Download Files in Laravel Using Response::download

In Laravel applications, there may be a need to have a button in a view that allows users to download files without navigating to a separate view or route. However, there are some common issues that arise when implementing this functionality using Response::download.

Issue 1: Non-Existent File Path

If the path to the file is incorrect or the file does not exist, Response::download will throw an error. To resolve this, ensure that the file path is accurate and the file is present at the specified location.

Issue 2: Download Navigation

By default, when the download button is clicked, it will navigate the user to a new view or route. To prevent this, the download function must be handled in the current view.

Here's a corrected example that addresses both issues:

public function getDownload()
{
    // Full physical path to the PDF file
    $file = public_path() . "/download/info.pdf";

    // Define the headers for the response
    $headers = [
        'Content-Type' => 'application/pdf',
    ];

    // Return the response with the file and headers
    return response()->download($file, 'filename.pdf', $headers);
}

Update for Laravel 5

In Laravel 5 and above, the Response facade has been deprecated. Instead, use the following code:

return response()->download($file, 'filename.pdf', $headers);

With these corrections, the download button will properly download the file on the same view without causing any errors.