javascript ajax.open,ajax - How to open a file using JavaScript? - Stack Overflow

Note: I'm assuming you're using the Prototype framework from the Ajax.Request call.

The response object isn't meant to be written directly, it does however, have the responseText property which should contain the returned PDF.

Have you tried:

new Ajax.Request('/pdfservlet', {

onSuccess: function(response) {

docWindow = window.open('','title');

docWindow.document.open('application/pdf');

document.write(response.responseText);

docWindow.document.close();

},

onFailure: function(response) {

alert(response);

}

});

(Notice the added .responseText)

Edit: Okay, so that didn't work... Try something like this:

new Ajax.Request('/pdfservlet', {

onSuccess: function(response) {

window.open('/pdfservlet');

},

onFailure: function(response) {

alert(response);

}

});

What this will do is create the ajax request, and if successful open it in a new window. Opening the new window should be fast and not actually require requesting the PDF again since the browser should have cached it during the Ajax.Request call.