How to change document name after GET using jQuery

Question

We're using an Ajax based reporting package that I'm able to enhance with my own bits of jQuery/javascript. One of the problems we're encountering with this package is that it generates hyperlinks that look like:

<a href="//server/abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz.xlsx" target="_blank">

Since the client's browser doesn't know what to do with .xlsx files, it downloads them to their local drive. That's fine. The problem is that the client hates those long file names and would like to have them replaced with something shorter (for the sake of argument, let's say "abc.xlsx").

I can't just change the href because the server needs the long name to identify the data being returned, so what I need is a way to execute the GET using the original URL but then change the name of the returned file so that it is stored locally using the shorter name.

I know how to use jQuery to override the hyperlink's click function and use $.get() to obtain the data. What I don't know is what I should do once I've gotten the data to change it's apparent filename.

I should have added that our client is using Safari so that wonderful "download=" attribute isn't available. — user2762423
– user2762423, Commented Jan 24, 2014 at 14:40

Joseph Silber · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-24 14:26:01Z

1

For modern browsers, you can use the download attribute:

<a href="//server/abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz.xlsx" download="shortName.xlsx" target="_blank">

answered Jan 24, 2014 at 14:26

Joseph Silber

221k59 gold badges369 silver badges292 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

4 Comments

codebear22 Over a year ago

This is a nice solution

Praveen Govind Over a year ago

The download attribute only works in Firefox and Chrome.

user2762423 Over a year ago

Figures, our client is using Safari.

Joseph Silber Over a year ago

@user2762423 - If they're using Safari, the only way to change it is server side. Since you seem to have no control over that, I'm afraid there's nothing you can really do :(

willicab · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-24 14:29:00Z

0

the tag have a attribute named "download", can you use like

<a href="//server/abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz.xlsx" download="abc.xlsx">Download</a>

In jquery must be something like

$('a').attr('download', 'abc.xlsx');

answered Jan 24, 2014 at 14:29

willicab

645 bronze badges

Comments

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 10:31:41Z

0

You can use attribute download with in anchor tag(a) which will only work in Firefox and Chrome. More info http://www.w3schools.com/tags/att_a_download.asp

But here is a server side script solution Change file name for download and start downloading it after click or delay

edited May 23, 2017 at 10:31

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Jan 24, 2014 at 14:35

Praveen Govind

6,2373 gold badges35 silver badges47 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to change document name after GET using jQuery

3 Answers 3

4 Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

4 Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related