Downloading a file from the Internet while being able to abort the download any time

Question

Hello All!

I'd like to download a file from my Delphi program in a separate thread dedicated to the download.

The problem is that the main program can be closed any time (thus the download thread can be terminated any time as well). So even if there is no connection or the server lags for precious seconds I need a way to terminate the download thread within a second or two.

What function do you guys recommend to use?

I've experimented with InterOpenURL/InternetReadFile but it doesn't have a time-out parameter. It does have an asynchronous version but I could't find any working Delphi examples and I'm not sure if the asynchronous version will protect me from hangs...

Using sockets have been recommended to me before, but TClientSocket doesn't seem to have a time-out function either.

I need to be fully-prepared so if the user has Internet-connection problems on his/her computer or the webserver keeps lagging my application doesn't hang before closing.

Please keep in mind when answering that I don't want to use neither any third party components nor Indy. Any example code is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

Answer 1

This works.

var
  DownloadAbort: boolean;

procedure Download(const URL, FileName: string);
var
  hInet: HINTERNET;
  hURL: HINTERNET;
  Buffer: array[0..1023] of AnsiChar;
  BufferLen, amt: cardinal;
  f: file;
const
  UserAgent = 'Delphi Application'; // Change to whatever you wish
begin
  DownloadAbort := false;
  hInet := InternetOpen(PChar(UserAgent), INTERNET_OPEN_TYPE_PRECONFIG, nil, nil, 0);
  try
    hURL := InternetOpenUrl(hInet, PChar(URL), nil, 0, 0, 0);
    try
      FileMode := fmOpenWrite;
      AssignFile(f, FileName);
      try
        Rewrite(f, 1);
        repeat
          InternetReadFile(hURL, @Buffer, SizeOf(Buffer), BufferLen);
          BlockWrite(f, Buffer[0], BufferLen, amt);
          if DownloadAbort then
            Exit;
        until BufferLen = 0;
      finally
        CloseFile(f);
      end;
    finally
      InternetCloseHandle(hURL);
    end;
  finally
    InternetCloseHandle(hInet);
  end;
end;

In practice, the code above will be part of your thread's Execute method, and you do not need DownloadAbort; intead, you check

if Terminated then
  Exit;

Answer 2

TWinSocketStream has a timeout. You basically create a blocking socket, and then create a TWinSocketStream using that socket for reading/writing. (sort of like a using a StreamWriter). Then you loop until the connection is closed, the thread is terminated, or you reach the number of expected bytes. There's a WaitForData() which allows you to check for incoming data w/ a timeout, so you're never 'locked' past that timeout value.

You would, though, have to handle the http process yourself. ie, send the 'GET', and then read the response header to determine how many bytes to expect, but thats not too difficult.

Answer 3

Thanks to GrandmasterB, here is the code I've managed to put together: (it's in my thread's Execute block)

var
  Buffer: array [0..1024 - 1] of Char;
  SocketStream: TWinSocketStream;
  RequestString: String;
  BytesRead: Integer;
begin
  try
    ClientSocket.Active := true;
    DownloadedData := '';
    FillChar(Buffer, SizeOf(Buffer), #0);

    if not Terminated then
    begin
      // Wait 10 seconds
      SocketStream := TWinSocketStream.Create(ClientSocket.Socket, 10000);
      try
        // Send the request to the webserver
        RequestString := 'GET /remotedir/remotefile.html HTTP/1.0'#13#10 +
          'Host: www.someexamplehost.com'#13#10#13#10;
        SocketStream.Write(RequestString[1], Length(RequestString));

        // We keep waiting for the data for 5 seconds
        if (not Terminated) and SocketStream.WaitForData(5000) then
          repeat
            // We store the data in our buffer
            BytesRead := SocketStream.Read(Buffer, SizeOf(Buffer));

            if BytesRead = 0 then
              break
            else
              DownloadedData := DownloadedData + Buffer;
          until Terminated or (not SocketStream.WaitForData(2000));
      finally
        // Close the connection
        SocketStream.Free;
        if ClientSocket.Active then
          ClientSocket.Active := false;
      end;
    end;
  except
  end;

You have to put this to the constructor of the thread:

  ClientSocket := TClientSocket.Create(nil);
  ClientSocket.Host := 'www.someexamplehost.com';
  ClientSocket.Port := 80;
  ClientSocket.ClientType := ctBlocking;

  inherited Create(false);  // CreateSuspended := false;

And this to the desctructor:

  ClientSocket.Free;
  inherited;

Answer 4

From delphi.about.com

uses ExtActns, ...

type
   TfrMain = class(TForm)
   ...
   private
     procedure URL_OnDownloadProgress
        (Sender: TDownLoadURL;
         Progress, ProgressMax: Cardinal;
         StatusCode: TURLDownloadStatus;
         StatusText: String; var Cancel: Boolean) ;
   ...

implementation
...

procedure TfrMain.URL_OnDownloadProgress;
begin
   ProgressBar1.Max:= ProgressMax;
   ProgressBar1.Position:= Progress;
end;

function DoDownload;
begin
   with TDownloadURL.Create(self) do
   try
     URL:='http://0.tqn.com/6/g/delphi/b/index.xml';
     FileName := 'c:\ADPHealines.xml';
     OnDownloadProgress := URL_OnDownloadProgress;

     ExecuteTarget(nil) ;
   finally
     Free;
   end;
end;

{ Note: URL property points to Internet FileName is the local file }