How do I protect the pdf files from unauthorized users?

[logudotcom]

How do I protect the pdf files from unauthorized users. I want to protect the pdf files from direct access.

The aim is to hide the name of the file either when mouse over and in the source of the file but on the user side they dont want to have other click or input, the file should be directly open in a new tab or new window.

Is there any suggestions please?

[Dormilich]

you could password-protect the directory where your PDFs reside (using .htaccess) but the more elegant way would be adding the links to these PDFs only for registered/logged in users (e.g. using a session) (you can't access what you don't know).

[logudotcom]

Hi,

I can check it with logged user session. also with download.php to hide the path.

But at the same time, I want to open it in the new window or tab? Is it possible from the browser itself to force to open the pdf

[logudotcom]

When I use download.php & session, is is fine.. but how do I force to open in the browser?

[Dormilich]

if the browser knows the file type (e.g. image/jpeg) it looks for the default action (somewhere in the settings). if it is not forced to download it will try to open it in a window (or tab, depending on the user's settings).

[logudotcom]

No other way to change it through programming...

[Dormilich]

you cannot control everything in the browser. Users would get very annoyed if their browser doesn't work like they want.

(shouldn't your problem be solved once you get the downloads forced?)

[logudotcom]

My problem is "
user side they dont want to have other click or input, the file should be directly open in a new tab or new window " ...

[Dormilich]

through what shall the download/opening be triggered?

[logudotcom]

if ($_SESSION['user_id'])
{

$dir_path = '/dirs/';
$filepath = $dir_path.$_GET['filename'];
$file_type = filetype($filepath);
$filesize = filesize($filepath);

header("Content-type: ". $file_type);
header("Content-length: $filesize");
header("Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=$filename");

$handle = fopen($filepath, "r");
$contents = fread($handle, filesize($filepath));
fclose($handle);
echo $contents;
}