curl / libcurl / API / curl_easy_setopt / CURLOPT_MAXFILESIZE

CURLOPT_MAXFILESIZE explained

Name

CURLOPT_MAXFILESIZE - maximum file size allowed to download

Synopsis

#include <curl/curl.h>
 
CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_MAXFILESIZE, long size);

Description

Pass a long as parameter. This specifies the maximum accepted size (in bytes) of a file to download. If the file requested is found larger than this value, the transfer is aborted and CURLE_FILESIZE_EXCEEDED is returned. Passing a zero size disables this, and passing a negative size yields a CURLE_BAD_FUNCTION_ARGUMENT.

The file size is not always known prior to the download start, and for such transfers this option has no effect - even if the file transfer eventually ends up being larger than this given limit.

If you want a limit above 2GB, use CURLOPT_MAXFILESIZE_LARGE.

Since 8.4.0, this option also stops ongoing transfers if they reach this threshold.

Since 8.20.0, this option also stops ongoing transfers that would reach this threshold due to automatic decompression using CURLOPT_ACCEPT_ENCODING.

Default

0, meaning disabled.

Protocols

This functionality affects all supported protocols

Example

int main(void)
{
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    CURLcode result;
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com/");
    /* refuse to download if larger than 1000 bytes */
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_MAXFILESIZE, 1000L);
    result = curl_easy_perform(curl);
  }
}

Availability

Added in curl 7.10.8

Return value

curl_easy_setopt returns a CURLcode indicating success or error.

CURLE_OK (0) means everything was OK, non-zero means an error occurred, see libcurl-errors.