Serve an informative page when user attempts to download a large PDF

[bmathesonFEC]

Summary

Some reports on FEC.gov are too large to deliver to users as PDFs. Currently when the user clicks to download the PDF they are taken to a "Page Not Found" landing page. (example ActBlue's 2026 MY report, 15million pages: https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/350/202507319764548350/202507319764548350.pdf). Also, the page is in the style of our "classic"site.

We would better serve our users if the resulting page had information about why they can't download the PDF and direct them to an alternative source for viewing the data.

Related tickets

• Large Reports Not Viewable as PDFs #6389

Action items

• Identify the link to the form for requesting large files to add to the error message

Completion criteria

• users get an informational message about the unavailable PDF when they click to download.

Tech steps or considerations (optional0

• can the website deliver a page in the event that the PDF is too large?

Errors observed

[JonellaCulmer]

Meet with contractor to discuss ticket on the EFO side week of 1/19.

[JonellaCulmer]

Here is the proposed solution. Waiting for comment from EFO since they will be the ones fielding these inquiries.

This solution prevents the click to attempt a PDF download for reports that meet this criteria on committee profile pages and the filings datatable:

• Report is 100,000 pages or greater (confirming with EFO)
• One of three relevant committees (confiming with EFO)
• One of two report types (confirming with EFO)

We will direct users to email EFO. (Also, confirming that is the preferred method for EFO.)

Once I have responses back from EFO, can finalize this design.