startDownload

HTML (DHTML)

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startDownload Method

Internet Development Index

Downloads the specified file.

Syntax

download.startDownload(sUrl, fpCallback)

Parameters

sUrl Required. String that specifies the location of the file to download.
fpCallback Required. Function pointer that specifies the code to execute after the download is complete.

Return Value

No return value.

Remarks

The callback function pointer takes a single parameter. When a file downloads successfully, the file contents are passed as the parameter and are accessible in script.

The startDownload method returns only the content of text documents. If a different document format is downloaded, the format is returned, but the file content is not.

Note  In order to use the startDownload method with Microsoft® Visual Basic® Scripting Edition (VBScript), you need to use the GetRef to obtain a function pointer. The function pointer can then be passed to startDownload.

The following sample code shows a callback function.

// The callback function accepts one parameter.
function fnCallBack(vData){
/* vData stores the downloaded file content.
The content can be split into an array,
written to another file, or processed in a form.
*/
var aData=vData.split("\n");
}

Examples

This example uses the startDownload method to begin downloading a file when the user clicks the link. In addition, the specified callback function, onDownloadDone, is notified when the download is complete.

<HTML XMLNS:MSIE >
<MSIE:DOWNLOAD ID="oDownload" STYLE="behavior:url(#default#download)" />
<SCRIPT>
function onDownloadDone(s) { alert (s); }
</SCRIPT>
<P>Click <A HREF="javascript:oDownload.startDownload('download.htm',
onDownloadDone)">here</A> to download this page.
This feature requires Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5 or later. Click the following icon to install the latest version. Then reload this page to view the sample.

This example demonstrates using the download behavior with VBScript.

<HTML XMLNS:IE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="VBScript">
Function onDownloadDone(s)
MsgBox s
End Function
</SCRIPT>
<IE:DOWNLOAD ID="oDownload" STYLE="behavior:url(#default#download)" />
<button
onclick="vbscript:oDownload.startDownload 'downloadvb.htm', GetRef('onDownloadDone')">
Download File</button>

Standards Information

There is no public standard that applies to this method.

Applies To

download
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