# Unable to download files from the browser **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [21 September 2021 01:15 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/unable-to-download-files-from-the-browser/51314 "2021-09-21T01:15:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![el\_pablo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/el_pablo/32/45496_2.png) [@el\_pablo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/el_pablo)\ **Post date:** [21 September 2021 01:15 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/unable-to-download-files-from-the-browser/51314/1 "2021-09-21T01:15:44Z")
Hi guys, I'm trying download files from a directory listing on my node-red server. I'm using node-red-contrib-fs-ops to display the directory content, but when I click on the generated links, I get the error `Cannot GET /bioreact_20210920.csv` where the file depends on the link clicked. What am I missing? ![firefox_sNJGWxWDry](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/3/5/35f4065a6dbd440e82433a3e3396158736766209.png) ```auto [ { "id": "53f68b03b7eb024a", "type": "http in", "z": "1c5e5e25.73f2f2", "name": "", "url": "/files", "method": "get", "upload": false, "swaggerDoc": "", "x": 140, "y": 480, "wires": [ [ "31b071d2319bb776" ] ] }, { "id": "31b071d2319bb776", "type": "fs-ops-dir", "z": "1c5e5e25.73f2f2", "name": "", "path": "/home/pi/datalog", "pathType": "str", "filter": "*.*", "filterType": "str", "dir": "files", "dirType": "msg", "x": 300, "y": 480, "wires": [ [ "22bd3ccc46961e0b" ] ] }, { "id": "22bd3ccc46961e0b", "type": "template", "z": "1c5e5e25.73f2f2", "name": "create dir index", "field": "payload", "fieldType": "msg", "format": "handlebars", "syntax": "mustache", "template": "\n\n

Directory Index

\n{{#files}}\n
./{{.}}
\n{{/files}}\n\n", "output": "str", "x": 480, "y": 480, "wires": [ [ "2d01f5439eba6501" ] ] }, { "id": "2d01f5439eba6501", "type": "http response", "z": "1c5e5e25.73f2f2", "name": "", "statusCode": "", "headers": {}, "x": 650, "y": 480, "wires": [] } ] ``` Thank you ---
**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\ **Post date:** [21 September 2021 07:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/unable-to-download-files-from-the-browser/51314/2 "2021-09-21T07:19:40Z")
I don't understand where the links are displayed. The flow you posted does not display anything, it just sends the links back to the client that has performed the get /files. ---
**Author:** ![hardillb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/hardillb/32/12373_2.png) [@hardillb](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/hardillb)\ **Post date:** [21 September 2021 07:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/unable-to-download-files-from-the-browser/51314/3 "2021-09-21T07:25:36Z")
The http-in/http-out pair you have provided will only server the html from the template node, you will need to provide a similar pair with a wildcard that will actually serve the files themselves. You probably also want to add a prefix to the filenames to make it easier to setup the wildcard http-in node to prevent clashes with anything else. A second approach would be to edit your `settings.js` to set the `httpStatic` entry to point to `/home/pi/datalog` ---
**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\ **Post date:** [21 September 2021 08:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/unable-to-download-files-from-the-browser/51314/4 "2021-09-21T08:12:52Z")
Here is a demo on the flows site... [https://flows.nodered.org/flow/db68bd4934cf46f39e6e453a348bc419](https://flows.nodered.org/flow/db68bd4934cf46f39e6e453a348bc419) ---
**Author:** ![el\_pablo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/el_pablo/32/45496_2.png) [@el\_pablo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/el_pablo)\ **Post date:** [21 September 2021 12:18 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/unable-to-download-files-from-the-browser/51314/5 "2021-09-21T12:18:06Z")
@Steve-Mcl In this example, the user needs to know what is the name of the file. In my case, there are new files generated everyday. I just want to list the directory content. The user will be able to select the files he wants. @hardillb I've already modified the settings.js to display the files of httpStatic value. > [@hardillb](#): > > The http-in/http-out pair you have provided will only server the html from the template node, you will need to provide a similar pair with a wildcard that will actually serve the files themselves. I'm new to NR and I'm not sure to understand what you're saying. @Colin I forgot to mention that I have set the httpStatic value to the folder I wanted to share. This is the result I get. ![firefox_5NUH16t1LA](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/d/0/d0401c8ac99b6c80eb783edfc229dd0cf663b6e0.png) ---
**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\ **Post date:** [21 September 2021 12:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/unable-to-download-files-from-the-browser/51314/6 "2021-09-21T12:39:01Z")
> [@el\_pablo](#): > > In this example, the user needs to know what is the name of the file. In my case, there are new files generated everyday. I just want to list the directory content Then you will need to list the files in the directory & present them as download links. Something like... ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/f/0/f05655456f2dfbf0517745a2f153071ed358ad44.png) Result... ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/b/4/b4ab6a15904e7c0ddde223f3b1928881f3f8f6df.png) Flow... ```auto [{"id":"f31a598d.9fd2c8","type":"function","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"Set base path","func":"//restrict to c:\\temp\\\nvar basePath = flow.get(\"basePath\");\nvar filename = msg.req.params.fn;\n\n\nif(filename.includes(\"..\\\\\")){\n msg.payload = \"Illegal file path\";\n msg.statusCode = 405;//not allowed\n return [null, msg];//fire output 2\n} else if(filename.includes(\"../\")){\n msg.payload = \"Illegal file path\";\n msg.statusCode = 405;//not allowed\n return [null, msg];//fire output 2\n} \n//TODO: add more checks\n\nmsg.filename = basePath + filename;\nreturn [msg, null];//fire output 1\n\n\n","outputs":2,"noerr":0,"initialize":"","finalize":"","libs":[],"x":1300,"y":2380,"wires":[["34dc99e5.495466"],["98261154.3006"]]},{"id":"98261154.3006","type":"http response","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","statusCode":"","headers":{},"x":1730,"y":2420,"wires":[]},{"id":"34dc99e5.495466","type":"file in","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","filename":"","format":"","chunk":false,"sendError":false,"encoding":"none","x":1550,"y":2380,"wires":[["98261154.3006"]]},{"id":"38d65d59.1d8aa2","type":"catch","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","scope":null,"uncaught":false,"x":1200,"y":2440,"wires":[["3b8014a.86ad8ec","5b18a8e7.fb8da8"]]},{"id":"3b8014a.86ad8ec","type":"function","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"Set 404","func":"msg.payload = msg.error;\nmsg.statusCode = 404;//resource not found\nreturn msg;","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"x":1560,"y":2440,"wires":[["98261154.3006"]]},{"id":"5b18a8e7.fb8da8","type":"debug","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"true","targetType":"full","x":1350,"y":2480,"wires":[]},{"id":"a8c2985e.d23ad8","type":"ui_template","z":"553814a2.1248ec","group":"dfb4a60f.d788f8","name":"ui_temlplate - present download links on dashboard","order":0,"width":"12","height":"10","format":"
","storeOutMessages":true,"fwdInMessages":true,"resendOnRefresh":false,"templateScope":"local","className":"","x":1430,"y":2660,"wires":[[]]},{"id":"5de7cbb4.fa21a4","type":"comment","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"Create http endpoint /files/xxx where xxx is the file name to download","info":"","x":1320,"y":2340,"wires":[]},{"id":"67ecfa7f.3f0e24","type":"http in","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","url":"/files/:fn","method":"get","upload":false,"swaggerDoc":"","x":1110,"y":2380,"wires":[["f31a598d.9fd2c8"]]},{"id":"b724cbe904e0a0a4","type":"fs-ops-dir","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","path":"basePath","pathType":"flow","filter":"*","filterType":"str","dir":"files","dirType":"msg","x":1260,"y":2600,"wires":[["889579700842c8c5"]]},{"id":"5bb555b2920a103f","type":"inject","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","props":[{"p":"payload"},{"p":"topic","vt":"str"}],"repeat":"","crontab":"","once":true,"onceDelay":0.1,"topic":"","payload":"c:\\temp\\","payloadType":"str","x":1120,"y":2260,"wires":[["26bc8255abc483dc"]]},{"id":"26bc8255abc483dc","type":"change","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"store flow.basePath","rules":[{"t":"set","p":"basePath","pt":"flow","to":"payload","tot":"msg"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":1330,"y":2260,"wires":[[]]},{"id":"2184b260657996f6","type":"ui_ui_control","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","events":"all","x":1100,"y":2600,"wires":[["b724cbe904e0a0a4"]]},{"id":"1b45551e6f9646f1","type":"comment","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"Setup basePath","info":"","x":1120,"y":2220,"wires":[]},{"id":"52034f887a419a0e","type":"comment","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"Get files in basePath and generate table","info":"","x":1190,"y":2560,"wires":[]},{"id":"d76416d92215b169","type":"inject","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","props":[{"p":"payload"},{"p":"topic","vt":"str"}],"repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"topic":"","payload":"","payloadType":"date","x":1100,"y":2660,"wires":[["b724cbe904e0a0a4"]]},{"id":"889579700842c8c5","type":"template","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","field":"payload","fieldType":"msg","format":"handlebars","syntax":"mustache","template":"\n\n {{#files}}\n \n \n \n {{/files}}\n
{{.}} download\n
\n\n","output":"str","x":1440,"y":2600,"wires":[["a8c2985e.d23ad8"]]},{"id":"dfb4a60f.d788f8","type":"ui_group","name":"Data Export","tab":"48418b79.0f5834","order":1,"disp":true,"width":"12"},{"id":"48418b79.0f5834","type":"ui_tab","name":"Dashboard","icon":"dashboard","order":1}] ``` * * * #### PS: Uses `fs-ops` nodes for getting directly listing ---
**Author:** ![el\_pablo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/el_pablo/32/45496_2.png) [@el\_pablo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/el_pablo)\ **Post date:** [21 September 2021 13:00 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/unable-to-download-files-from-the-browser/51314/7 "2021-09-21T13:00:38Z")
It works. Now I will need to learn how the nodes you added work. Thanks! PS : I've notice the lena.jpg file. Do you do computer vision? ---
**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\ **Post date:** [21 September 2021 13:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/unable-to-download-files-from-the-browser/51314/8 "2021-09-21T13:01:19Z")
> [@el\_pablo](#): > > I've notice the lena.jpg file. Do you do computer vision? Just a bit here and there (play time mostly with an idea in the back of my mind for a future node) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [5 October 2021 13:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/unable-to-download-files-from-the-browser/51314/9 "2021-10-05T13:01:54Z")
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