OctoberCMS DynamicPDF open or download via AJAX

Question

I am using DynamicPDF and I am opening my file in new tab to generate my file which is working absolutely fine. Here is what I have sone so far (in one of my plugin's update.htm file).

<a href="<?= url('/'); ?>/regency-brochure" class="btn btn-primary" target="_blank">Preview Brochure</a>

Now I am trying to somehow do the same by opening/downloading the same file via AJAX response. Hence I have put below code inside my update.htm file.

<button
                        type="submit"
                        
                        data-request="onPreview"
                        data-load-indicator="Loading Preview"
                        class="btn btn-primary">Preview Brochure Ajax
                    </button>

And Inside my controller I have done this.

public function onPreview()
    {        
     return PDF::loadTemplate('renatio::invoice')->download('download.pdf');
    }

Now as soon as I click on it, my browser getting hanged, but I am able to see some random binary long string in my response.

I have checked and read library's documentation and they are giving a tip saying...

Tip: Download PDF via Ajax response

OctoberCMS ajax framework cannot handle this type of response.

Recommended approach is to save PDF file locally and return redirect to PDF file.

And I tried to open / download by using return but its not working.

Can someone guide me how can I solve this ? How can I make my PDF file open / download using AJAX here ?

Answer 1

Eventually, I have implemented above feature.

Here is what I have done.

update.htm

 <button type="submit" data-request="onPreviewDownload" data-load-indicator="Generating Brochure..."
                            data-request-success="formSuccess( context, data, textStatus, jqXHR)" class="btn btn-primary">Preview Brochure
                        </button>

<script>
    function formSuccess( context, data, textStatus, jqXHR){        
        window.open(data.result, '_blank');        
    }    
</script>

ControllerFile.php

public function onPreviewDownload()
    {


        $templateCode = 'renatio::invoice'; // unique code of the template
        $storagePath =  storage_path('app/uploads/');
        $pdf_file_name =  'regency-brochure-test.pdf' ;
        $pdf_file_name_directory =  $storagePath . $pdf_file_name;
        PDF::loadTemplate($templateCode)->setPaper('a4', 'landscape')->save($pdf_file_name_directory);
        return $baseUrl = url(Config::get('cms.storage.uploads.path')) . '/' . $pdf_file_name;

    }

As you can see in update.htm file, I have used data-request="onPreviewDownload" , data-load-indicator="Generating Brochure..." and data-request-success="formSuccess( context, data, textStatus, jqXHR)".

Then onPreviewDownload method in my ControllerFile, I have used save method instead of download method, PDF::loadTemplate($templateCode)->setPaper('a4', 'landscape')->save($pdf_file_name_directory); mentioned in Documentation of DynamicPDF through which, I am saving the file in particular location and once I am able to save the file.

Then I am opening from my formSuccess method in update.htm file using window.open(data.result, '_blank');.

Hope this helps.