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Downloading a Zip file to IE using conent-disposition

I am trying to serve zip files to people so that they are given the Open, Save, Cancel dialog. I have got this code to work with Firefox, but IE somehow corrupts the file and it is unreadable on the client - though the same size as created on the server. Here is the code:
dim filename as string ="123456789.zip"

Response.Clear()
Response.ClearContent()
Response.ClearHeaders() ' just wanted to be absolutely sure that the page had not set anything and that there is no content from the page
Response.ExpiresAbsolute = Nothing
Response.CacheControl = ""
Response.AppendHeader("content-disposition", "attachment; filename=""" & filename & """")

Dim g As Integer = fi.LengthResponse.ContentType = "application/zip" 'tried application/x-zip-compressed too but makes no difference

'Dim fi As New FileInfo(filename)
'Response.AppendHeader("Content-Length", g.ToString) 'adding this made no difference

Response.WriteFile(server.mappath("/myzipdir/" & filename)
Response.Flush()
Response.End()

The headers that IE receives:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Transfer-Encoding: chunked
Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 09:18:32 GMT
Content-Type: application/zip
Expires: Wed, 31 May 2006 09:18:32 GMT
Cache-Control: no-cache
Pragma: no-cache
Server: Microsoft-IIS/6.0
X-AspNet-Version: 2.0.50727
content-disposition: attachment; filename="123456789.zip"
Content-Encoding: gzip
Vary: Accept-Encoding
Via: 1.1 cbs-cache1 (NetCache NetApp/5.6.2R1)

Any ideas?

Thanks

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vinodhsomasekharan

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ctudorprice

ASKER

As a follow-on to this question:

It appears that either gzip or Trasfer-Encoding: chunked is causing IE to corrupt the zip file.... Hmmmm.
I have httpZIP on my production server, so I have turned off gzip for this specific page, but I can't seem to stop the Transfer-Encoding: chunked and get a Content-Length header instead.

This is the header the browswer gets now and still not working. Anyone know how to control Transfer-Encoding in ASP.NET / IIS?

HTTP/1.1 100 Continue
Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 10:54:55 GMT
Via: 1.1 cbs-cache1 (NetCache NetApp/5.6.2R1)

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Transfer-Encoding: chunked
Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 10:55:03 GMT
Content-Type: application/zip
Expires: Wed, 31 May 2006 10:55:03 GMT
Cache-Control: no-cache
Server: Microsoft-IIS/6.0
X-AspNet-Version: 2.0.50727
content-disposition: attachment; filename="2006-05-31-121013-properties.zip"
Pragma: no-cache
Via: 1.1 cbs-cache1 (NetCache NetApp/5.6.2R1)

ctudorprice

ASKER

GOT IT - 10 hours later.... Thanks Vinu for you answer - I guess that would have worked too but had solved it before I saw your answer. You get the points.

IE 6 is finally behaving here is the header:

HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 12:04:10 GMT
Content-Length: 19557
Content-Type: application/octet-stream
Expires: Thu, 01 Jun 2006 12:04:10 GMT
Cache-Control: private
Server: Microsoft-IIS/6.0
X-AspNet-Version: 2.0.50727
content-disposition: attachment; filename=2006_05_31_1319-properties.zip
Via: 1.1 cbs-cache1 (NetCache NetApp/5.6.2R1)

Here is the asp.net code I used:

Response.Clear()
Response.ContentType = "application/octet-stream" 'dunno why but application/zip application/x-zip-compressed don't work
Response.ExpiresAbsolute = DateTime.Now.AddDays(1) 'make sure this is set or users won't be able to "open" the file, but will still be able to save
Dim file As System.IO.FileInfo = New System.IO.FileInfo(tempfilefullname)
Response.AddHeader("Content-Length", file.Length.ToString()) ' this overrides the "Transfer-Encoding: chunked" which splits the file up and causes ie problems
Response.AppendHeader("content-disposition", "attachment; filename=" & tempfilename)

Response.WriteFile(tempfilefullname)
Response.Flush()
Response.End()

vinodhsomasekharan

Hai,

That's good effort from u.. thanks for sharing the information.. really useful..

regards
Vinodh