http protocol and file downloading

[Michele Giordano]

Hi,
I noticed that if a connection is interrupted (or it is too slow)
while downloading a file, i..e. a large pdf, from a server (using save
as... pop-up in the browser) the browser closes the download, and
saves the file as it had completed (but if you check the dimension is
smaller than the complete file). If you try to open it with a proper
software, you get a 'damaged file' error.

I guess it depends on the fact the browser closes the connection in
certain condition and the browser supposes the transmission of the
file has completed when the connection is closed.

Anybody knows if this analysis is correct and if it is possible to
configure the web-server to send some header settings which minimize
this kind of error?

thanks,
m.

[Davide Bianchi]

On Nov 5, 7:15 pm, Michele Giordano <mjj...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I noticed that if a connection is interrupted (or it is too slow)
> while downloading a file, i..e. a large pdf, from a server (using save
> as... pop-up in the browser) the browser closes the download, and
> saves the file as it had completed (but if you check the dimension is
> smaller than the complete file). If you try to open it with a proper
> software, you get a 'damaged file' error.

The browser doesn't "close as it had completed". If you kill the
connection or it is terminated, the file will be closed and that's
it.
This because http is _not_ designed to transfer huge amount of data
and shouldn't be used as such. If you want to transfer files use FTP,
SFTP or SCP.

Davide