that begins playing a file in the browser sometimes. The problem is, the video files are stored in a remote server.

Any way I can force the download in php?

From stackoverflow

• You could try something like this:

  $file_name = 'file.avi';
  $file_url = 'http://www.myremoteserver.com/' . $file_name;
  header('Content-Type: application/octet-stream');
  header("Content-Transfer-Encoding: Binary"); 
  header("Content-disposition: attachment; filename=\"".$file_name."\""); 
  readfile($file_url);
  exit;
  

  I just tested it and it works for me.

  Please note that for readfile to be able to read a remote url, you need to have your fopen_wrappers enabled.

  Chris KL : Just remember to go: str_replace('"', '\\"', $file_name) Before putting it in the header

  Zoredache : The flaw with this is that all the video would run through his server. If the video is on a separate server for bandwidth reasons, this solution will not be acceptable.

  Paolo Bergantino : Point taken. From the sound of the question, though, I got the impression that he does not have access to this remote server, otherwise it would be a trivial problem. If that is the case, as far as I know this would be the only solution.

  Yegor : I do have access to the remote server.

  jmoz : This works for me but it does not tell you the file size and estimated time left, is there a header you need to specify to do this? Also, is it possible to use the filename of the file as it was meant to be, not to re-set it?

  zidane : I have same problem, and access to remote file server? How to initiate download form app server and serve file from remote, without using bandwith of an app server?

• just some random ideas:

  • let your app download the file, zip it and then serve it to the client
  • feature your own download manager like a java app or so
  • maybe just send the correct headers to disable streaming?
  PoweRoy : eek, a custom download manager. People won't be happy to see a slow java applet running to pass a file. Instead use the other comment, like Paolo Bergantino

• Try this:

  <?php
  $FileName = '/var/ww/file.txt';
  header('Content-disposition: attachment; filename="'.$FileName.'"');
  readfile($FileName);
  

  The key is the header(). You need to send the header along with the download and it will force the "Save File" dialog in the user's browser.

• <?php
  $FileName = '/var/ww/file.txt';
  header('Content-disposition: attachment; filename="'.$FileName.'"');
  readfile($FileName);
  

  using this code. is it possible to save the file name to what you want. for example you have url: http://remoteserver.com/file.mp3 instead of "file.mp3" can you use this script to download the file as "newname.mp3"