File Export / Download Question

[Shawn Mehaffie]

I have the following class that I've wirtten to take a Dataset and automatically export it to either XML, ASCII or Tab delimited file. The reason I wrote it they way I did was that I don't want to have o create a temporary file on the web server everytime someone want to run and export. When I call the ExportToBrowser function the user gets the standard open/save file dialog box. If the user chooses to save the file the program works fine, but if they choose to open the file they get to an error the the file does not exist in the tempory internet file directory. How can I get this code to work as if the user had clicked on a link directly to a file on the web server? Is there a command that I can use to write the file to the temporary internet file so that if the user choses to open the file they program works? Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Below is the code that is in the class I wrote to accomplish the task above.

Imports System.Text

Public Class DBExport
Private _DataSet As New DataSet
Private _IncludeHeader As Boolean = True
Private _IncludeXMLSchema As Boolean = False
Private _ExportType As Export_Type
Private _FileName As String

Public Enum Export_Type
XML = 0
ASCII = 1
TAB = 2
End Enum

Public Property DataSet() As DataSet
Get
Return _DataSet
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As DataSet)
_DataSet = Value
End Set
End Property

Public Property IncludeHeader() As Boolean
Get
Return _IncludeHeader
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As Boolean)
_IncludeHeader = Value
End Set
End Property

Public Property IncludeXMLSchema() As Boolean
Get
Return _IncludeXMLSchema
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As Boolean)
_IncludeXMLSchema = Value
End Set
End Property

Public Property ExportType() As Export_Type
Get
Return _ExportType
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As Export_Type)
_ExportType = Value
End Set
End Property

Public Property FileName() As String
Get
Return _FileName
End Get
Set(ByVal Value As String)
_FileName = Value
End Set
End Property

Public Function ExportToBrowser(ByVal CurrentResponse As System.Web.HttpResponse) As String
Select Case _ExportType
Case Is = Export_Type.XML
'Setup response to export data
CurrentResponse.AppendHeader("content-disposition", "attachment; filename=" & _FileName & ".xml")
CurrentResponse.ContentType = "Text/XML"

'Write schema to export
If _IncludeXMLSchema Then
CurrentResponse.Write(_DataSet.GetXmlSchema)
End If

'Write data to export
CurrentResponse.Write(_DataSet.GetXml())
Case Is = Export_Type.ASCII
'Setup response to export data
CurrentResponse.AppendHeader("content-disposition", "attachment; filename=" & _FileName & ".txt")

If _IncludeHeader Then
CurrentResponse.Write(GetHeader())
End If

CurrentResponse.Write(GetData())
Case Is = Export_Type.TAB
'Setup response to export data
CurrentResponse.AppendHeader("content-disposition", "attachment; filename=" & _FileName & ".xls")

If _IncludeHeader Then
CurrentResponse.Write(GetHeader())
End If

CurrentResponse.Write(GetData())
End Select

CurrentResponse.End()
End Function

Private Function GetHeader() As String
Dim iXcounter As Integer
Dim sbHeader As New StringBuilder
Dim stDelimiter As String

If _ExportType = Export_Type.ASCII Then
stDelimiter = ", "
Else
stDelimiter = Chr(9)
End If

For iXcounter = 0 To _DataSet.Tables(0).Columns.Count - 1
sbHeader.Append(_DataSet.Tables(0).Columns(iXcount er).ColumnName)

If iXcounter <> _DataSet.Tables(0).Columns.Count - 1 Then
sbHeader.Append(stDelimiter)
Else
sbHeader.Append(Chr(13))
End If
Next

'If Tab delimited add extra line feed so there is a blank line between the header and first
'record of data
If _ExportType = Export_Type.TAB Then
sbHeader.Append(Chr(13))
End If

Return sbHeader.ToString()
End Function

Private Function GetData() As String
Dim iXcounter As Integer
Dim iYcounter As Integer
Dim sbData As New StringBuilder
Dim stDelimiter As String

If _ExportType = Export_Type.ASCII Then
stDelimiter = ", "
Else
stDelimiter = Chr(9)
End If

For iXcounter = 0 To _DataSet.Tables(0).Rows.Count - 1
For iYcounter = 0 To _DataSet.Tables(0).Rows(iXcounter).ItemArray.GetUp perBound(0)
sbData.Append(_DataSet.Tables(0).Rows(iXcounter).I temArray.GetValue(iYcounter))
If iYcounter <> _DataSet.Tables(0).Columns.Count - 1 Then
sbData.Append(stDelimiter)
Else
sbData.Append(Chr(13))
End If
Next
Next

Return sbData.ToString()
End Function
End Class

Thanks,

Shawn Mehaffie
PC Resources, LLC