Re: HTML to allow users to download a file

Ed:

Actually, its even simpler:

<a href="path/filename.ext">Clickable Words</a>

If you put the file to be downloaded in the same directory as the page, you
won't even need the path.

Unless I'm mistaken--I often am--you don't need the "ftp" part unless you
expect the viewer to use a FTP program for the download. Possible--even
desirable sometimes - - maybe ??--but not necessary.

Example: If the file above was:
<a href="filename.pdf">Clickable Words</a>
or
<a href="filename.doc">Clickable Words</a>

Either the Acrobat reader or MS Word would automatically "morph" into
Internet Explorer and display the file. Similarly, the same thing would
happen with an Excel or Access file. Of course, the viewer MUST have the
appropriate program on their machine.

They could then print it and/or save it to their hard drive as they saw fit.
This is often used as a means of creating "pages" to be printed by the
viewer.

Granted--ahem-- there are still a few not yet using IE-4 or later. In their
cases, they will usually get a pop up screen asking what they want to do
with the file. And--If their browser is really challenged, they may have to
save it to disk and then open it in whatever.

However--If they choose Open It, in most cases on a Windows machine,
whatever program has been assigned to that file extension will launch with
the file showing.

If--on the other hand--the file is downloaded via FTP, then the viewer will
have to do all the above manually. (ie: Download it to their hard drive and
then open the correct application themselves and locate the download via
"Open File".

So--If by now--you are now, totally confused, my work is done!!

Best wishes
Ted Temer
Temercraft Designs Redding, CA
temer(at)c-zone.net
www.temercraft.com/novels/
www.newsredding.com/
www.ramac-rc.org/


> I want to include a link on my website that the users can click to
download
> an excel spreadsheet, or some other type of file.  How do I do this?  Do I
> simply put..
>
> <a href="ftp://celticblues.com/file.xls">Download File</a>?
>
> Ed
>
> ---------------------------------------
> Ed Peddycoart
> CG�, Inc.
> ---------------------------------------
> "Character is doing your best when
>  nobody is watching."
>  ~ to J. C. Watts by his father
> ---------------------------------------
>
>

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