Single click document generation and download

All supported methods I know of at this point will require 2 clicks - one to initialize the document generation and (automatically) display a link, then a second click by the user to actually download.  There was an older plug-in that would create an excel from a datasubset and instantly try to download, but it was really finnicky and as far as I've heard, it no longer works in modern versions of Appian.

All supported methods I know of at this point will require 2 clicks - one to initialize the document generation and (automatically) display a link, then a second click by the user to actually download.  There was an older plug-in that would create an excel from a datasubset and instantly try to download, but it was really finnicky and as far as I've heard, it no longer works in modern versions of Appian.

HI Mike,

As of now i have implemented the same, but somewhere I have read of using WebApi's to generate and download the document.

Problem with Web Api is for executing Smart services it must execute a POST method and i need to use the GET method to get the document generated.

Thanks,

Gaurav Singh

You can use a Web API to generate a CSV file and it can use a GET instead of a POST. Just create a Web API, use the CSV template, and make sure you separate all your fields with a common (it's usually easiest to use the joinarray() function to do that).

Then, call your Web API in a safelink and you should be good to go.

The other thing to consider if you truly need it to be one click is to pre-generate your document. If the data doesn't change that frequently or if you're okay with it not being completely current, you could run a process that runs on a schedule and generates the document for you. Then, in your UI just reference the document in a document download link.

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your response, data is coming through to parametrized Stored Procedure which is getting executed based on filter selected by user.

whats the problem with using GET and POST methods?

Ah okay if you're using a stored procedure that won't work - does it have to go through a stored procedure or could you use a more standard query?

Hi Mike Schmitt  - I do have the similar request in my app. I need to create and download the file in single click. Is there any Appian feature or OOTB plugin available for this?

Vaithyanathan Raju said:

I need to create and download the file in single click.

Is it really a "need", or a "want"?

the functionality is the same as it was almost 3 years ago when i wrote my original reply, so my same answer still applies.