I have developed an app that allows the user to fill out text fields with information. I want them to be able to press a button that will make a file with data (a really long array with info on what they typed and where it should go) so they can reload the data at a later date. I don't have a server now, and I am sending this app as a standalone html app to my friends for their use until I get hosing / mySql / etc.
Is there a way that when they click on a button it will take this data (saved as an array, save_data), put it into a file, and basically begin the download process from their web-browser?
And later on, what tech would I need to be looking into to save this into online user accounts?
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2 Answers
It is posible, but only if you force your users to use windows and microsoft internet explorer. You can send the html file as a hta file, wich can write and read from data from the hard disk.
check http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms536496%28VS.85%29.aspx
for more information.
An hta file is basically a local html file with some extra tags in the header, and is run (interpreted) locally without security restrictions, like any exe file.
I don't know how to show the complete html code here,(markdown is not for me), so if you want an example:
1 - create a file test.hta, with the standard html, head, body and script tags
2 - inside head tag, insert
<HTA:APPLICATION
ID="oMyApp"
APPLICATIONNAME="test"
BORDER="yes"
CAPTION="yes"
SHOWINTASKBAR="yes"
SINGLEINSTANCE="yes"
SYSMENU="yes">
</HTA:APPLICATION>
3 - inside body tab put a button with onclick="writeText();"
4 - inside the script tag insert
function writeText(){
try{
var fso = new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
var fileObject = fso.OpenTextFile("C:\\testhta.txt", 8, true,0);
fileObject.WriteLine('text file written');
fileObject.close();
}catch(ex){
alert(ex);
}
}
5 - save it, doubleclick it, click on the button and you will get a nice "C:\testhta.txt" file with 'text file written' in it.
Comments
If you don't have a server, then no ... there is no way to initiate a file download/save based on dynamically generated data with javascript
