How to open and save text in html to a file using javascript in HTML

Question

i have a textarea and two buttons

like

<form name="form1">
<textarea name="text1"> HTML Codes goes here </textarea>
<input type="button"> Open File
<input type="button"> Save File
</form>

when i click on "save" button i want the text in textarea to be saved (i want it to pop up the "save as" dialog box)

When i click on "open" , it should allow me to choose any html or textfile... and load the text in the textfile/htmlcode into my textarea.

Found this code in http://www.dynamicdrive.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-10532.html

  <html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<script language="javascript">
function WriteToFile()
{
var fso = new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
var s = fso.CreateTextFile("C:\\NewFile.txt", true);
var text=document.getElementById("TextArea1").innerText;
s.WriteLine(text);
s.WriteLine('***********************');
s.Close();
}
</script>

<form name="abc">
<textarea name="text">FIFA</textarea>
<button onclick="WriteToFile()">Click to save</Button>  
</form> 

</body>
</html>

this would work if it porvides the user the choice to save the file ...and i forgot to say that all files are in the client computer.

Thanx in Advance

-Miss Subanki

Nah, the match isn't starting for over an hour, plenty of time to hang around on SO. I think no-one's answering because you're asking something that's impossible... but I'll leave the definite answer to the JavaScript gurus. — Thomas
– Thomas, Commented Jul 11, 2010 at 17:14
oh you from netherlands, no need to thank , they played very good....now i am a big fan of netherlands....they deserve to win ... — subanki
– subanki, Commented Jul 11, 2010 at 17:18
First, that code only works in MSIE (use of activex). Second, it probably won't run if not from a local context (eg, html on your pc). Third, it is pretty obvious why that code shouldn't even work, as I've said, it is very insecure to allow that functionality. — Christian
– Christian, Commented Jul 11, 2010 at 17:32
If you post to page2 with method="get" on your form, the value of the textarea will be in the URL as ?text=value%20from%20textarea. Using javascript you can get this value like this var val = window.location.search.replace(/?text=([^&]+)/, "$1"); then you can print the value document.write(val). The only problem is to set the headers Content-type and Content-Disposition. I don't know if you can do that without a server side help. That would generate a SaveAs dialog and the file would have the textarea value. — BrunoLM
– BrunoLM, Commented Jul 11, 2010 at 17:40

Christian · Accepted Answer · 2010-07-11 17:14:09Z

3

Saving - You have to do that server-side, but it isn't difficult; in PHP you would just force some HTTP headers before outputting the data:

// set the content type
header('Content-type: text/plain');
// force save as dialog (and suggest filename)
header('Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="download.txt"');
// next echo the text
echo $_POST['text'];

Opening - You have to handle the uploaded data server-side, unless you use some proprietary (albeit "open") API like in firefox.

answered Jul 11, 2010 at 17:14

Christian

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5 Comments

subanki Over a year ago

i just want it to fetch the html codes in a html file when we click on the open button...are u sure it cant be done

Christian Over a year ago

But from where? If it's the server then it's ok, if it's the client, then it can't be done transparently.

Christian Over a year ago

What if you used your code to read the user's history or saved passwords list? With the "open button/dialog" the user is forced to choose the fail, thus making it somewhat safe (unless the user is seriously dumb ;-) ).

subanki Over a year ago

all files are in the client computer what is the use of using a server side scripting

Christian Over a year ago

Because the file needs to be sent to the server, as I said, unless you use very modern code (which afaik is still experimental to firefox) you can't handle "file uploads" client side.

Liam · Accepted Answer · 2015-09-29 11:02:51Z

1

You can save a file with Javascript, but you have to use execcommand and then you'd be limited to Internet Explorer.

document.execCommand('SaveAs', true);

edited Sep 29, 2015 at 11:02

Liam

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answered Jul 11, 2010 at 17:29

JC Leyba

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3 Comments

subanki Over a year ago

that is fine can u provide me the code so that i can test it ..i am little noob in coding

JC Leyba Over a year ago

Try this.Not sure if that's what it is. Haven't used javascript in so long. A quick Google search on execCommand will reveal more. document.execCommand('SaveAs', true);

subanki Over a year ago

in javascript it is possible to save the text in a textarea....using document.execCommand('SaveAs', true);

user372551 · Accepted Answer · 2010-07-13 11:00:57Z

-1

This is possible only in IE, since the ActiveXObject has access to files (Read/Write). so, you can do it

I still remember, I tried it once and got succeeded

But Remember it only works in IE

answered Jul 13, 2010 at 11:00

user372551

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