html / url download question

[Dean]

Google is useless on this at least with my keywords as there are to many hits related to grabbing urls out of DL streams.

Is there something besides an href I can use to force a download instead of a load in browser window?

I'm trying to post my track video, but really don't want people streaming it from my server, I'd prefer they DL it.

Current link html looks like:

<a href="Day%201%20session%202%20v1.1.avi">Day 1 Session 2</a><br>

I am running a default Apache install on top of CentOS, no TomCat, etc...

[Dean]

OK, I found something... I can't force anything, but if I can set the MIME content type to application/octet-stream, I have a good chance of getting the effect I want, but haven't figured out how to do that yet...

[sperry]

Unless you're running a RM or Flash server or something, you're not streaming it. If someone attempts to play it directly off the link, it's the equivalent of downloading it to a temp folder, then playing it.

Streaming implies something other than just an HTTP connection, no? ...since they're pulling it from your web server, it's an HTTP download whether or not it's being saved to disk, or saved to disk while playing.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

Unless you're running a RM or Flash server or something, you're not streaming it. If someone attempts to play it directly off the link, it's the equivalent of downloading it to a temp folder, then playing it.

Streaming implies something other than just an HTTP connection, no? ...since they're pulling it from your web server, it's an HTTP download whether or not it's being saved to disk, or saved to disk while playing.

True enough, but to technical for most. I just don't want people bitching about my server performance when IE/Media Player tries to DL, buffer and play in real time as I believe it will try to do... On my machine FF just sort of hangs while it tries to load the large files...

[Dean]

Originally Posted by Dean

OK, I found something... I can't force anything, but if I can set the MIME content type to application/octet-stream, I have a good chance of getting the effect I want, but haven't figured out how to do that yet...

Looks like that requires reconfiguring Apache and, oh, IE doesn't comply with that RFC anyway, so F it...

[cody]

Most people just say something like, "Please right-click and Save As". But then people like Sperry give you a hard time.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by cody

Most people just say something like, "Please right-click and Save As". But then people like Sperry give you a hard time.

People that say that don't understand how HTTP works. And I'm a dick, so I make sure to point out their ignorance in a smarmy manner.

[Dean]

Now children.... Behave, or I will kick your ass with my walker...

[cody]

Whatever. I totally owned you in that thread.

[A1337STI]

Yes true streaming requires that you set up say shoutcast, real server, or windows streaming media server. if they save as link, or let Real player "buffer" before they play, either way its downloading it in the same manor. a client sends a get request, and then subsequent get chunk requests via http. its all in the RFCs if you care to read them. I've had to write some custom download software, ah the joys of tcp/ip sockets ....