Question about encapsulating PHP script inside an anchor

[JimC]

Here's an interesting problem -

On one of my pages, I have a place where a user can download a
ZIP file by clicking on the phrase "Click to download". I want
to call a logging function that I use to show that the file was
downloaded. The file being downloaded is called file1.zip.

What I now do is the following:

<a href= "..\..\download s\file1.zip">
<?php logvisitor('fil e1.zip'); ?>Click to download.</a>



which produces the following HTML

<a href = "..\..\download s\file1.zip" >Click to download.</a>


So far so good.

But -- here's the problem -- the function logvisitor() is
always called even if the user didn't click on the link.
By placing the PHP function inside the anchor, I had assumed
it too would only be called if the user clicked.

I've also tried the following:

<a href="<?php logvisitor('fil e1.zip');
echo '..\..\download s\file1.zip'; ?> >
Click here to download.</a>

and get the same result, namely, that the PHP function is
always called.

Anybody know how to call the function if and only if the
user clicks on the phrase?


--
Jim

[Martin C. Petersen]

Re: Question about encapsulating PHP script inside an anchor

"JimC" <jimc@cross-comp.com> skrev i en meddelelse
news:kAPQa.92$I c5.11602109@new ssvr14.news.pro digy.com...[color=blue]
> On one of my pages, I have a place where a user can download a
> ZIP file by clicking on the phrase "Click to download". I want
> to call a logging function that I use to show that the file was
> downloaded. The file being downloaded is called file1.zip.[/color]
You could write a script that returns the requested file and logs the
download when called like this:
download.php?fi le=..\..\downlo ads\file1.zip
('\' will perhaps have to be urlencoded)
[color=blue]
> What I now do is the following:
>
> <a href= "..\..\download s\file1.zip">
> <?php logvisitor('fil e1.zip'); ?>Click to download.</a>[/color]
PHP is evaluated serverside, that is before the html is sent to the client,
so you can't do this..


Martin

[RG]

Re: Question about encapsulating PHP script inside an anchor


"Martin C. Petersen" <mcp@phys.au.dk > wrote in message
news:3f13c70f$0 $83067$edfadb0f @dtext01.news.t ele.dk...[color=blue]
> "JimC" <jimc@cross-comp.com> skrev i en meddelelse
> news:kAPQa.92$I c5.11602109@new ssvr14.news.pro digy.com...[color=green]
> > On one of my pages, I have a place where a user can download a
> > ZIP file by clicking on the phrase "Click to download". I want
> > to call a logging function that I use to show that the file was
> > downloaded. The file being downloaded is called file1.zip.[/color]
> You could write a script that returns the requested file and logs the
> download when called like this:
> download.php?fi le=..\..\downlo ads\file1.zip
> ('\' will perhaps have to be urlencoded)
>[color=green]
> > What I now do is the following:
> >
> > <a href= "..\..\download s\file1.zip">
> > <?php logvisitor('fil e1.zip'); ?>Click to download.</a>[/color]
> PHP is evaluated serverside, that is before the html is sent to the[/color]
client,[color=blue]
> so you can't do this..
>
>
> Martin
>
>[/color]


What you need to do is this:
<a href="downloada ndlog.php?file= file1.zip">Down load</a>

Then in downloadandlog. php:
get $file
write to the log
use the header function to send the file

Hope this helps
RG

[JimC]

Re: Question about encapsulating PHP script inside an anchor



Martin C. Petersen wrote:[color=blue]
> "JimC" <jimc@cross-comp.com> skrev i en meddelelse
> news:kAPQa.92$I c5.11602109@new ssvr14.news.pro digy.com...
>[color=green]
>>On one of my pages, I have a place where a user can download a
>>ZIP file by clicking on the phrase "Click to download". I want
>>to call a logging function that I use to show that the file was
>>downloaded. The file being downloaded is called file1.zip.[/color]
>
> You could write a script that returns the requested file and logs the
> download when called like this:
> download.php?fi le=..\..\downlo ads\file1.zip
> ('\' will perhaps have to be urlencoded)
>
>[color=green]
>>What I now do is the following:
>>
>> <a href= "..\..\download s\file1.zip">
>> <?php logvisitor('fil e1.zip'); ?>Click to download.</a>[/color]
>
> PHP is evaluated serverside, that is before the html is sent to the client,
> so you can't do this..[/color]


Heh, but of course! Dunno what came over me.

Jim