MVC3 change the url

Question

We have a module to generate and store report in PDF format.

The url to get document for example like this:

https://domain.com/Document/GetDocument?documentId=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000

This url will return a document with name: Document_UserName_Date.

However, since there are browser can view PDF file like Chrome, the document will be view right in a tab of browser with above url.

So, when users try to save that document in their computers, the default file name(which get from url) is: https___domain.com.pdf instead of Document_UserName_Date.pdf as we expected. So I'm thinking, if I can just changed the url into:

https://domain.com/Document/Document_UserName_Date.pdf

my problem will be solved.

Have you tried setting the content type to application/pdf in your response? — Srikanth Venugopalan
– Srikanth Venugopalan, Commented Mar 3, 2013 at 8:15
The user also likes to view the document with browsers. That's why I'd like to change the url in the first place — NDC00629
– NDC00629, Commented Mar 3, 2013 at 8:31
Changing the url to have a '.pdf' extension alone might not solve your problem. You should set the right headers, as Darin mentions below. — Srikanth Venugopalan
– Srikanth Venugopalan, Commented Mar 3, 2013 at 8:36

Darin Dimitrov · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-03 08:37:54Z

2

In order to avoid the document being shown in the browser, but the user directly prompted to download it, you could use set the Content-Disposition header to attachment:

Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="Document_UserName_Date.pdf"

This could be done by simply passing the filename as third argument to the File overload:

public ActionResult GetDocument(Guid documentId)
{
    byte[] document = GetDocument(documentId);
    return File(document, "application/pdf", "Document_UserName_Date.pdf");
}

UPDATE:

If you want the user to view the document inline in his browser then you could use routing and define the following route:

routes.MapRoute(
    "ViewPdfRoute",
    "document/{id}/{name}.pdf",
    new { controller = "Home", action = "GetDocument" }
);

and in your controller action:

public ActionResult GetDocument(Guid id, string name)
{
    byte[] pdf = GetDocument(id);
    return File(pdf, "application/pdf");
}

And finally you could request a document like this:

http://domain.com/document/0DF7E254-0576-4BC0-8B05-34FC0F5246A2/document_username_date.pdf

edited Mar 3, 2013 at 8:37

answered Mar 3, 2013 at 8:28

Darin Dimitrov

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3 Comments

NDC00629 Over a year ago

The user also likes to view the document with browsers.That's why I'd like to change the url in the first place

Srikanth Venugopalan Over a year ago

I think Content Type and Content Disposition headers are the key. Athough, I have noted that some of the older browsers do not support inline viewing of PDF.

NDC00629 Over a year ago

Thanks guys, I'll try it as the first thing to do at office tomorrow.

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