Return Files with Flask send_file Tutorial




In this Flask Web development tutorial, we're going to be discussing how to return files rather than templates.

Let's consider that we have a page with a download button for some file:

__init__.py 
from flask import send_file

# ... other code ....

@app.route('/file-downloads/')
def file_downloads():
	try:
		return render_template('downloads.html')
	except Exception as e:
		return str(e)
templates/downloads.html 
{% extends "header.html" %}
{% block body %}
<body class="body">
   <div class="container" align="left">
		<a href="/return-files/" target="blank"><button class='btn btn-default'>Download!</button></a>
   </div>
</body>
{% endblock %}

We can see that we're sending the person to /return-files/, which doesn't exist yet, let's make that.

__init__.py 
@app.route('/return-files/')
def return_files_tut():
	try:
		return send_file('/var/www/PythonProgramming/PythonProgramming/static/images/python.jpg', attachment_filename='python.jpg')
	except Exception as e:
		return str(e)

In this case, if a person goes to /file-downloads/, and clicks the download button, they will get an image returned. How about a pdf?

@app.route('/return-files/')
def return_files_tut():
	try:
		return send_file('/var/www/PythonProgramming/PythonProgramming/static/ohhey.pdf', attachment_filename='ohhey.pdf')
	except Exception as e:
		return str(e)

Simple enough, but what if you want to protect the files in some way. On PythonProgramming.net, for example, I let subscribers just download the videos, but you have to be a subscriber. Most downloads need to be in the static directory, which is totally public, so how would one go about protecting a file from the general public? That's what we'll be talking about in the next tutorial.

The next tutorial:




  • Introduction to Practical Flask

  • Basic Flask Website tutorial

  • Flask with Bootstrap and Jinja Templating

  • Starting our Website home page with Flask Tutorial

  • Improving the Home Page Flask Tutorial

  • Finishing the Home Page Flask Tutorial

  • Dynamic User Dashboard Flask Tutorial

  • Content Management Beginnings Flask Tutorial

  • Error Handling with Flask Tutorial

  • Flask Flash function Tutorial

  • Users with Flask intro Tutorial

  • Handling POST and GET Requests with Flask Tutorial

  • Creating MySQL database and table Flask Tutorial

  • Connecting to MySQL database with MySQLdb Flask Tutorial

  • User Registration Form Flask Tutorial

  • Flask Registration Code Tutorial

  • Finishing User Registration Flask Tutorial

  • Password Hashing with Flask Tutorial

  • Flask User Login System Tutorial

  • Decorators - Login_Required pages Flask Tutorial

  • Dynamic user-based content Flask Tutorial

  • More on Content Management Flask Tutorial

  • Flask CMS Concluded Flask Tutorial

  • The Crontab Flask Tutorial

  • Flask SEO Tutorial

  • Flask Includes Tutorial

  • Jinja Templating Tutorial

  • Flask URL Converters Tutorial

  • Flask-Mail Tutorial for email with Flask

  • Return Files with Flask send_file Tutorial
  • Protected Directories with Flask Tutorial

  • jQuery with Flask Tutorial

  • Pygal SVG graphs with Flask Tutorial

  • PayPal with Flask Web Development Tutorial

  • Securing your Flask website with SSL for HTTPS using Lets Encrypt