How can I download files from an FTP server directly to a browser without using local storage?

Downloading Files from FTP Servers to Browsers without Local Storage

When downloading files from FTP servers using PHP scripts, it is common practice to store the files temporarily on the web server before sending them to the user's browser. However, this approach can be inefficient.

Get File Contents Without Storing

To directly send a file to the browser without saving it to disk, simply remove the output buffering functions (ob_start() and ob_get_contents()). This code will send the file directly to the output stream:

<code class="php">ftp_get($conn_id, "php://output", $file, FTP_BINARY);</code>

Adding Content-Length Header

To include the Content-Length header, query the file size using ftp_size() before downloading:

<code class="php">$file_path = "remote/path/file.zip";
$size = ftp_size($conn_id, $file_path);</code>

Then, set the appropriate headers and download the file:

<code class="php">header("Content-Type: application/octet-stream");
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=" . basename($file_path));
header("Content-Length: $size");

ftp_get($conn_id, "php://output", $file_path, FTP_BINARY);</code>

Additional Considerations

Remember to handle errors and provide proper file information in the response headers, including the filename for downloading. For a comprehensive guide, refer to the linked resources. By using these techniques, you can efficiently download files from FTP servers directly to browsers, without the need for temporary storage.

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