# Download a file

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/download-a-file/139532>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [June 4, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/download-a-file/139532 "2008-06-04T19:20:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![feras80](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@feras80](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/feras80)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/download-a-file/139532/1 "2008-06-04T19:20:37Z")

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Hello  
I have a file on the server and i want it to be downloadable by users  
when they press on a link. i tried send\_date, but it created a new  
file instead of grabbing the existing one.  
Here is the code

def download  
send\_data( path=\>“public/files/test.doc” , :filename =\> “test.doc”,  
:type =\> “text/doc”, :disposition =\> “attachment”)  
end

any help will be appreciated 🙂  
Thank you  
Fred

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**Author:** ![feras80](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@feras80](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/feras80)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/download-a-file/139532/2 "2008-06-04T19:28:57Z")

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Fredy wrote:  
| Hello  
| I have a file on the server and i want it to be downloadable by users  
| when they press on a link. i tried send\_date, but it created a new  
| file instead of grabbing the existing one.  
| Here is the code  
|  
| def download  
| send\_data( path=\>“public/files/test.doc” , :filename =\> “test.doc”,  
| :type =\> “text/doc”, :disposition =\> “attachment”)  
| end  
|  
| any help will be appreciated 🙂

Is this Rails, Merb, or…?

Anyway, if it is a framework, you might be better off asking the  
community around the framework for hints and help. 😉

Anyway, if you are using Rails you could use link\_to, for example, as  
described here:

[http://wiki.rubyonrails.org/rails/pages/HowToLinkToStaticFile](http://wiki.rubyonrails.org/rails/pages/HowToLinkToStaticFile)

Note: The code presented there could be vulnerable to code injection, so  
proceed with caution.

* * *

Phillip G.  
Twitter: [twitter.com/cynicalryan](http://twitter.com/cynicalryan)  
Blog: [http://justarubyist.blogspot.com](http://justarubyist.blogspot.com)

~ Verbing weirds language.  
~ — Calvin.  
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**Author:** ![feras80](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@feras80](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/feras80)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/download-a-file/139532/3 "2008-06-04T19:40:54Z")

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On Jun 4, 1:26 pm, Phillip G. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)  
wrote:

> |  
> community around the framework for hints and help. 😉  
> Phillip G.  
> EH0AnRtOJkQ+ac50aLeXgcrUyEIFeZyI  
> =RAc7  
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Hello  
It’s Rails 🙂  
here is the view code:  
\<%= link\_to “Download”, { :action =\> “download” } , :post =\> true  
%\>

as i said in my previous thread, the file is already in the server; no  
need to create, just download it. but i got a new file created  
instead, with nothing in it.  
Thank youg

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![feras80](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@feras80](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/feras80)\
**Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 7:53pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/download-a-file/139532/4 "2008-06-04T19:53:20Z")

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Fredy wrote:

| as i said in my previous thread, the file is already in the server; no  
| need to create, just download it. but i got a new file created  
| instead, with nothing in it.

Have you looked at the link I mentioned? It solves the exact problem you  
have.

* * *

Phillip G.  
Twitter: [twitter.com/cynicalryan](http://twitter.com/cynicalryan)  
Blog: [http://justarubyist.blogspot.com](http://justarubyist.blogspot.com)

ZOOT: I’m afraid our life must seem very dull and quiet compared to  
yours. We are but eightscore young blondes, all between sixteen and  
nineteen-and-a-half, cut off in this castle, with no one to protect us.  
Oooh. It is a lonely life … bathing … dressing … undressing …  
making exciting underwear…  
~ – Monty Python and the Holy Grail  
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