Downloading excel file in asp.net mvc - asp.net-mvc-3

Question

What I'm trying to implement is giving the users the ability to export the grid data to an excel file and download it, with the help of a file save dialog.
Here's how I have coded it right now -
In Javascript -
$.post("/irn/Identifier/Download", { "columnValues": columnValues });
In the Identifier controllers Download action -
public FileResult Download(string columnValues)
{
DTData headlineRows = (DTData)Newtonsoft.Json.JsonConvert.DeserializeObject(columnValues, typeof(DTData));
var e = new Services.DownloadToExcel();
return File(e.WriteData(headlineRows), "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet", "testfile.xlsx");
}
In the DownloadToExcel class, inside the WriteData function I have -
//Here, I'm using the EPPlus library to write the column data to an excel file and then i'm returning the data as a byte array -
//Some code that writes the data
return packages.GetAsByteArray();
When I run this code, I expect to see a File Save Dialog in the browser, but nothing happens. There aren't any errors on the C# or JavaScript side. Can anyone tell me what i could be doing wrong?

Answer 1

bit late but I was having a similar issue. To solve it I used JSON.stringify(columnValues) on the client to convert my data into a json string before sending it to the controller.
Then instead of using
$.post("/irn/Identifier/Download", { "columnValues": columnValues });
try
var columnValuesString = JSON.stringify(columnvalues);
window.location = '/irn/Identifier/Download?columnvalues=" + columnValuesString';
Changing the $.post() to a window.location makes it work.
Then you can deserialize the json string in the controller and your Open/Save dialog should appear after hitting your link.
I hope this helps someone else. Let me know and I can post my code if needed.
Thanks.

Answer 2

If you're testing the site in Internet Explorer, try the following:
Open Internet Options -> Advanced. Click Reset. You can also choose to Restore Advanced Settings.
Open Internet Options -> Security. If zones have been changed at all, click "Reset all zones to default level".
Changes to these settings may affect whether or not Internet Explorer accepts file downloads.
More information here: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/ie/forum/ie8-windows_other/ie-8-will-not-let-me-download-any-files-music-pdf/bc59ba24-866b-4dbf-93f2-85ebb9912c2c

Answer 3

You should use IFrame to help downlaoding the file.
function postToIframe( url,data) {
var target = "downloadIFrame";
$('<iframe name="' + target + '" style="display:none"/>').appendTo('body');
$('body').append('<form action="' + url + '" method="post" target="' + target + '" id="postToIframe"></form>');
$.each(data, function (n, v) {
$('#postToIframe').append('<textarea name="' + n + '">' + v + '</textarea>');
});
$('#postToIframe').submit().remove();
}

Answer 4

I solved this but forgot to update here -
This worked -
Inside my class -
private const string MimeType = "application/vnd.openxmlformats-
officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet";
private ExcelPackage package = new ExcelPackage();
private FileContentResult excelFile;
Write data using EPPlus
...
...
...
excelFile = File(package.GetAsByteArray(), MimeType, FileName);
return excelFile;