diff --git a/lib/filelib.php b/lib/filelib.php
index 8a384d7eda8..131c96649a5 100644
--- a/lib/filelib.php
+++ b/lib/filelib.php
@@ -4,6 +4,40 @@ require_once($CFG->libdir.'/libcurlemu/libcurlemu.inc.php'); // might be moved t
 
 define('BYTESERVING_BOUNDARY', 's1k2o3d4a5k6s7'); //unique string constant
 
+function get_file_url($path, $options=null, $type='coursefile') {
+    global $CFG;
+
+    $path = trim($path, '/'); // no leading and trailing slashes
+
+    // type of file
+    switch ($type) {
+        case 'coursefile':
+        default:
+            $url = "$CFG->wwwroot/file.php";
+    }
+
+    if ($CFG->slasharguments) {
+        $parts = explode('/', $path);
+        $parts = array_map('urlencode', $parts);
+        $path  = implode('/', $parts);
+        $ffurl = "$CFG->wwwroot/file.php/$path";
+        $separator = '?';
+    } else {
+        $path = urlencode("/$path");
+        $ffurl = "$CFG->wwwroot/file.php?file=$path";
+        $separator = '&';
+    }
+
+    if ($options) {
+        foreach ($options as $name=>$value) {
+            $ffurl = $ffurl.$separator.$name.'='.$value;
+            $separator = '&';
+        }
+    }
+
+    return $ffurl;
+}
+
 /**
  * Fetches content of file from Internet (using proxy if defined).
  *
diff --git a/mod/assignment/lib.php b/mod/assignment/lib.php
index e6f607e614b..b359978c6f1 100644
--- a/mod/assignment/lib.php
+++ b/mod/assignment/lib.php
@@ -1494,12 +1494,8 @@ class assignment_base {
                     
                     $icon = mimeinfo('icon', $file);
                     
-                    if ($CFG->slasharguments) {
-                        $ffurl = "$CFG->wwwroot/file.php/$filearea/$file";
-                    } else {
-                        $ffurl = "$CFG->wwwroot/file.php?file=/$filearea/$file";
-                    }
-                
+                    $ffurl = get_file_url("$filearea/$file", array('forcedownload'=>1));
+
                     $output .= '<img align="middle" src="'.$CFG->pixpath.'/f/'.$icon.'" class="icon" alt="'.$icon.'" />'.
                             '<a href="'.$ffurl.'" >'.$file.'</a><br />';
                 }
diff --git a/mod/assignment/type/upload/assignment.class.php b/mod/assignment/type/upload/assignment.class.php
index bd5acaec03d..51ac9c82e3e 100644
--- a/mod/assignment/type/upload/assignment.class.php
+++ b/mod/assignment/type/upload/assignment.class.php
@@ -265,10 +265,10 @@ class assignment_upload extends assignment_base {
             }
 
             if ($files = get_directory_list($basedir, 'responses')) {
+                require_once($CFG->libdir.'/filelib.php');
                 foreach ($files as $key => $file) {
-                    require_once($CFG->libdir.'/filelib.php');
                     $icon = mimeinfo('icon', $file);
-                    $ffurl = "$CFG->wwwroot/file.php?file=/$filearea/$file";
+                    $ffurl = get_file_url("$filearea/$file");
                     $output .= '<a href="'.$ffurl.'" ><img class="icon" src="'.$CFG->pixpath.'/f/'.$icon.'" alt="'.$icon.'" />'.$file.'</a>&nbsp;';
                 }
             }
@@ -326,9 +326,7 @@ class assignment_upload extends assignment_base {
                     foreach ($files as $key => $file) {
 
                         $icon = mimeinfo('icon', $file);
-
-                        $ffurl   = "$CFG->wwwroot/file.php?file=/$filearea/$file";
-
+                        $ffurl = get_file_url("$filearea/$file");
 
                         $output .= '<a href="'.$ffurl.'" ><img src="'.$CFG->pixpath.'/f/'.$icon.'" class="icon" alt="'.$icon.'" />'.$file.'</a>';
 
@@ -381,8 +379,7 @@ class assignment_upload extends assignment_base {
                 foreach ($files as $key => $file) {
 
                     $icon = mimeinfo('icon', $file);
-
-                    $ffurl   = "$CFG->wwwroot/file.php?file=/$filearea/$file";
+                    $ffurl = get_file_url("$filearea/$file");
 
                     $output .= '<a href="'.$ffurl.'" ><img class="align" src="'.$CFG->pixpath.'/f/'.$icon.'" alt="'.$icon.'" />'.$file.'</a>';
 
diff --git a/mod/assignment/type/uploadsingle/assignment.class.php b/mod/assignment/type/uploadsingle/assignment.class.php
index 853422d1d1f..2ebfc6ed0bb 100644
--- a/mod/assignment/type/uploadsingle/assignment.class.php
+++ b/mod/assignment/type/uploadsingle/assignment.class.php
@@ -16,17 +16,12 @@ class assignment_uploadsingle extends assignment_base {
     
         if ($basedir = $this->file_area($userid)) {
             if ($files = get_directory_list($basedir)) {
-                
+                require_once($CFG->libdir.'/filelib.php');                
                 foreach ($files as $key => $file) {
-                    require_once($CFG->libdir.'/filelib.php');
                     
                     $icon = mimeinfo('icon', $file);
-                    
-                    if ($CFG->slasharguments) {
-                        $ffurl = "$CFG->wwwroot/file.php/$filearea/$file";
-                    } else {
-                        $ffurl = "$CFG->wwwroot/file.php?file=/$filearea/$file";
-                    }
+                    $ffurl = get_file_url("$filearea/$file");
+
                     //died right here
                     //require_once($ffurl);                
                     $output = '<img align="middle" src="'.$CFG->pixpath.'/f/'.$icon.'" class="icon" alt="'.$icon.'" />'.