Ruby on Rails: How to download a file with send_file and still show a view

Question

I'm sending an email with a link to a downloadable brochure.

Here's my download action

def download
    @thing = Thing.find_using_slug(params[:id])

    send_file @thing.brochure.path, 
        :type => 'application/pdf', 
        :filename => "#{@thing.name}_brochure.pdf"
end

When the user clicks the link from the email it starts the download and then they are left with a blank screen. I'd like to render a landing page and still send the file.

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 31 '12 at 15:01

It might be a better idea for the link in the email to point to the action for the landing page, perhaps with something like a ?dl querystring appended.

The landing page action could conditionally check for params.include?(:dl), and if found append Javascript like the following to the <head> of the landing page HTML.

window.onload = function() {
  setTimeout(function() {
    window.location = 'URL TO DOWNLOAD ACTION HERE';
  }, 2000);
}

It'd be good practice to also provide a link on the landing page (again, conditional on the presence of the ?dl querystring) in case the user has Javascript disabled or doesn't want to wait the 2 seconds for the redirect.

Ruby on Rails: How to download a file with send_file and still show a view

1 Answers1