How to download a file with React Native? - react-native

Question

I am building an app with React Native, for Android and iOS. I am trying to let the user download a PDF file when clicking on a button.
react-native-file-download does not support Android
react-native-fs does nothing when I trigger downloadFile (nothing shows up on the notification bar), and I am not able to find the file after that. I added android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE to the Android Manifest file. I double-checked that the file I am trying to download exists (when it does not, the library throws an error)
I do not find other solutions for this problem. I have found libraries for viewing a PDF, but I would like to let the user download the PDF.

Answer 1

Just implemented the download feature an hour ago :p
Follow these steps:
a) npm install rn-fetch-blob
b) follow the installation instructions.
b2) if you want to manually install the package without using rnpm, go to their wiki.
c) Finally, that's how I made it possible to download files within my app:
const { config, fs } = RNFetchBlob
let PictureDir = fs.dirs.PictureDir // this is the pictures directory. You can check the available directories in the wiki.
let options = {
fileCache: true,
addAndroidDownloads : {
useDownloadManager : true, // setting it to true will use the device's native download manager and will be shown in the notification bar.
notification : false,
path: PictureDir + "/me_"+Math.floor(date.getTime() + date.getSeconds() / 2), // this is the path where your downloaded file will live in
description : 'Downloading image.'
}
}
config(options).fetch('GET', "http://www.example.com/example.pdf").then((res) => {
// do some magic here
})

Answer 2

If you're using Expo, react-native-fetch-blob won't work. Use FileSystem.
Here's a working example:
const { uri: localUri } = await FileSystem.downloadAsync(remoteUri, FileSystem.documentDirectory + 'name.ext');
Now you have localUri with the path to the downloaded file. Feel free to set your own filename instead of name.ext.

Answer 3

I Followed the solution from Jonathan Simonney, above on this post. But I had to change it a little:
const { config, fs } = RNFetchBlob;
const date = new Date();
const { DownloadDir } = fs.dirs; // You can check the available directories in the wiki.
const options = {
fileCache: true,
addAndroidDownloads: {
useDownloadManager: true, // true will use native manager and be shown on notification bar.
notification: true,
path: `${DownloadDir}/me_${Math.floor(date.getTime() + date.getSeconds() / 2)}.pdf`,
description: 'Downloading.',
},
};
config(options).fetch('GET', 'http://www.africau.edu/images/default/sample.pdf').then((res) => {
console.log('do some magic in here');
});

Answer 4

GetItem_downloadbtn = (item, itemname) => {
console.log("fiel url comiugn jdd " + item);
console.log("item name checkoing " + itemname);
const android = RNFetchBlob.android;
const filename = itemname;
const filepath = RNFetchBlob.fs.dirs.DownloadDir + '/foldernamae/' + filename;
const downloadAppUrl = item;
RNFetchBlob.config({
addAndroidDownloads: {
useDownloadManager: true,
title: 'great, download success',
description:'an apk that will be download',
mime: 'application/vnd.android.package-archive',
// mime: 'image/jpeg',
// mediaScannable: true,
notification: true,
path: filepath
}
})
.fetch('GET', downloadAppUrl)
.then((res) => {
// console.log('res.path ', res.path());
alert('res.path ', res.path());
android.actionViewIntent(res.path(), 'application/vnd.android.package-archive');
})
.catch((err) => {
alert('download error, err is', JSON.stringify(err));
});
}

Answer 5

I had the same issue, got it working using Expo WebBrowser Module
// install module
npm install react-native-webview
// import the module
import * as WebBrowser from 'expo-web-browser';
// then in your function you can call this function
await WebBrowser.openBrowserAsync(file_ur);
it will open preview of the file and then user can download using share button.