How to increment file download counter?

[Andrei K]

Hi,

I have a download template with an integer field download_counter and file_link.

The task is to increment counter every time user downloads the file.

So, I tried the following code:

  wireSendFile($page->download_file_link);
  $page->$download_counter = $page->$download_counter + 1;
  $page->save();

It sends file but doesn't increment the counter.

I have modified it:

  wireSendFile($page->download_file_link);
  $p = $pages->get($page->id);
  $p->$download_counter = $p->$download_counter + 1;
  $p->save();

Alas, result is the same. File being downloaded but counter remains unchanged.

Any suggestions?

[Jan Romero]

$p->$download_counter

Because of the $, $download_counter is a variable here. You’re not accessing the page field “download_counter”, but a field by the name of whatever that variable contains.

You should also disable output formatting before modifying a field. Use $page->setOutputFormatting(false) or $page->of(false).

Lastly, it’s possible to save just the field by calling $page->save('download_counter').

Untested:

wireSendFile($page->download_file_link);
$page->of(false);
$page->download_counter = $page->download_counter + 1;
$page->save('download_counter');
$page->of(true);

[Andrei K]

Thanks! It works but only if the counter incrementation goes before

wireSendFile. i.e.

  $page->of(false);
  $page->download_counter = $page->download_counter + 1;
  $page->save();  
  $page->of(true);
  wireSendFile($f);

Have I put wireSendFile before the code of incrementation it doesn't work.

  wireSendFile($f);
  $page->of(false);
  $page->download_counter = $page->download_counter + 1;
  $page->save();  
  $page->of(true);

Have I missed something about wireSendFile functionality? Why it prevents execution of following code?

[Jan Romero]

WireSendFile exits unless you set 'exit' to false in the options parameter. Sorry I didn't pick up on that earlier. I never used that function...

Try

$opts = array('exit' => false);
wireSendFile($f, $opts);

It's kind of unfortunate that one has to read the code to learn a lot of PW's features, but I can only recommend it. It's well documented and well written, so it's quite easy to read.

[grimezy]

Hi,

I recently implemented Soma's tutorial here and works great.

Just a question... I would like to have certain files such as PDF's open up in the users browser instead of having the file download, but still have the increment work... how would I go about this?

I'm assuming I would have to bypass using the 'wireSendFile' method and somehow increment the 'download x times' field another way?

Thanks!

[Robin S]

8 hours ago, grimezy said:

I recently implemented Soma's tutorial here and works great.

Just a question... I would like to have certain files such as PDF's open up in the users browser instead of having the file download, but still have the increment work... how would I go about this?

I'm assuming I would have to bypass using the 'wireSendFile' method and somehow increment the 'download x times' field another way?

In Soma's tutorial he covers the $options array - does setting 'forceDownload' to false achieve what you want?

On 26/09/2013 at 10:52 AM, Soma said:

To see the options you have with PW's wireSendFile() you can also overwrite defaults

<?php
// pdf.php

if($page->pdf){
    $options = array(
    // boolean: halt program execution after file send
    'exit' => true, 
    // boolean|null: whether file should force download (null=let content-type header decide)
    'forceDownload' => false, 
    // string: filename you want the download to show on the user's computer, or blank to use existing.
    'downloadFilename' => '',
    );

    wireSendFile($page->pdf->filename, $options);
}

Simple and powerful isn't it? Try it out.

 

[grimezy]

Ah @Robin S, you are a gentleman and a scholar... I missed this... thank you!

[grimezy]

Hey @Robin S, just noticed when setting force download to 'true' the 'downloadFilename' option is not taken into account? 

So when a file is downloaded, the filename is always 'download' ?

Here is currently what I have as my download.php template:

if($page->download_file) {
    $options = array(
    // boolean: halt program execution after file send
    'exit' => false, 
    // boolean|null: whether file should force download (null=let content-type header decide)
    'forceDownload' => true, 
    // string: filename you want the download to show on the user's computer, or blank to use existing.
    'downloadFilename' => '',
    );
	wireSendFile($page->download_file->filename, $options);
	$page->of(false);
	$page->counter = $page->counter + 1;
	$page->save();
	$page->of(true);
}

Any help would be greatly appreciated! 

[Chris Ernovsky]

On 12/14/2014 at 11:06 PM, Jan Romero said:

 

wireSendFile($page->download_file_link);
$page->of(false);
$page->download_counter = $page->download_counter + 1;
$page->save('download_counter');
$page->of(true);

I don't know why but the above incrementation line didn't work for me.
Using '+= 1' didn't work either.
I had 'unsupported operand' errors or a counter couldn't start counting from 0.
Maybe it's something with sanitization of integers or PHP version - I don't have such knowledge.

BUT at some point I tried shorter '$page->download_counter++' and it works at all scenarios.
So my final (working) code looks like this (maybe it can help someone):

// $page->download is a field with files
// $page->download_counter is an integer field for counting downloads

if ($page->download) {
  $options = array (
    'exit' => true, 
    'forceDownload' => true
    );
    $page->of(false);
    $page->download_counter++;
    $page->save('download_counter');
    $page->of(true);
    wireSendFile($page->download->filename, $options);
}