Export to CSV PHP as a Download File

Question

I am using a CSV file to export a mysql table. How can I view it as a download file now that it is stored on Drive C: directly without any notification

<?php
$host = 'localhost'; // <--  db address
$user = 'root'; // <-- db user name
$pass = 'root'; // <-- password
$db = 'urs'; // db's name
$table = 'veiwresult'; // table you want to export
$file = 'alaa'; // csv name.
$link = mysql_connect($host, $user, $pass) or die("Can not connect." . mysql_error());
mysql_select_db($db) or die("Can not connect.");
$result = mysql_query(" SELECT ApplicantNum,name, averg,choice FROM veiwresult");
fputcsv($f, array('ApplicantNum','name','averg', 'choice'));
$timestamp = date('Ymd-His'); 

$f = fopen("C:/mycsv-{$timestamp}.csv", 'w');
// Headers    
while($row = mysql_fetch_row($result))
{
fputcsv($f, $row);
}


fputcsv($f, $items_array);
fclose($f);

?>

Answer 1

If you want to store csv-file and then open it without any clicking, it`s impossible.

If you just wish to have it opened, open it in browser window via

header('Content-disposition: inline;filename=foobar.csv');
header('Content-Type: text/csv;charset=UTF-8');
echo $csv_content;

where $csv_content is a string with contents of csv-file. You cat get it this way

$csv_content = file_get_contents('c:/mycsv.csv');

Answer 2

To download it...

<?php
$host = 'localhost'; // <--  db address
$user = 'root'; // <-- db user name
$pass = 'root'; // <-- password
$db = 'urs'; // db's name
$table = 'veiwresult'; // table you want to export
$file = 'alaa'; // csv name.
$link = mysql_connect($host, $user, $pass) or die("Can not connect." . mysql_error());
mysql_select_db($db) or die("Can not connect.");
$result = mysql_query(" SELECT ApplicantNum,name, averg,choice FROM veiwresult");
fputcsv($f, array('ApplicantNum','name','averg', 'choice'));
$timestamp = date('Ymd-His'); 

$f = fopen("C:/mycsv-{$timestamp}.csv", 'w');
// Headers    
while($row = mysql_fetch_row($result))
{
fputcsv($f, $row);
}

fputcsv($f, $items_array);
fclose($f);

header('Content-type: application/csv');
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="mycsv-{$timestamp}"');
readfile('C:/mycsv-{$timestamp}.csv');
?>

This will still notify the user of the download, and depending on their settings they may need to accept the download. This functionality cannot be overridden of course.