[jira] [Commented] (CB-13044) Update cordova-plugin-file to latest version of File API

["Connor Pearson (JIRA)" <ji...@apache.org>]

    [ https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/CB-13044?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:comment-tabpanel&focusedCommentId=16105619#comment-16105619 ] 

Connor Pearson commented on CB-13044:
-------------------------------------

Right now we're using both the File Writer and File System capabilities of this plugin. In some cases, like storing users' documents locally, an indexeddb/sqlite blob store might be a feasible alternative, but there are some scenarios where we need direct control of the Apps files. For example, downloading a pre-populated database to use with the sqlite plugin. Another case is providing file URI's to other apps via intents.

I'm not very familiar with the new File API, but I don't see a way of handling these cases with it. If the goal of this plugin is to be spec conforming, could we create a different plugin for manipulating the file system? I still think it's a core functionality.

> Update cordova-plugin-file to latest version of File API
> --------------------------------------------------------
>
>                 Key: CB-13044
>                 URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/CB-13044
>             Project: Apache Cordova
>          Issue Type: Task
>          Components: cordova-plugin-file
>            Reporter: Filip Maj
>              Labels: plugins-next
>
> Part of the roadmap for the core plugins is to update them to make them spec-relevant once more. See CB-12715.
> After taking a look at the current version of [W3C File API|https://w3c.github.io/FileAPI/], here is one take on what specific API changes are needed to update the API to the current version:
> - *remove* a bunch of APIs, specifically:
> -- everything to do with the [old (now discontinued) File System API|https://www.w3.org/TR/file-system-api/]:
> --- {{window.requestFileSystem}} method
> --- {{LocalFileSystem}} object
> --- {{FileSystem}} object
> --- {{Flags}} object
> --- {{Metadata}} object
> --- {{Entry}}, {{DirectoryEntry}} and {{FileEntry}} objects
> --- {{DirectoryReader}} object
> -- everything to do with the [old, discontinued File Writer API|https://www.w3.org/TR/file-writer-api/]: {{FileWriter}} object
> -- {{FileUploadOptions}}, {{FileUploadResult}} objects (wtf are these? I think they are for supporting file transfer? why are they in plugin-file? lol?)
> -- the {{FileError}} object, as the [latest spec says to return {{DOMException}}|https://w3c.github.io/FileAPI/#failureReason]
> - update a bunch of APIs, specifically:
> -- update {{FileReader}} interface's {{readAs*}} methods so that they take a {{Blob}} object instead of a {{File}} object as parameter
> -- if the polyfill is still needed, might need to update the {{File}} object and remove a bunch of extra native-y cruft like "type" and stuff that was used when leveraging the bridge
> -- update any error handling to return {{DOMException}} instances instead of the now-removed {{FileError}}
> - possibly write up a polyfill for {{Blob}} ? Looks like it will be needed in Android 4.4 or lower.
> - possibly write up a polyfill for {{FileList}} (as per [spec|https://w3c.github.io/FileAPI/#dfn-filelist]) - might be needed on iOS 9.3 / Android 4.4. Worth noting that the first descriptive text in the spec mentions this interface being "at risk" as it's basically a glorified array.
> - review docs:
> -- are referencing local file system paths like {{<img src="cdvfile://filesystem/path">}} still relevant (related to open question #2 below)?
> -- review and update https://cordova.apache.org/docs/en/latest/cordova/storage/storage.html#indexeddb - it mentions some things like indexeddb has a 5MB storage, we should probably update it to mention it is supported in ios, and do some quick checking on max storage size.
> -- remove https://cordova.apache.org/docs/en/latest/cordova/storage/storage.html#filesystem-api
> -- how much of this documentation should reside in the File plugin docs vs. in the general "Storage" cordova docs, or perhaps even the platform docs? over half of the File plugin docs talk about filesystem formats and platform quirks therein.
> A few open questions:
> 1. One thing worth noting is that platform implementations for a lot of the above may not be needed on iOS 10+ and Android 5.0+. Would need to check windows / edge support. If support is splotchy, we need to keep in mind to write the plugin in such a way that we don't clobber over potentially-pre-existing spec-adhering objects of the File API.
> 2. Worth calling out that the [File API defines its own URL scheme to use|https://w3c.github.io/FileAPI/#url]. Does this then supercede the cordova custom ones like cdvfile:// and other protocols?



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