Best Practices for download link instructions

[VancouverVideographer]

I’d like to know what are the best practices for download links.

I have two scenarios:

1 – Pre-orders

Client prepays for a digital video download (mp4 file). When the file is ready I generate an encrypted download link in the Admin Functions. The file is hosted on Amazon S3. The client receives an email with a link that looks like this:

http://www.videoproductionvancouver.ca/wp-content/plugins/wp-cart-for-digital-products/download.php?file=2xOa%2FCgKU (I’ve changed some of the code at the end so it isn’t real)

2 – Orders after the video is uploaded

Clients get taken to a webpage and the link appears with instructions. They also receive an email with the same link.

My question is, what is the easiest way to give instructions or structure the download so that it is easy on my clients to download the video and save it to their hard drive?

This is considering there are so many variations between Mac and PC (right click, ctrl click), email programs (cloud or software), browsers (FF, Chrome, IE, Safari, etc).

So no one set of instructions seems to be easy and I’m getting emails from clients telling me they can’t save the file and have exhausted their one download attempt.

Thanks in advance.

[wzp]

The best instruction is to first try clicking on the link, and if that does not work, to copy the complete link and paste it into the browser’s address bar.

The most common link problem is the email client not properly rendering the link, as it is sent as a text string; and some email clients have problems when the link wraps to the next line. Copying the link to the address bar eliminates this problem.

[VancouverVideographer]

Thanks – but not sure if that answers the question:

My question is, what is the easiest way to give instructions or structure the download so that it is easy on my clients to download the video and save it to their hard drive?

Clicking on the link will let them play the video but it doesn’t prompt them to save it to their hard drive.

Can you try again Thanks in advance.

[admin]

This post should help you

https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/force-a-file-to-download-instead-of-showing-up-in-the-browser

[VancouverVideographer]

Sounds like Zip is the only and best option when using Amazon S3 as I can’t change the .htaccess file for Amazon S3 files (at least I don’t think I can).

And giving clients instructions on how to change their browser preferences with one set of instructions that apply to every browser on every OS doesn’t sound doable.

Thanks – I’ll start using Zip files instead. Unfortunately this means I can’t use the same file for playback in a player on my website but ease of client download is much more important.

[Author]

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