Download text file via ASP.NET MVC dynamically changed - asp.net

Question

I have to generate file depending on input (checkboxes) and download it:
[HttpGet]
public FileResult GenerateFormatSettingsFile(IEnumerable<string> values)
{
var content = FileSettingsGenerator.Generate(values);
MemoryStream memoryStream = new MemoryStream();
TextWriter tw = new StreamWriter(memoryStream);
tw.WriteLine(content);
tw.Flush();
tw.Close();
return File(memoryStream.GetBuffer(), "text/plain", "file.txt");
}
And on my view this:
<button id="GenetateFormatSettingsFile" class="btn btn-primary" data-dismiss="modal" style="margin-right: 1500px">Generate</button>
$(document).ready(function() {
$("#GenetateFormatSettingsFile").click(function() {
var f = {};
var checkboxes = [];
$('input:checked').each(function() {
checkboxes.push($(this).attr("value"));
});
f.url = '#Url.Action("GenerateFormatSettingsFile", "Home")';
f.type = "GET";
f.dataType = "text";
f.data = { values: checkboxes},
f.traditional = true;
f.success = function(response) {
};
f.error = function(jqxhr, status, exception) {
alert(exception);
};
$.ajax(f);
});
});
</script>
The problem is the download doesn't start. How could I fix it?
If I do it with Html.ActionLink, the download starts, but I can't pass the values of checkboxes which is done by my ajax function above
Thanks!
Edit - that's how my check-boxes looks like:
<div class="container">
<div class="row">
<div class="col-xs-12">
<div class="modal" id="formatterSettings" tabindex="-1">
<div class="modal-dialog">
<div class="modal-content">
<div class="modal-header">
<button class="close" data-dismiss="modal">×</button>
<h4 class="modal-title">Settings</h4>
</div>
<div class="modal-body">
<form>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="defaultG">To default view</label>
<input class="form-control" type="checkbox" value="Default" id="defaultG">
</div>
<div class="form-group">
<label for="extendedG">To extended view</label>
<input class="form-control" type="checkbox" value="Extended" id="extendedG">
</div>
/div>
</form>
</div>
<div class="modal-footer">
<div class="col-md-6">
<button id="GenetateFormatSettingsFile" class="btn btn-primary" data-dismiss="modal" style="margin-right: 1500px">Generate</button>
#Html.ActionLink("Generate!", "GenerateFormatSettingsFile")
</div>
<div class="col-md-6">
<a class="btn btn-primary" data-dismiss="modal" >Generate From Code</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Answer 1

Put a submit button in your form and POST your form synchronously (without ajax).
when a form is posted, values of all input elements (TextBoxes, CheckBoxes, ...) are sent to the server (with the request) and you don't need to do anything.