/ Ruby on Rails
/
method

send_data

send_data(data, options = {})
private

Sends the given binary data to the browser. This method is similar to `render plain: data`, but also allows you to specify whether the browser should display the response as a file attachment (i.e. in a download dialog) or as inline data. You may also set the content type, the file name, and other things.

Options:

  • `:filename` - suggests a filename for the browser to use.

  • `:type` - specifies an HTTP content type. Defaults to `application/octet-stream`. You can specify either a string or a symbol for a registered type with `Mime::Type.register`, for example `:json`. If omitted, type will be inferred from the file extension specified in `:filename`. If no content type is registered for the extension, the default type `application/octet-stream` will be used.

  • `:disposition` - specifies whether the file will be shown inline or downloaded. Valid values are `“inline”` and `“attachment”` (default).

  • `:status` - specifies the status code to send with the response. Defaults to 200.

Generic data download:

send_data buffer

Download a dynamically-generated tarball:

send_data generate_tgz('dir'), filename: 'dir.tgz'

Display an image Active Record in the browser:

send_data image.data, type: image.content_type, disposition: 'inline'

See `send_file` for more information on HTTP `Content-*` headers and caching.

2Notes

Example to auto download

wiseleyb · Mar 27, 2012

===Controller

op = Operation.find(params[:id])
fname = "operation_#{op.id}_#{DateTime.now.to_i}.csv"
send_data op.export(params[:url_type]), 
  :type => 'text/csv; charset=iso-8859-1; header=present',
  :disposition => "attachment; filename=#{fname}.csv"

=== export_csv

def export(url_type)
csv_data = CSV.generate do |csv|
  csv << self.header_columns # simple array ["id","name"]
  url_items = @operation.url_items.where(:url_type => url_type)
  url_items.each do |url_item|
    csv << self.process_row(url_item)  # simple array [1,"bob"]
  end 
end 
return csv_data
end

Send with filename

jassa · Oct 7, 2012

The Content-Disposition response header holds the suggested attachment filename (i.e. "attachment; filename=fname.ext")

Set the +:disposition+ option to pass this name.

=== Controller

http = Net::HTTP.new(@page.host)
res = http.post(path, info.to_query, headers)
send_data res, :content_type => res.content_type, :disposition => res["Content-Disposition"], status: res.code