File¶
Non-Visible component| Category | Requires | Version |
|---|---|---|
| Storage | API 21, Android 5.0 Lollipop | 8 |
Overview¶
Non-visible component for storing and retrieving files. Use this component to write or read files on your device. The default behaviour is to write files to the private data directory associated with your App. The Companion is special cased to write files to a public directory for debugging. Use the More information link to read more about how the File component uses paths and scopes to manage access to files.
Events¶
After File Saved¶
Event indicating that the contents of the file have been written.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| file Name | Text |
After Unzip¶
Event indicating that the zip file have been created.
After Zip¶
Event indicating that the zip file have been created.
Directory Created¶
Deprecated
Event indicating that there was a directory created. The return value is 'true' or 'false'.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| is Directory Created | Boolean |
Got Text¶
Event indicating that the contents from the file have been read.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| text | Text |
On Zip Failure¶
Event indicating that there was any failure on zip or unzip a file.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| error Message | Text |
Methods¶
Append To File¶
Appends text to the end of a file storage, creating the file if it does not exist. See the help text under SaveFile for information about where files are written.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| text | Text |
| file Name | Text |
Copy¶
Deprecated
Copy a file. If input path started with two // (slashes) then it's a asset file. You can not copy a file into the assets directory. Use CopyFile instead.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| input | Text |
| output | Text |
Copy File¶
Returns: Boolean
Copy the contents from the first file to the second file.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| from Scope | Text FileScope |
| from File Name | Text |
| to Scope | Text FileScope |
| to File Name | Text |
| from Scope Option | Value |
|---|---|
| App | App |
| Asset | Asset |
| Cache | Cache |
| Legacy | Legacy |
| Private | Private |
| Shared | Shared |
| to Scope Option | Value |
|---|---|
| App | App |
| Asset | Asset |
| Cache | Cache |
| Legacy | Legacy |
| Private | Private |
| Shared | Shared |
Create Directory¶
Deprecated
Create a new directory. Use MakeDirectory instead.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| directory | Text |
Delete¶
Deletes a file from storage. Prefix the filename with / to delete a specific file in the SD card, for instance /myFile.txt. will delete the file /sdcard/myFile.txt. If the file does not begin with a /, then the file located in the programs private storage will be deleted. Starting the file with // is an error because assets files cannot be deleted.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| file Name | Text |
Exists¶
Returns: Boolean
Tests whether the path exists in the given scope.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| scope | Text FileScope |
| path | Text |
| scope Option | Value |
|---|---|
| App | App |
| Asset | Asset |
| Cache | Cache |
| Legacy | Legacy |
| Private | Private |
| Shared | Shared |
File Size¶
Returns: Number
Get file size
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| file | Text |
Get File Name¶
Returns: Text
Get file name
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| file | Text |
Get Free Space¶
Returns: Number
Get Free Space
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| path | Text |
Get Total Space¶
Returns: Number
Get total space
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| path | Text |
Is Directory¶
Returns: Boolean
Tests whether the path named in the given scope is a directory.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| scope | Text FileScope |
| path | Text |
| scope Option | Value |
|---|---|
| App | App |
| Asset | Asset |
| Cache | Cache |
| Legacy | Legacy |
| Private | Private |
| Shared | Shared |
Is File¶
Returns: Boolean
Check whether the path is a file
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| path | Text |
List Directory¶
Returns: List
Get a list of files and directories in the given directory.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| scope | Text FileScope |
| directory Name | Text |
| scope Option | Value |
|---|---|
| App | App |
| Asset | Asset |
| Cache | Cache |
| Legacy | Legacy |
| Private | Private |
| Shared | Shared |
Make Directory¶
Returns: Boolean
Create a new directory for storing files. The semantics of this method are such that it willreturn true if the directory exists at its completion. This can mean that the directory alreadyexisted prior to the call.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| scope | Text FileScope |
| directory Name | Text |
| scope Option | Value |
|---|---|
| App | App |
| Asset | Asset |
| Cache | Cache |
| Legacy | Legacy |
| Private | Private |
| Shared | Shared |
Make Full Path¶
Returns: Text
Converts the scope and path into a single string for other components.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| scope | Text FileScope |
| path | Text |
| scope Option | Value |
|---|---|
| App | App |
| Asset | Asset |
| Cache | Cache |
| Legacy | Legacy |
| Private | Private |
| Shared | Shared |
Move¶
Deprecated
Returns: Boolean
Move a file. You can not move asset files. Use MoveFile instead.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| input | Text |
| output | Text |
Move File¶
Returns: Boolean
Move a file from one location to another.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| from Scope | Text FileScope |
| from File Name | Text |
| to Scope | Text FileScope |
| to File Name | Text |
| from Scope Option | Value |
|---|---|
| App | App |
| Asset | Asset |
| Cache | Cache |
| Legacy | Legacy |
| Private | Private |
| Shared | Shared |
| to Scope Option | Value |
|---|---|
| App | App |
| Asset | Asset |
| Cache | Cache |
| Legacy | Legacy |
| Private | Private |
| Shared | Shared |
Read From¶
Reads text from a file in storage. Prefix the filename with / to read from a specific file on the SD card. for instance /myFile.txt will read the file /sdcard/myFile.txt. To read assets packaged with an application (also works for the Companion) start the filename with // (two slashes). If a filename does not start with a slash, it will be read from the applications private storage (for packaged apps) and from /sdcard/AppInventor/data for the Companion.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| file Name | Text |
Remove Directory¶
Returns: Boolean
Remove a directory from the file system. If recursive is true, then everything is removed. Ifrecursive is false, only the directory is removed and only if it is empty.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| scope | Text FileScope |
| directory Name | Text |
| recursive | Boolean |
| scope Option | Value |
|---|---|
| App | App |
| Asset | Asset |
| Cache | Cache |
| Legacy | Legacy |
| Private | Private |
| Shared | Shared |
Save File¶
Saves text to a file. If the filename begins with a slash (/) the file is written to the sdcard. For example writing to /myFile.txt will write the file to /sdcard/myFile.txt. If the filename does not start with a slash, it will be written in the programs private data directory where it will not be accessible to other programs on the phone. There is a special exception for the AI Companion where these files are written to /sdcard/AppInventor/data to facilitate debugging. Note that this block will overwrite a file if it already exists If you want to add content to a file use the append block.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| text | Text |
| file Name | Text |
Unzip¶
Unzip a file with or without a password. If you dont need a passwort then let it empty.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| target Zip File Path | Text |
| destination Folder Path | Text |
| password | Text |
Zip¶
Create a zip file with or without a password.
| Param | Type |
|---|---|
| target Path | Text |
| destination File Path | Text |
| password | Text |
Properties¶
Default Scope¶
Text FileScope Default: App 
Write - Designer
Specifies the default scope for files accessed using the File component. The App scope shouldwork for most apps. Legacy mode can be used for apps that predate the newer constraints inAndroid on app file access.
| Option | Value |
|---|---|
| App | App |
| Asset | Asset |
| Cache | Cache |
| Legacy | Legacy |
| Private | Private |
| Shared | Shared |
Read Permission¶
Boolean Default: False Write - Designer
A designer-only property that can be used to enable read access to file storage outside of theapp-specific directories.
Scope¶
Text FileScope Default: App Read Write - Blocks
Indicates the current scope for operations such as ReadFrom and SaveFile.
| Option | Value |
|---|---|
| App | App |
| Asset | Asset |
| Cache | Cache |
| Legacy | Legacy |
| Private | Private |
| Shared | Shared |
Write Permission¶
Boolean Default: False Write - Designer
A designer-only property that can be used to enable write access to file storage outside of theapp-specific directories.