Download File from Non-Public HTML Folder Using PHP

Page Contents

Setting Up Your Non-Public Folder
Writing the PHP Script

Downloading files from a non-public HTML folder using PHP is a common task for web developers. Whether you need to provide access to restricted content, secure your files, or manage user-specific downloads, PHP offers an efficient way to achieve this. In this article, we will explore the process of downloading files from non-public HTML folders using PHP while adhering to SEO best practices for Google.

Before diving into the coding part, it’s essential to understand the key concepts involved:

Non-Public HTML Folder: This is a directory on your web server that is not accessible directly via a URL. It contains files you want to protect from unauthorized access.
PHP Script: We’ll create a PHP script that will act as an intermediary between the user and the non-public folder. This script will handle file access, ensuring that files are only downloaded by authorized users.

Setting Up Your Non-Public Folder

Create a Non-Public Folder: Ensure that you have a directory outside of your website’s public directory, where your sensitive files are stored. This folder should not be directly accessible via a web browser.
File Permissions: Adjust the folder’s permissions to restrict access. Only authorized users should have read permission, while others should be denied access.

Writing the PHP Script

Here’s a basic PHP script to download files from the non-public folder:



$file = 'path/to/non-public-folder/file.pdf';

if (file_exists($file)) {
    header('Content-Description: File Transfer');
    header('Content-Type: application/octet-stream');
    header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename='.basename($file));
    header('Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary');
    header('Expires: 0');
    header('Cache-Control: must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0');
    header('Pragma: public');
    header('Content-Length: ' . filesize($file));
    ob_clean();
    flush();
    readfile($file);
    exit;
} else { 
    echo "File not found."; 
}

$file = 'path/to/non-public-folder/file.pdf';

if (file_exists($file)) {

header('Content-Description: File Transfer');

header('Content-Type: application/octet-stream');

header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename='.basename($file));

header('Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary');

header('Expires: 0');

header('Cache-Control: must-revalidate, post-check=0, pre-check=0');

header('Pragma: public');

header('Content-Length: ' . filesize($file));

ob_clean();

flush();

readfile($file);

exit;

} else {

echo "File not found.";

}

In this script:

$filePath should point to the file in your non-public folder that you want to download.
We check if the file exists, and if so, we set appropriate headers to trigger the download.

Downloading files from non-public HTML folders with PHP can enhance the security and organization of your web application.

Setting Up Your Non-Public Folder

Writing the PHP Script

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