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how to: download (via an http connection) and open or save a pdf file programmatically.

Say I have a button on my screen and the url to the pdf, when the button is clicked I want to download the pdf from the url and have the user presented with the choice to open or save the file. There must be a standard way to do something so commonplace, should I open the browser to the url or can I do this from my app?

tshepang
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lost baby
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1 Answers1

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Like this:

Intent browserIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("*url for your pdf*"));
startActivity(browserIntent);

This will cause the pdf to be downloaded in the notification bar, as if you had initiated the download through the browser.

Check this question if you have problems: How can I open a URL in Android's web browser from my application?

Community
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Marmoy
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  • Looks good, downloads the file but can I have an option to open once downloaded? Otherwise people will have to exit my app to open the file in the downloads folder. – lost baby Jul 06 '11 at 19:47
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    PS: ok, they can get at em through the notification bar like you imoplied. Hey, its my first app and first android, am I expected to know what I'm doing? ;) Thanks – lost baby Jul 06 '11 at 19:52