A better way to use PDF files online

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RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -f
RewriteRule ^(.+)\.pdf$  /cgi-bin/pdf.php?file=$1 [L,NC,QSA]

<?php
if(!isset($_GET['file']))die('LOGGED! no file specified');
 
$file_path=$_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'].'/'.strip_tags(htmlentities($_GET['file'])).'.pdf';
 
if ($fp = fopen ($file_path, "r")) {
    $file_info = pathinfo($file_path);
    $file_name = $file_info["basename"];
    $file_size = filesize($file_path);
    $file_extension = strtolower($file_info["extension"]);
 
    if($file_extension!='pdf') {
        die('LOGGED! bad extension');
    }

    ob_start();
    header('Content-type: application/pdf');
    header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="'.$file_name.'"');
    header("Content-length: $file_size");
    ob_end_flush();
 
    while(!feof($fp)) {
        $file_buffer = fread($fp, 2048);
        echo $file_buffer;
    }

    fclose($fp);
    exit;
    exit();
} else {
    die('LOGGED! bad file '.$file_path);
}
?>

Reader Comments

1. Matt ~

   Sounds good, but, um, I don’t see the file…

2. Saieditor ~

   I like this solution; but where does this pdf file go?

3. Elaine ~

   It doesn’t seem to work quite right if you right-click on the link & save as…which is something I do a lot of the time, if I have a hunch a link is a PDF. Any thoughts? (Because I LOVE the general idea!)

4. Mark Harris ~

   One of the most annoying things on the Internet for me is when I click on a link to a website and it plays music at me. Especially when it’s one of a number of pages I’m opening in a background and I have to go hunting for it. If you’re talking about giving users choice on how to consume content, you might think about your own site.

   Otherwise, good article

5. Steven Clark ~

   Interesting article, thanks for sharing.

   I do find the loud intrusive music on this page to be somewhat as irritating as the PDF issue though… sorry.

6. Emil ~

   Not to be a pain in the ass (I really appreciate the article) but reading the starting words “One of the most annoying things on the internet for me…” while a song you never asked to hear is blasting out of your speakers late at night is sort of ironic. And a teeny tiny flash player (set to autoplay) that took me ages to find (“What tab did that? And where on the page?”) and shut off. Autoplaying sounds is a big usability no-no, as far as I and most people I know are concerned. Sorry if I sound grumpy, I was just not ready to rock. :)

7. patrick h. lauke ~

   two questions really:

   - what’s wrong with simply using one of the standard methods that have been out there for ages to force download?

   <Files *.pdf>
   ForceType application/octet-stream
   Header set Content-Disposition attachment
   </Files>

   or just

   AddType application/octet-stream .pdf

   - if it’s just something that annoys you as an end user, why not simply change it at your end? open up your standalone adobe reader, preferences, internet and untick the “Display PDF in browser” checkbox. for every user hates the default PDF behaviour there is probably another that actually really likes it and would hate this solution.

8. Andy Towler ~

   Why does your site play a song (The Final Countdown I think) without me asking it to? Your article talks about visitor satisfaction – I think you should consider whether this kind of thing is likely to lead to increased satisfaction or intense irritation.

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