Thread: File type won't download from website!

Why won't an .ai, Adobe Illustrator, file type not download as the original file. www.trunkmat.com/Fertilome It downloads as a .pdf. We need the original .ai file to download. We don't want to send anybody into our Core FTP either. Any suggestions?

Hi SGarlock

What is it you're trying to accomplish? Here's my thoughts based on what I see...

1. Your file isn't published on your site (can't find it by going to your site) or did I miss it?

2. Do you want to send it only to people who have AI? Not many do.

So, if you want to publish it, put it on your site somewhere with the .ai extension. If you want to send it to certain select people outside your site, email it to them maybe (again, with an ai extension)?

Tom

Probably you can solve the issue through your CP, Mime Types. Add the .ai relevant mime type.
Anyway, a VERY simple solution would be that of ziping the file, so users can download it as zip and then extract the ai file.

Please note that your file opens!!! as pdf . This makes me wonder about your file, because Adobe (I have the Pro version) can NOT open .ai files!!

So, there MUST be something wrong with your file, even if it has the extension ai.

Tom - The file is published, it is not available for viewing at our website location. If you click on the link I provided in the first email you can see the file is there. But it downloads as a pdf not an .ai file.
The files we need to have downloaded are only for certain people that have Illustrator, our plate makers, ad agencies, etc.
Navaldesign - Illustrator allows you to save files in pdf so anyone can view the file. We save our ai files for our customers in pdf format so they can approve their artwork. But I am talking about true ai file not pdf. But I am not suprised that the .ai files are opening in Adobe Reader. In fact every true .ai file on our site opens as a pdf .temp file when you download it.
Navaldesign - My Preference In the download tutorial, there is mention of getting a seperate ftp account for specific files. How do you do this? That would be great!! We could give our artists the site name and password and they could just drop the file on their computer. We don't want anybody hanging out in our public html. One of our advertisers does this example ftp.greenbeam.com and then they give us the username and password and we are able to upload and download. But when I type in ftp.trunkmat.com it says windows cannot access it or it is typed in wrong. So if windows can access greenbeam why cannot it access us?
Navaldesign-Not familiar with MIME types? Will you explain what you mean?

Probably newer (i have an old AI version) Adobe products are capable of "cooperating". Acrobat can't read my OLD .ai files.

The simplest solution would be that of ziping the .ai file.

MIME types: though this usually regards UPLOADS could (maybe) affect how the server recognizes the file type and then downloads it. Go to CP (IF you have the cp 11 version), find the section MIME Types, and add the necessary type for .ai files.

FTP: have a look at http://www.vodahost.com/demowolf/x3/cpanel-x3-ftp.html

Create a FTP account for each of your users (customers). If you limit the account to the ONE folder that you define during the FTP account creation, he will ONLY have access there.

I remain of the opinion that the zip solution is the simplest one.

SGarlock

Of course you want the workflow to be what's best for you. I just thought it was unusual to have your clients go to an index of your folder rather than a page where they could d/l your file(s) graphically. In my case, I post my pdf's in a password protected folder.

Tom