Upload DocumentFile to server

[sagarnayak]

Library version: 0.9.0
OS version: [Android 10]
Device model: [Vivo v11 Pro]

Describe the bug
Getting getAbsolutePath{} as blank but the name is there.

To Reproduce

implementation "com.anggrayudi:storage:0.9.0"

private lateinit var storage: SimpleStorageHelper

storage = SimpleStorageHelper(this)
	storage.onStorageAccessGranted = { _, root ->
		Toast.makeText(
			this,
			getString(
				R.string.ss_selecting_root_path_success_without_open_folder_picker,
				root.getAbsolutePath(this)
			),
			Toast.LENGTH_SHORT
		).show()
	}
		
storage.onFileSelected = { _, file ->
	Toast.makeText(baseContext, "File selected: ${file.fullName}", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT)
	.show()
	val fileLocation = file.getAbsolutePath(this@UploadDocument)
	logUtil.logV(">>>>> the name is : ${file.name}")
	logUtil.logV(">>>>> if file : ${file.isFile}")
	logUtil.logV(">>>>> the location : $fileLocation")
	gotFile(
		File(fileLocation)
	)
}

storage.openFilePicker(REQUEST_CODE_PICK_FILE, "image/*", "application/pdf")

Stacktrace

V: >>>>> the name is : IMG-20210712-WA0000.jpg
V: >>>>> if file : true
V: >>>>> the location : 

[anggrayudi]

DocumentFile.getAbsolutePath() returns empty string on some conditions. Usually, it happens when the DocumentFile is androidx.documentfile.provider.SingleDocumentFile because its URI does not contain any file path. The file path of SingleDocumentFile is stored in the SAF database. To access it, you can convert the file to MediaFile:

val media = documentFile.toMediaFile(context)
val path = media.absolutePath

But there's no guarantee that the SAF will give you the actual path. Personally, I avoid using the absolute path for file management. Normally, an absolute path is used to show useful information to the user, whereas managing files is always with URI.

[sagarnayak]

I want to get the absolute path to create a file. I use that file to upload the it to server.

What would you suggest to do here to be able to upload that file to the server?

[anggrayudi]

You can read the file via InputStream:

storage.onFileSelected = { _, files: List<DocumentFile> ->
    files.first().openInputStream(context)?.use { stream ->
       // upload stream to the server in Base64 format
       // https://stackoverflow.com/q/42667942/3922207
    }
}

[sagarnayak]

I also do validation for file type explicitly - for image types and pdf. (can be done with file name)
and a size check which is an issue as of now.
show a preview to the user. (I think this can be done with input stream)
upload to server. (I think can be done with input stream)

can you suggest any method that can give me the size of the file in any way?

[anggrayudi]

• For file type, better use DocumentFile.type or DocumentFile.mimeTypeByFileName.
• For file size, use DocumentFile.length() or DocumentFile.getFormattedSize()