Downloading file via curl when url not a direct link?

how?

[ajs83]

I am trying to use CURL to log into a site, download a file, and send the results. So far I have gotten it to log-in and send results (based on sample data), but I cannot get the file to download.

For example, the url is in a format similar to the link below When you click it, it redirects somewhere and provides REPORTS.ZIP (note the bolded area of the example link).

http://www.example.com/file.php?date=2006/01/18&date2=2006/01/19&file=REPORTS&info=all

The problem is that the url is not a direct link and when clicked, it prompts any (standard) browser to download the (zip) file. When I tried using wget, it downloads file.php which does no good.

What do I need to do for it to download and write the file to my local directory?

[ajs83]

anyone?

[jatar_k]

what happens when you use curl on the file, you said wget gets file.php (which is also strange) but didn't mention what happens with curl.

you could also look at [curl.haxx.se...] and see if there is any specific thing to do with file retrieval, especially zip.

I would also read through the comments on these pages
[php.net...]
[php.net...]

I know they're longbut there is very often valuable information in there

[ajs83]

I'm using curl to imitate the valid login which works, but then I try using

wget http://www.example.com/file.php?date=2006/01/18&date2=2006/01/19&file=REPORTS&info=all

it gives me file.php