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I've read a lot of posts but I got no the FINAL answer. Starting from the code at this link, I got my file downloaded into the app. Anyway, I'd like to see it into the "Download" folder. I'm using Android, but clearly I'd like a solution valid for iOS also.

Zappescu
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1 Answers1

15

EDIT

If you already know the path of the file you can just move it:

var storageLocation = "";
console.log(device.platform);
switch (device.platform) {

    case "Android":
        storageLocation = 'file:///storage/emulated/0/';
        break;
    case "iOS":
        storageLocation = cordova.file.documentsDirectory;
        break;

}


var fileUri = "file:///data/user/0/com.arsdigitalia.myapp/files/files/MyApp‌​/test.pdf"

function moveFile(fileUri) {
    window.resolveLocalFileSystemURL(
          fileUri,
          function(fileEntry){

                var parentEntry = storageLocation + "Download";
               
                // move the file to a new directory and rename it
               fileEntry.moveTo(parentEntry, "newFile.pdf", success, fail);
                       
          },
          errorCallback);
}

Original

Here is a sample piece of code I use to accomplish this. It works best on Android, iOS is a bit different due to the app sandboxing so you need to handle retrieving files yourself. I also use the Cordova device plugin to determine what device the app is running on, I can then change storage paths to suit:

var storageLocation = "";
console.log(device.platform);
switch (device.platform) {

    case "Android":
        storageLocation = 'file:///storage/emulated/0/';
        break;
    case "iOS":
        storageLocation = cordova.file.documentsDirectory;
        break;

}

window.resolveLocalFileSystemURL(storageLocation,
    function (fileSystem) {

        fileSystem.getDirectory('Download', {
                create: true,
                exclusive: false
            },
            function (directory) {

                //You need to put the name you would like to use for the file here.
                directory.getFile("YOUR_FILE_NAME", {
                        create: true,
                        exclusive: false
                    },
                    function (fileEntry) {


                        fileEntry.createWriter(function (writer) {
                            writer.onwriteend = function () {
                                console.log("File written to downloads")
                            };

                            writer.seek(0);
                            writer.write(YOUR_FILE_HERE); //You need to put the file, blob or base64 representation here.

                        }, errorCallback);
                    }, errorCallback);
            }, errorCallback);
    }, errorCallback);

var errorCallback = function(e) {
    
    console.log("Error: " + e)
    
}

Then to retrieve the file list from the directory you can use:

window.resolveLocalFileSystemURL(storageLocation,
    function (fileSystem) {
    
        fileSystem.getDirectory('Download', {
                create: true,
                exclusive: false
            },
            function (directory) {

                var reader = directory.createReader();
                reader.readEntries(function (files) {

                    if (files.length == 0) {

                        console.log("No files found in downloads folder.")

                    } else {

                        $.each(files, function (i, v) {

                            console.log("File Name: " + files[i].name;)

                        });

                    }

                }, getFilesFail);
            }, getFilesFail);
    }, getFilesFail);

var getFilesFail = function(e) {
    
    console.log("Error: " + e);
    
}

To install the device plugin use this command:

cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-device

Documentation here:

https://cordova.apache.org/docs/en/latest/reference/cordova-plugin-device/

L Balsdon
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  • for the line writer.write(YOUR_FILE_HERE); I think I can't use the filepath as YOUR_FILE_HERE. In fact I have: file:///data/user/0/com.arsdigitalia.myapp/files/files/MyApp/test.pdf but the original file of 400kB is not well copied (I found a file of 80B in the downloads folder). Suggestions? – Zappescu Apr 24 '17 at 09:59
  • Ok I used the readBinaryFile explained in the official plugin doc (https://github.com/apache/cordova-plugin-file-transfer#download-a-binary-file-to-the-application-cache-) and I got the file. Just a final answer: I got access to the file using a file manager and seeing into the download folder, anyway, in the "official" download folder in Android 7.1 (the icon on the desk) I can't see it. Why? – Zappescu Apr 24 '17 at 10:24
  • I edited my post to include a function that should move a file from one directory to another. I think the reason you can't see it in the official download app is because it wasn't downloaded to that folder by the Android download manager. – L Balsdon Apr 24 '17 at 10:33
  • Ok, but you should change your function to this one: window.resolveLocalFileSystemURL( fileUri, function (fileEntry) { var parentEntry = storageLocation + "Download"; window.resolveLocalFileSystemURL(parentEntry, function (store) { // move the file to a new directory and rename it fileEntry.moveTo(store, "newFile.pdf", function () { console.log("done moving"); }, function () { console.log("error moving"); }); },errorCallback); }, errorCallback); – Zappescu Apr 24 '17 at 13:15
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    Are you saying Downloads folder is in `file:///storage/emulated/0/Download` for Android – João Pimentel Ferreira May 20 '18 at 08:46
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    Does this still work? I think for iOS you are moving a file to a `Download` folder inside the app directory path - which means the user still can't see it in their iPhones general `Downloads` folder. Why has apple made this so hard. You can download files to the users phone, but the user can't see them. – rolinger Mar 06 '23 at 15:00