Java Servlet: how to escape the pound character when setting response header?

Question

My Java servlet includes the following line:

response.addHeader("Content-Disposition", "filename=myFile.pdf");

I need to include a named destination defined in the PDF file as part of the file name. Ideally, I could use the following:

response.addHeader("Content-Disposition", "filename=myFile.pdf#Chapter3");

but when I run it, the url in the browser shows /path/to/myFile.pdf%23Chapter3 instead of the desired /path/to/myFile.pdf#Chapter3.

How to escape the # in "filename=myFile#Chapter3"? Escaping with \ gives a compile-time error. Escaping with &035; doesn't work either.

That's the correct thing for it to show in an address bar. Why are you concerned with a browser URL, shouldn't you be worried about a 'Save As' dialog? — bmargulies
– bmargulies, Commented Apr 8, 2014 at 22:33
@bmargulies that's a header, though, not an address bar (and why does it show as a URL at all I wonder?) — fge
– fge, Commented Apr 8, 2014 at 22:33
I'm not sure what you're doing is valid. It's a filename, not a URL: it doesn't have a fragment part. — user207421
– user207421, Commented Apr 8, 2014 at 22:36
@ggkmath That link is about URLs. This question is about the filename in the Content-disposition header. It's not relevant. — user207421
– user207421, Commented Apr 8, 2014 at 22:47

Aaron · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-08 22:43:07Z

3

RFC 2616 defines that "the Content-Disposition response-header field has been proposed as a means for the origin server to suggest a default filename if the user requests that the content is saved to a file" so I don't think you can do what you intend to through your servlet. Maybe you will have better luck with some script in the pdf : you could imagine parsing its own name to dynamically set it at the right anchor at opening.

answered Apr 8, 2014 at 22:43

Aaron

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2 Comments

ggkmath Over a year ago

Perhaps it is a filename. I was hoping since it shows up in the URL that adding the #nameddest=... would implement advancing to the PDF named destination. Perhaps that's wishful thinking.

user207421 Over a year ago

There's no 'perhaps' about it. It is a filename.

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