Using CFHeader and CFContent to control file downloads

[Zy Forever]

I am programming a CF application for an online university. They need to be
able to upload files to the server, and then authorize students individually as
to which files they can download. I've got this part written. Fortunately I
do have access to CFFile and CFDirectory tags, perfect for uploading. But the
problem comes in downloading. When I use CFHeader and CFContent to download
the file, I get unpredictable results. For instance, if the file is an MP3, it
streams in and plays on my IE, but allows me to save it on Netscape. If the
file is a PDF, it tries to load into my IE (and fails) but Netscape lets me
save it do disk. Obviously, this is not an acceptable solution. Please note
that in all cases, I do NOT want the file to stream or open inside a browser.
I want it to save on the user's computer. Am I using these two tags wrong? Or
are they so basic that they are unreliable for controlling downloads across
browsers? It seems a shame that uploads can be controlled so perfectly, but
downloading is sort of hit-or-miss. Any suggestions anyone?

[cf_menace]

When you specify the correct mime-type, the user's browser takes over whatever
default action the user has specified for that type of file.

IIRC, if you set mime-type="application/unknown" for all file types, you
should always get the "Save As" dialog box.

[Zy Forever]

Thanks for the swift reply, cf_menace. Unfortunately, what it should do and
what it does are two different things. Here is my code: <cfheader
name='Content-Disposition' value='filename=#GetFile.FileName#'> <cfcontent
type='application/unknown' file='#RootDirectory#\#GetFile.FileName#'> This
produces the exact behavior I described above: sound files stream and play,
pdf files attempt to load into the browser. I do not get 'Save As' dialogue in
IE. I have tried changing it to mime-type='application/unknown', but cfcontent
in cf 4.5 won't accept mime-type as a parameter. So, not knowing what I'm
doing, I also tried type='mime-type=application/unknown' and
type='mime/application/unknown' ... neither of which worked. Is there another
way to code this? I've considered getting CFX_Zip and zipping each file before
it downloads. I'm pretty sure that a zipped file would have to evoke the 'Save
As' dialogue. What else would a browser do with it? I don't know if CFX_Zip
works with CF 4.5 though. However, if there is a cf solution without the
custom tag, I'd sure like to know about it.

[cf_menace]

Try
<cfheader name="Content-Disposition" value="inline; filename=#GetFile.FileName#">
or
<cfheader name="Content-Disposition" value="attachment; filename=#GetFile.FileName#">

[Zy Forever]

Hi cf_ ... You are the greatest! The first option did not work. The second
one did: <cfheader name='Content-Disposition' value='attachment;
filename=#GetFile.FileName#'>I marked your post above as question answered.
Thank you so much! Zy