Re: Temp file strategy

[Tanktalus]

Is it possible to not create the temp file until the user selects to download it, but to provide a link with all the CGI parms needed to generate the file? Then you can generate it directly to stdout (aka, the socket via apache).

I don't think any of the temp file solutions written above will work across invocations of your CGI code since they will all remove the file as your script exits, too early for the user to click on a link to download.

[signal9]

"Is it possible to not create the temp file until the user selects to download it...?"

Sure, just output your preferred filetype w/ proper MIME type just like you would a web page. Nothing fancy at all, and I've been known to do this.

"I don't think any of the temp file solutions written above will work across invocations of your CGI..."

Reread the above example. Files are deleted after an arbitrary "timeout". We do this alot for CSV downloads of reports where I work. Usually we do 24hrs. Sure, if someone runs a report, but doesn't click on the CSV link until sometime tomorrow the file will be gone. I don't think that's unreasonable, but it's really up to you how long the file sticks around.

Of course, these are hand-rolled solutions. I think I'm going to have to look into the File::Temp module folks keep talking about.