How to view PDF document in MVC and not download it directly?

Question

I have a link on click on it an HTML page will be converted to PDF document then return this PDF file to the user.

HTML code:

<li><a href='@Url.Action("GetHTMLPageAsPDF", "Transaction", new { empID = employee.emplID })'>ViewReceipt</a></li>

Code behind:

public FileResult GetHTMLPageAsPDF(long empID)
{
    string htmlPagePath = "anypath...";
    // convert html page to pdf
    PageToPDF obj_PageToPDF = new PageToPDF();
    byte[] databytes = obj_PageToPDF.ConvertURLToPDF(htmlPagePath);

    // return resulted pdf document
    FileResult fileResult = new FileContentResult(databytes, "application/pdf");
    fileResult.FileDownloadName = empID + ".pdf";
    return fileResult;
}

The problem is when this file returned its downloaded to the user computer directly, I want to display this PDF file to the user then if he wants he can download it.

How can I do this?

Nkosi · Accepted Answer · 2021-08-11T20:09:25.147

You have to set the Content-Disposition header on the response to inline

public FileResult GetHTMLPageAsPDF(long empID) {
    string htmlPagePath = "anypath...";
    // convert html page to pdf
    PageToPDF obj_PageToPDF = new PageToPDF();
    byte[] databytes = obj_PageToPDF.ConvertURLToPDF(htmlPagePath);

    //return resulted pdf document        
    var contentLength = databytes.Length;      
    Response.AppendHeader("Content-Length", contentLength.ToString());
    //Content-Disposition header set to inline along with file name for download
    Response.AppendHeader("Content-Disposition", "inline; filename=" + empID + ".pdf");
       
    return File(databytes, "application/pdf;");
}

The browser will interpret the headers and display the file directly in the browser provided it has the capability to do so, either built in or via plugin.

How to view PDF document in MVC and not download it directly?

1 Answers1