FileBox is a virtual container for packing a file data into it for future read, and easily transport between servers with the least payload, no mater than where it is (local path, remote url, or cloud storage).
Currently the FileBox supports almost all kinds of the data input/output methods/formats:
File Type | Pack Method | Unpack Method | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Local File | fromFile() |
toFile() |
Local file in file system |
Remote URL | fromUrl() |
toUrl() (TBW) |
Remote file in a HTTP/HTTPS URL |
Buffer | fromBuffer() |
toBuffer() |
JavaScript Buffer |
Stream | fromStream() |
toStream() |
JavaScript Stream |
Base64 | fromBase64() |
toBase64() |
Base64 data |
DataURL | fromDataURL() |
toDataURL() |
DataURL data |
QRCode | fromQRCode() |
toQRCode() |
QR Code Image Decode/Encode |
UUID | fromUuid() |
toUuid() |
UUID by loader/saver helper functions |
JSON | fromJSON() |
toJSON() |
Serialize/Deserialize FileBox |
The following example demos:
- Load local file
- Save URL to local file
- Convert buffer to stream
- Pack from Base64 then Unpack to DataURL
import { FileBox } from 'file-box'
/**
* 0. Load local file
*/
const fileBox0 = FileBox.fromFile('/tmp/file.jpg')
/**
* 1. Save URL to File
*/
const fileBox1 = FileBox.fromUrl(
'https://huan.github.io/file-box/images/file-box-logo.jpg',
'logo.jpg',
)
fileBox1.toFile('/tmp/file-box-logo.jpg')
/**
* 2. Convert Buffer to Stream
*/
import fs from 'fs'
const fileBox2 = FileBox.fromBuffer(
Buffer.from('world'),
'hello.txt',
)
const writeStream = fs.createWriteStream('/tmp/hello.txt')
fileBox2.pipe(writeStream)
/**
* 3. Pack Base64, Unpack to DataURL
*/
const fileBox3 = FileBox.fromBase64('d29ybGQK', 'hello.txt')
fileBox3.toDataURL()
.then(console.log)
// Output: data:text/plain;base64,d29ybGQK
- TypeError [ERR_UNESCAPED_CHARACTERS]: Request path contains unescaped characters #56
Alias: fromLocal()
About optional arguments:
name: filename, if not passed, will be parsed from file path, url, etc.
md5: file md5 code, only for checking purposes and will not be computed from file.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromLocal('/tmp/test.txt')
1.2 fromUrl(url: string, options?: {headers?: HTTP.OutgoingHttpHeaders, name?: string, size?: string, md5?: string}): FileBox
Alias: fromRemote()
const fileBox = FileBox.fromUrl(
'https://huan.github.io/file-box/images/file-box-logo.jpg',
{name: 'logo.jpg'},
)
Will be named 'stream.dat' if no name is provided.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromStream(res, '/tmp/download.zip')
Will be named 'buffer.dat' if no name is provided.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromBuffer(buf, '/tmp/download.zip')
Decoded a base64 encoded file data. Will be named 'base64.dat' if no name is provided.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromBase64('d29ybGQK', 'hello.txt')
fileBox.toFile()
Decoded a DataURL data. Will be named 'data-url.dat' if no name is provided.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromDataURL('data:text/plain;base64,d29ybGQK', 'hello.txt')
fileBox.toFile()
Restore a FileBox.toJSON()
text string back to a FileBox instance.
const restoredFileBox = FileBox.fromJSON(jsonText)
Get a FileBox instance that represent a QR Code value.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromQRCode('https://github.com')
fileBox.toFile('qrcode.png')
Load a FileBox from a UUID. Will be named ${uuid}.dat
if no name is provided.
See: FileBox.setUuidLoader()
Save file to current work path(cwd) of the local file system with the default name
.
if name
specified with a full path, then will use the speficied file name instead.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromRemote(
'https://huan.github.io/file-box/images/file-box-logo.jpg',
)
await fileBox.toFile('/tmp/logo.jpg')
Get the stream of file data.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromRemote(
'https://huan.github.io/file-box/images/file-box-logo.jpg',
)
const readableStream = fileBox.toStream()
Pipe to a writable stream.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromRemote(
'https://huan.github.io/file-box/images/file-box-logo.jpg',
)
const writableStream = fs.createWritable('/tmp/logo.jpg')
fileBox.pipe(writableStream)
Get the base64 data of file.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromRemote(
'https://huan.github.io/file-box/images/file-box-logo.jpg',
)
const base64Text = await fileBox.toBase64()
console.log(base64Text) // Output: the base64 encoded data of the file
Get the JSON.stringify
-ed text.
Not Implement Yet: Working In Progress...
const fileBox = FileBox.fromRemote(
'https://huan.github.io/file-box/images/file-box-logo.jpg',
)
const jsonText1 = fileBox.toJSON()
const jsonText2 = JSON.stringify(fileBox)
assert(jsonText1 === jsonText2)
console.log(jsonText1) // Output: the stringified data of the fileBox
const restoredFileBox = fileBox.fromJSON(jsonText1)
restoredFileBox.toFile('/tmp/file-box-logo.jpg')
Get the DataURL of the file.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromFile('tests/fixtures/hello.txt')
const dataUrl = await fileBox.toDataURL()
console.log(dataUrl) // Output: data:text/plain;base64,d29ybGQK'
Get the Buffer of the file.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromFile('tests/fixtures/hello.txt')
const buffer = await fileBox.toBuffer()
console.log(buffer.toString()) // Output: world
Decode the QR Code value from the file.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromFile('qrcode.jpg')
const qrCodeValue = await fileBox.toQRCode()
console.log(`QR Code decoded value is: "${qrCodeValue}"`)
// Output: QR Code decoded value is: "https://github.com"
Save the FileBox to a UUID file and return the UUID.
See: FileBox.setUuidSaver()
Encode a FileBox instance to JSON string so that we can transfer the FileBox on the wire.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromBase64('RmlsZUJveEJhc2U2NAo=')
const jsonText = JSON.stringify(fileBox)
// the above code equals to the following line of code:
// const jsonText = fileBox.toJSON()
// we will get the serialized data for this FileBox:
console.log(jsonText)
// Output: {"name":"qrcode.png","metadata":{},"boxType":1,"base64":"RmlsZUJveEJhc2U2NAo="}
// restore our fleBox:
// const newFileBox = FileBox.fromJSON(jsonText)
Because we want to enable the JSON.stringify(fileBox)
, which will call fileBox.toJSON()
, so the toJSON()
can not be async
, which means we can only support limited FileBoxType(s):
- FileBoxType.Base64
- FileBoxType.Url
- FileBoxType.QRCode
For other types like FileBoxType.File
, FileBoxType.Buffer
, FileBoxType.Stream
, etc, we need to transform them to FileBoxType.Base64
before we call toJSON
:
const fileBoxLazy = FileBox.fromFile('./test.txt')
const base64 = await fileBoxLazy.toBase64()
const fileBox = FileBox.fromBase64(base64, 'test.txt')
// fileBox will be serializable because it do not need async operations
const jsonText = JSON.stringify(fileBox)
console.log(jsonText)
File name of the file in the box
const fileBox = FileBox.fromRemote(
'https://huan.github.io/file-box/images/file-box-logo.jpg',
)
console.log(fileBox.name) // Output: file-box-logo.jpg
File md5 of the file in the box. The value is set by user, not computed from file.
const fileBox = FileBox.fromUrl(
'https://huan.github.io/file-box/images/file-box-logo.jpg',
{md5: 'computed-md5-string'}
)
console.log(fileBox.md5) // Output: computed-md5-string
Metadata for the file in the box. This value can only be assigned once, and will be immutable afterwards, all following assign or modify actions on metadata
will throw errors
const fileBox = FileBox.fromRemote(
'https://huan.github.io/file-box/images/file-box-logo.jpg',
)
fileBox.metadata = {
author : 'huan',
githubRepo : 'https://github.com/huan/file-box',
}
console.log(fileBox.metadata) // Output: { author: 'huan', githubRepo: 'https://github.com/huan/file-box' }
fileBox.metadata.author = 'Tank' // Will throw exception
Version of the FileBox
Serialize FileBox metadata to JSON.
Update the necessary internal data and make everything ready for use.
Sync the filename with the HTTP Response Header
HTTP Header Example:
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="filename.ext"
Return the type of the current FileBox instance.
The currently supported types are defined at file-box-type.ts as the following demonstrated:
enum FileBoxType {
Unknown = 0,
Base64 = 1,
Url = 2,
QRCode = 3,
Buffer = 4,
File = 5,
Stream = 6,
Uuid = 7,
}
Required by static method FileBox.fromUuid()
class FileBoxUuid extends FileBox {}
const loader: UuidLoader = async (uuid: string) => {
const stream = new PassThrough()
stream.end('hello, world!')
return stream
})
FileBoxUuid.setUuidLoader(loader)
const fileBox = FileBoxUuid.fromUuid('12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012', 'test.txt')
await fileBox.toFile('test.txt')
The UuidLoader
is a function that takes a UUID and return a readable stream.
type UuidLoader = (this: FileBox, uuid: string) => Readable
Required by instance method fileBox.toUuid()
class FileBoxUuid extends FileBox {}
const saver: UuidSaver = async (stream: Readable) => {
// save the stream and get uuid
return '12345678-1234-1234-1234-123456789012'
})
FileBoxUuid.setUuidSaver(saver)
const fileBox = FileBoxUuid.fromFile('test.txt')
const uuid = await fileBox.toUuid()
The UuidSaver
is a function that takes a readable stream and return a UUID promise.
type UuidSaver = (this: FileBox, stream: Readable) => Promise<string>
The file box size in bytes. (-1
means unknown)
It is not the size of the target (boxed) file itself.
For example:
const fileBox = FileBox.fromUrl('http://example.com/image.png')
console.log(fileBox.size)
// > 20 <- this is the length of the URL string
The remote file size in bytes. (-1
or undefined
means unknown)
For example:
const fileBox = FileBox.fromUrl('http://example.com/image.png')
await fileBox.ready()
console.log(fileBox.remoteSize)
// > 102400 <- this is the size of the remote image.png
- Present A File by Abstracting It's Meta Information that supports Reading & toJSON() API.
- Follow DOM File/BLOB Interface
- Present a file that could be: Local, Remote, Stream
- Lazy load
- Serializable
- Can be Transfered from server to server, server to browser.
Environment variables can be used to control some behavior.
FILEBOX_HTTP_REQUEST_TIMEOUT
[default=10000] The timeout period for establishing a communication request with the server. For example, if the network is unavailable or the delay is too high, communication cannot be successfully established.FILEBOX_HTTP_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT
[default=60000] Socket idle timeout when FileBox downloads data from URL. For example, when the network is temporarily interrupted, the request will be considered as failed after waiting for a specified time.Deprecated! Please useFILEBOX_HTTP_TIMEOUT
[default=60000]FILEBOX_HTTP_RESPONSE_TIMEOUT
.NO_SLICE_DOWN
[default=false] Whether to turn off slice downloading. If the network is unstable, an error while downloading the file will cause the file download to fail. If it is not closed, the file will be divided into multiple fragments for downloading, and breakpoint re-downloading is supported.HTTP_CHUNK_SIZE
[default=524288] When downloading a file using slicing, the number of bytes in each slice.
Node.js Documentation > URL Strings and URL Objects
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ href │
├──────────┬──┬─────────────────────┬─────────────────────┬───────────────────────────┬───────┤
│ protocol │ │ auth │ host │ path │ hash │
│ │ │ ├──────────────┬──────┼──────────┬────────────────┤ │
│ │ │ │ hostname │ port │ pathname │ search │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ ├─┬──────────────┤ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ query │ │
" https: // user : pass @ sub.host.com : 8080 /p/a/t/h ? query=string #hash "
│ │ │ │ │ hostname │ port │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ ├──────────────┴──────┤ │ │ │
│ protocol │ │ username │ password │ host │ │ │ │
├──────────┴──┼──────────┴──────────┼─────────────────────┤ │ │ │
│ origin │ │ origin │ pathname │ search │ hash │
├─────────────┴─────────────────────┴─────────────────────┴──────────┴────────────────┴───────┤
│ href │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Node.js Documentation > path.parse(path)
┌─────────────────────┬────────────┐
│ dir │ base │
├──────┬ ├──────┬─────┤
│ root │ │ name │ ext │
" / home/user/dir / file .txt "
└──────┴──────────────┴──────┴─────┘
- Environment variables
FILEBOX_HTTP_TIMEOUT
can be set by user. see Environments. (#80, by @binsee)
fileBox.md5
can be set by user. This filed is for the receiver of the filebox to check, and it is not computed from the file.
fileBox.size
will be serialized to/from JSON, and present theContent-Length
of the file. (-1
means unknown)mimeType
has been renamed tomediaType
, and added to theFileBoxInterface
- Suppert ES Module. (#54)
- Add UUID boxType support:
FileBox.fromUuid()
andFileBox.toUuid()
- Add
size
property to return the size of the file. (-1
means unknown) - Add
remoteSize
property to present the remote size of the file (if applicable,-1
means unknown) - Add
UniformResourceNameRegistry
class for providing a production-ready basic UUID management tool. - Add
FileBoxInterface
,FileBox.isInstance()
, andFileBox.isInterface()
Breaking changes:
toJSON
format renamedboxType
totype
type()
has been changed totype
version()
has been changed toversion
- Throw error when consume a stream twice to prevent data lost. (#50)
- Add
fileBox.type()
to return theFileBoxType
of a FileBox. (wechaty/wechaty#1918) - Change
Readable
tostream.Readable
for better compatibility. (Jun 27, 2020) - Add
chunkerTransformStream
totoStream
(#44)
Add support to JSON.stringify()
(#25):
FileBox.fromJSON()
- Static method for deserializationfileBox.toJSON()
- Instance method for serialization
- Add support to QR Code:
FileBox.fromQRCode()
andFileBox.toQRCode()
- Start using @chatie/tsconfig
- Add two new factory methods:
fromBase64()
,fromDataURL()
- Add
toBuffer()
,toBase64()
andtoDataURL()
to get the Buffer and BASE64 encoded file data - Add
metadata
property to store additional information. (#3)
- Add
headers
option forfromRemote()
method
Initial version.
- File API - W3C Working Draft, 26 October 2017
- MIME Sniffing - Living Standard — Last Updated 20 April 2018
- Using files from web applications
- Web technology for developers > Web APIs > File
- Web technology for developers > Web APIs > Blob
- Web technology for developers > Web APIs > FileReader
- A simple HTTP Request & Response Service.
- Hurl.it — Make HTTP Requests
This module is inspired by https://github.com/gulpjs/vinyl and DefinitelyTyped/DefinitelyTyped#12368 when I need a virtual File module for my Chatie project.
Huan LI (李卓桓), Microsoft AI MVP, zixia@zixia.net
- Docs released under Creative Commons
- Code released under the Apache-2.0 License
- Code & Docs © 2018 Huan LI <zixia@zixia.net>