How to create a direct download

[marcb1]

Hi!

I have published a portfolio document to the Web via Indesign.

I have also placed my resume PDF in a public folder on my personal website.

Is there a way to make the link I create in Indesign to this folder immediately download the PDF instead of going to/opening the folder?

Thanks!

[BobLevine]

Try this: https://actualwizard.com/html-force-download-file

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Unless something of is going on with your site management (as might be the case with the various "builder" hosts), simply making the link point to the document should make it a direct download. Clicking the link should either download the PDF or display it as a page, depending on the browser and its settings. 

[BobLevine]

Normally, yes, but browsers see a PDF and they want to open it.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

As with so many other "reader" issues, it's not always possible to control what happens on a user's desktop. Even using elaborate site coding, it will be the browser that chooses which action to take. The default, increasingly only mode is to display PDFs, with download a secondary action. 

Just tried the ftp:// link process, which used to force a download. In Chrome, it now just forces you to choose a viewing app.

[BobLevine]

Absolutely, which is why I said to try it. The only surefire way I can think of is to zip the PDF.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Yes, which is fine for users on systems that handle ZIP transparently, not so much for those who still need extraction utilities. Also blocked by a lot of malware tools these days, or at least slowed down/quarantined. There's just no good solution.

What I've done when it's appropriate (as it is with a huge document or portfolio file, for example) is box the link and make the choice of click-to-view, right-click-to-save very clear. I don't know of any second 'solution' as long as the browsers are going to consider PDF a display format first and foremost.