How can I present a file for download from an MVC controller?

In WebForms, I would normally have code like this to let the browser present a "Download File" popup with an arbitrary file type, like a PDF, and a filename:

Response.Clear()
Response.ClearHeaders()
''# Send the file to the output stream
Response.Buffer = True

Response.AddHeader("Content-Length", pdfData.Length.ToString())
Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition", "attachment; filename= " & Server.HtmlEncode(filename))

''# Set the output stream to the correct content type (PDF).
Response.ContentType = "application/pdf"

''# Output the file
Response.BinaryWrite(pdfData)

''# Flushing the Response to display the serialized data
''# to the client browser.
Response.Flush()
Response.End()

How do I accomplish the same task in ASP.NET MVC?

Solution 1:

Return a FileResult or FileStreamResult from your action, depending on whether the file exists or you create it on the fly.

public ActionResult GetPdf(string filename)
{
    return File(filename, "application/pdf", Server.UrlEncode(filename));
}

Solution 2:

To force the download of a PDF file, instead of being handled by the browser's PDF plugin:

public ActionResult DownloadPDF()
{
    return File("~/Content/MyFile.pdf", "application/pdf", "MyRenamedFile.pdf");
}

If you want to let the browser handle by its default behavior (plugin or download), just send two parameters.

public ActionResult DownloadPDF()
{
    return File("~/Content/MyFile.pdf", "application/pdf");
}

You'll need to use the third parameter to specify a name for the file on the browser dialog.

UPDATE: Charlino is right, when passing the third parameter (download filename) Content-Disposition: attachment; gets added to the Http Response Header. My solution was to send application\force-download as the mime-type, but this generates a problem with the filename of the download so the third parameter is required to send a good filename, therefore eliminating the need to force a download.

Solution 3:

You can do the same in Razor or in the Controller, like so..

@{
    //do this on the top most of your View, immediately after `using` statement
    Response.ContentType = "application/pdf";
    Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition", "attachment; filename=receipt.pdf");
}

Or in the Controller..

public ActionResult Receipt() {
    Response.ContentType = "application/pdf";
    Response.AddHeader("Content-Disposition", "attachment; filename=receipt.pdf");

    return View();
}

I tried this in Chrome and IE9, both is downloading the pdf file.

I probably should add I am using RazorPDF to generate my PDFs. Here is a blog about it: http://nyveldt.com/blog/post/Introducing-RazorPDF