Download Problem

[LaraSoft]

I'm getting very close to releasing a new application but upon testing I am experiencing an annoying problem. I use the Download Object to grab a text file which includes some strings (its basically an INI file with some content). When the file is downloaded it grabs one of the strings and uses it in the application. However every few weeks or so I will be updating these strings and uploading the new version of this file to the internet which the application will then grab... the newer version that is.

However something I've noticed is this. The first time the program is run it gets the correct file and works accordingly. It then deletes the file when its done. If I then make changes to the file on the server and I tell the application to go grab it, it grabs the OLD one as if it was stored in a Temporary Directory or something. I tried clearing out my Temp directories and clearing out IE and Firefox and tried again... still no luck. What I did then was opened the file through the browser and it showed the old file content. If I hit F5 and refreshed the NEW file content appeared and if I then opened my app it would download the NEW version.

I really don't understand why this should happen like this. I don't want to tell my customers to do this all the time as the file is something I want handled automatically in the background. Can anyone help me get around this and have the new version grabbed EVERY time... not to have a cached version loaded each time. Thanks

[Dynasoft]

Is your web server caching the file?

Try testing one day, updating the file, then testing it again the NEXT day, and see what happens. Also try downloading the file from another pc, and see if it gets the old file and/or that makes the first pc see the new file.

[LaraSoft]

That's an interesting point you made about the caching on the server; I didn't think about that possibility.

[Sphax]

usually, you simply add a random number in the end of the filename you want to download to avoid the caching problem.

For example, you want to download "myPicture.jpg" on the server "http://myServer.com/" without the annoying caching problem. You simply download :
"http://myServer.com/myPicture.jpg?n="+random(9999)

I don't know if the downlod object allow that but it works with web browsers.

[Dynasoft]

Except that that breaks the caching for when the file HASN'T changed, by forcing it to resend it. The real solution is to set caching correctly on the server.

[neat_Kliker2]

from what i remember, the object uses IE to download the file, so it will be cached according to IE's settings