Mendix 7 is no longer supported unless you have Extended Support (for details, please contact Mendix Support). Mendix 7 documentation will remain available for customers with Extended Support until July, 2024.

Download File

Last modified: June 29, 2022

This activity can only be used in microflows, not in nanoflows.

1 Introduction

The download-file action can be used to enable the browser to download a specific file. The user gets a download popup or the file is shown directly in the browser.

See Microflow Element Common Properties for properties that all activities share (for example, caption). This page only describes the properties specific to the action.

2 Input Properties

2.1 File document

Input file document defines the file to be downloaded. The information of the file is stored in an object of entity System.FileDocument or a specialization.

3 Action Properties

3.1 Show File in Browser

Show file in browser defines whether the file is downloaded to a location specified by the user or shown directly in the browser.

Option	Description
True	File is downloaded to the location for temporary internet files and shown on a new page in the browser.
False	File is downloaded to the location specified by the user.

On mobile devices files are always shown in a browser window.

Many browsers implement popup blockers preventing windows to be opened noninteractively, such as through a Microflow. For mobile devices this means that triggering downloads from a Microflow is only possible after disabling the popup blocker. You could consider using a FileManager widget to let the user initiate the download manually.