Download binary without triggering onbeforeunload

Question

I want to kick off a file download for a user when he clicks a link, but I have an onbeforeunload handler that I don't want to get invoked when the download begins. To downloads, I currently have an <a> with the href set to the file location but clicking it results in onbeforeunload being invoked in Chrome (not in FF, though).

I know I can set a private flag and check that in the onbeforeunload handler, but is there some way to kick off the download using ajax? I still want the user to see the usual dialogs when they download the file (Open/Save etc).

Ideas?

Answer 1

I would guess using the target attribute on the link could do the trick.

<a href="http://www.example.com/somefile.zip" target="_blank">download</a>

Will not validate (unless using frameset doctype) but it might work.. It will create a new tab or window and then pop a file download (if the http header says it should), but it might leave the new tabs/windows open, or it might close them after saving...

On the other hand I think having a onbeforeunload handler that you sometimes do not want to trigger sounds suspicious, why do you need that anyway?