How to download file via jQuery ajax and C#

Question

I want to download a file using jQuery Ajax web method, but it's not working.

Here is my jQuery ajax call to web method:

function GenerateExcel() {
   var ResultTable = jQuery('<div/>').append(jQuery('<table/>').append($('.hDivBox').find('thead').clone()).append($('.bDiv').find('tbody').clone()));
   var list = [$(ResultTable).html()];
   var jsonText = JSON.stringify({ list: list });
   $.ajax({
          type: "POST",
          url: "GenerateMatrix.aspx/GenerateExcel",
          data: jsonText,
          contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
          dataType: "json",
          success: function (response) {

          },
          failure: function (response) {
               alert(response.d);
          }
            });
        }

and this is the web method definition:

[System.Web.Services.WebMethod()]
public static string GenerateExcel(List<string> list)
{
    HttpContext.Current.Response.AppendHeader("content-disposition", "attachment;filename=FileEName.xls");
    HttpContext.Current.Response.Charset = "";
    HttpContext.Current.Response.Cache.SetCacheability(HttpCacheability.NoCache);
    HttpContext.Current.Response.ContentType = "application/vnd.ms-excel";
    HttpContext.Current.Response.Write(list[0]);
    HttpContext.Current.Response.End();
    return "";
} 

How to get it done?

One more thing: I want to download it on client PC, not to save it on server.

Answer 1

well i have done it using iframe

this is the modified ajax function call

 function GenerateExcel() {
            var ResultTable = jQuery('<div/>').append(jQuery('<table/>').append($('.hDivBox').find('thead').clone()).append($('.bDiv').find('tbody').clone()));
            var list = [$(ResultTable).html()];
            var jsonText = JSON.stringify({ list: list });
            $.ajax({
                type: "POST",
                url: "GenerateMatrix.aspx/GenerateExcel",
                data: jsonText,
                contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
                dataType: "json",
                success: function (response) {
                    if (isNaN(response.d) == false) {
                        $('#iframe').attr('src', 'GenerateMatrix.aspx?ExcelReportId=' + response.d);
                        $('#iframe').load();
                    }
                    else {
                        alert(response.d);
                    }
                },
                failure: function (response) {
                    alert(response.d);
                }
            });
        }

and this is the design part

 <iframe id="iframe" style="display:none;"></iframe>

on Page load my code looks like this

 Response.AppendHeader("content-disposition", "attachment;filename=FileEName.xls");
 Response.Charset = "";
 Response.Cache.SetCacheability(HttpCacheability.NoCache);
 Response.ContentType = "application/vnd.ms-excel";
 Response.Write(tableHtml);
 Response.End();