Download links

[Fred Claus]

I have an MSI file on Onedrive that I want people to be able to download. My thought is to put a button on a hidden page on my website so when they click it, they download the file. The issue is when I test this out, it only takes me to the file on Onedrive, from there I have to click a button to download. Is there a way say when the click the link it automatically downloads the file, or do they have to do those two steps?

 

[britechguy]

Take your pick among these: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=OneDrive+automatic+download+link

 

[britechguy]

By the way, if OneDrive wants to be recalcitrant using either the "download postfix" or "convert embed to download" methods, and you're not picky about where you store the MSI file and have a Google Account, it's easy to create a download link from Google Drive. It takes the form:

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=FILE-ID

Here's a "share link" for a Google Drive ZIP file I've had stashed for Microsoft Calculator Plus for years: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hUdH_jaAMxFaULzkn0qt2YSUWpuZNIS1/view?usp=drive_link

The FILE-ID in that particular link is 1hUdH_jaAMxFaULzkn0qt2YSUWpuZNIS1

So if you click on the link https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1hUdH_jaAMxFaULzkn0qt2YSUWpuZNIS1 it will open up a Save dialog for you to pick where the file should be saved upon download or trigger the web browser you're using to give its equivalent in its download manager.

 

[Fred Claus]

Google drive might work better. I'm not picky about where I put it, so long as I can store the MSI file there and it will automatically download. I tried the "Embed" option for OneDrive, but my version doesn't allow me to do this. I'll check out Drive and see if that works better.

 

[Fred Claus]

By the way, if OneDrive wants to be recalcitrant using either the "download postfix" or "convert embed to download" methods, and you're not picky about where you store the MSI file and have a Google Account, it's easy to create a download link from Google Drive. It takes the form:

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=FILE-ID

Here's a "share link" for a Google Drive ZIP file I've had stashed for Microsoft Calculator Plus for years: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hUdH_jaAMxFaULzkn0qt2YSUWpuZNIS1/view?usp=drive_link

The FILE-ID in that particular link is 1hUdH_jaAMxFaULzkn0qt2YSUWpuZNIS1

So if you click on the link https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1hUdH_jaAMxFaULzkn0qt2YSUWpuZNIS1 it will open up a Save dialog for you to pick where the file should be saved upon download or trigger the web browser you're using to give its equivalent in its download manager.

I tried that. I guess since it's an MSI file Google wants to do a virus scan. 30 seconds after I click the link it says "Google can't verify this file, do you still want to download?" I was trying to save that step, but I guess it's not a deal breaker.

Also, on my OneDrive, I don't have an "Embed" option. Not sure if I'm doing something wrong or if I have to have it turned on by the administrator or what.

 

[Porthos]

The issue is when I test this out, it only takes me to the file on Onedrive, from there I have to click a button to download. Is there a way say when the click the link it automatically downloads the file, or do they have to do those two steps?

Click that link in a browser that is not logged into one drive and download it. then go to history in that same browser and go to history and grab the direct link and use that on the download page.

 

[Fred Claus]

Click that link in a browser that is not logged into one drive and download it. then go to history in that same browser and go to history and grab the direct link and use that on the download page.

That is sooooo cool. Thanks. I didn't think about doing that. I did exactly what you said, and it worked perfectly.

 

[britechguy]

You're likely to have issues with any executable file as far as Google and virus scanning. That's why I ZIP this stuff up.

Microsoft, of course, serves up its own MSI files with ease, but whether you could do the same as an individual user of OneDrive, I do not know.

 

[Porthos]

All of my tools are zipped and the only issue I have is Edge will block them as not a frequently downloaded file and will block them until you jump through the hoops to allow the file.

Needless to say, I am remoted into the user before I download them and I deal with the hoops.

 

[timeshifter]

Any reason to not just put the file right on your web host?

 

[HCHTech]

Any reason to not just put the file right on your web host

That's what I was thinking. Why involve other services, unless traffic is a concern, I guess.

 

[britechguy]

Click that link in a browser that is not logged into one drive and download it. then go to history in that same browser and go to history and grab the direct link and use that on the download page.

I have got to be doing something wrong, or missing something obvious. One of the "junk files" that's on my OneDrive has this share URL:

1999 Jaguar XJ8L Fuel Pump.docx

If I click that, it opens in the Word web app in the browser (and I've verified the browser is not logged in to OneDrive), showing this:



If I then go to browser history, this is the link that is there: https://onedrive.live.com/edit?id=2...y=!ANzq7jMr-fEWzW0&wdo=2&cid=2eb6bcfca483d174

If I use that link elsewhere, all it does is open the document in the MS-Word web app there, it does not direct download and save. What am I missing/doing wrong?

 

[Porthos]

If I use that link elsewhere, all it does is open the document in the MS-Word web app there, it does not direct download and save. What am I missing/doing wrong?

With a document format, I think it is working as designed.
When it opens, to save a copy,

 

[britechguy]

@Porthos,

Thanks, but still no change. If I do a "Save a copy" and then get the link out of History, this is it:

1999 Jaguar XJ8L Fuel Pump.docx

onedrive.live.com

That is still opening in the Word web app when pasted elsewhere.

BTW, I pasted in the link as plain text, it's the forums software that's "prettifying" it.

 

[Porthos]

That is still opening in the Word web app when pasted elsewhere.

That is the way one drive is designed when it comes to documents.

 

[britechguy]

That is the way one drive is designed when it comes to documents.

Thanks.

The following is not aimed at you, but at Microsoft: Why on earth would you not give a direct download option for ANY file type?!

I'll clearly keep using Google Drive then for the vast collection of documents of various types that I have been handing out (via download) for years now.

 

[Markverhyden]

Thanks.

The following is not aimed at you, but at Microsoft: Why on earth would you not give a direct download option for ANY file type?!

I'll clearly keep using Google Drive then for the vast collection of documents of various types that I have been handing out (via download) for years now.

Did you dig around to see what options there might be. I tested a file using my M365 account, E3, through Sharepoint. Email, link and Teams are the only options. I dug around in Sharepoint Admin Center and nothing about download only.

But something caught my eye on the link you provided. edit. I edited the link and changed edit to download (only change). I'm now presented with a save download dialogue box on my machine. If that manual change works it makes me think there may be a button to toggle somewhere. By the way my SharePoint link has no mention of "edit" in the link.

I'm sure the reason for edit is they want everyone to be using Web Apps. And what better way, not that I agree, to force that change.

 

[britechguy]

Mark,

I didn't dig around, and your discovery does not shock me. Google long ago "hushed up" the availability of a direct download link, but its general format keeps making the rounds and keeps working.

If the generic format: https://onedrive.live.com/download.aspx?resid={Resource ID}&authkey={Authorization key} works then I'm fine with that. I'll have to play with this for other files I have on my OneDrive where I create a Sharing link and see how it works.

Thank you for bringing this to our collective attention.