Save remote file that pushes headers to force download

Question

Hello all,

I can download remote files using PHP but how do you download from a link that pushes headers out? I mean, you can click on some links and it will force a download and present you with dialog box to save the file. How can I download and save this sort of thing using PHP?

Any examples or links to tutorials would be great since I couldn't find anything useful on this topic.

Thank you for any help

Updated and [SOLVED]

<?php

set_time_limit(300);

// File to download
$remoteFile = $_GET['url'];

$file = fopen($remoteFile, "r");


if (!$file) {
    echo "<p>Unable to open remote file.\n";
    exit;
}
$line = '';

while (!feof ($file)) {
    $line .= fgets ($file, 4096);
}

//readfile($line);
file_put_contents('here2.mp4',  $line);

fclose($file);

?>

Answer 1

You can do it the same way as you download your remote files. Those “force download” header values just tell user agents that want to display the data inline to download them instead. But it makes no difference for your script as it cannot display the data.

Answer 2

Just tried to reproduce situation. Gubmo is right, this download method works for me with Content-Type: application/octet-stream and Content-type: application/force-download headers.

As explained here, HTTP 410 means that URL requested by the client is no longer available from that system. This is not a 'never heard of it' response, but a 'does not live here any more' response. Maybe they have some kind of antileach system.

This should be investigated. If they need cookies -- stream-context-create can help. Or maybe they check referer. But I am almost sure that problem is not in headers.

Hope this helps.

UPD Sample code you've asked about.

// file to download -- application/octet-stream
$remoteFile = 'http://dev/test/remote/send.php';
// file to download -- application/force-download
$remoteFile = 'http://chtyvo.org.ua/authors/Skriabin_Kuzma/Ya_Pobieda_i_Berlin.rtf.zip';
// file to store
$localFile = 'kuzma.zip';

$fin = fopen($remoteFile, "r");
if (!$fin) {
    die("Unable to open remote file");
}

$fout = fopen($localFile, "w");
if (!$fout) {
    die("Unable to open local file");
}

while (!feof($fin)) {
    $line = fgets($fin, 1024);
    fwrite($fout, $line, 1024);
}

fclose($fout);
fclose($fin);

Same as yours.