Intent to Prototype: Extend the DownloadURL drag type to support multiple files

[Chromestatus]

Contact emails

joon...@microsoft.com, jo...@chromium.org

Explainer

https://github.com/MicrosoftEdge/MSEdgeExplainers/blob/main/DownloadURL/explainer.md

Specification

None

Design docs

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nHPDuEE876RMKwYBVzWgPvsek-9X1NhZuFyY5Q5Z6YU/edit?usp=sharing

Summary

This feature extends the existing DownloadURL drag type to allow users to drag and drop multiple files simultaneously from a web application (such as a webmail client or a web-based tool) directly to their desktop or file system on Windows. Historically, the DownloadURL drag type has been limited to supporting the download of a single file per drag-and-drop operation. This new design addresses that limitation by introducing a JSON array format for the DownloadURL string, allowing it to carry information for multiple files.

Blink component

Blink>DataTransfer

Motivation

This enhancement addresses a significant pain point for users who frequently interact with web applications that involve multiple downloadable items. For example, users can now download multiple email attachments from a webmail client (e.g., Outlook Web) or export multiple generated reports or images from a web-based tool using a single drag gesture, rather than being forced to perform multiple, inefficient, and cumbersome drag-and-drop operations for each file.

Initial public proposal

https://issues.chromium.org/issues/40736398

TAG review

None

TAG review status

Pending

Risks

Interoperability and Compatibility

None

Gecko: No signal

WebKit: No signal

Web developers: No signals

Other signals:

WebView application risks

Does this intent deprecate or change behavior of existing APIs, such that it has potentially high risk for Android WebView-based applications?

None

Debuggability

None

Is this feature fully tested by web-platform-tests?

No

Flag name on about://flags

None

Finch feature name

None

Non-finch justification

None

Requires code in //chrome?

False

Tracking bug

https://issues.chromium.org/issues/40736398

Estimated milestones

No milestones specified

Link to entry on the Chrome Platform Status

https://chromestatus.com/feature/4909387902746624?gate=5108211938099200

This intent message was generated by Chrome Platform Status.

[Domenic Denicola]

This is a fascinating proposal. I had no idea about this nonstandard DownloadURL format.

Although it is not necessary at the prototype stage, as part of shipping this, it will probably be necessary to write a spec for both the original DownloadURL feature and this new extension to it.

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[Joone Hur]

Thanks, Domenic! I really appreciate the feedback.
I agree that documenting both the original DownloadURL behavior and the new multi-file extension is important, especially since the DownloadURL drag type hasn’t been formally specified. 

I’ll begin drafting a spec that covers both formats—starting with consensus on the extended format for supporting multiple files.

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