Downloading using download manager, Cannot Delete the file

[drblmb]

On Android, I downloaded a PDF file using Download Manager...then, when I delete the file later, it reports success, but the files are not being removed from the system. I can see them in Recent Files and Download History.

RNFetchBlob.session('pdf').dispose().then(() => { console.log('Succeeded'); }

I also tried just deleting the file with RNFetchBlob.fs.unlink, and it also reports Succeeded, but the file is still there. How do I really delete the files?

[wkh237]

@drblmb , files created by download manager should be scanned again using fs.scanFile so that it removed from Android media database.

[drblmb]

@wkh237 , can you give me an example of this? The examples of using scanFile show it resolving a promise that returns no values.

.then((res) => RNFetchBlob.fs.scanFile([ { path : res.path(), mime : 'audio/mpeg' } ]))
.then(() => {
// scan file success
})
.catch((err) => {
// scan file error
})

In my case, I was downloading using DownloadManager which returns a path. What does scanFile do?

Thanks!

[drblmb]

@wkh237, or anyone please, can someone show me how to delete a file I've downloaded with download manager?

[wkh237]

@drblmb , from my understanding if you're going to remove a file downloaded by Android Download Manager, you need to do these 2 things :

1. remove the file using fs.unlink
2. scan the path again (fs.scanFile)

[drblmb]

fs.unlink says it worked, but then after I close my app, I'm able to go to download manager and still open the file. It isn't really deleted, so this issue cannot be closed yet

[rolldone]

me too, unlink does not working..

[wkh237]

Okay, just closed it due to there's no response. Reopen this one.

[wkh237]

@drblmb , @rolldone , as the default location the Download Manager uses might be somewhere you're app does not have access right. I think you can set a custom download location for ensuring the app has access right to the file after it's completed. But keep in mind that the path must on external storage (like DCIMDir)

RNFetchBlob.config({
    addAndroidDownloads : {
      useDownloadManager : true,
      title : new Date().toLocaleString() + ' - #236 test.png',
      path : PathToTheFile
    }
  })

I've also added some error handling to Download Manager and fs API which should throw an error when the file is not deleted.

You can checkout the commit from branch issue-236.

Will add related information to the documentation, thanks 👍

[drblmb]

@wkh237 It appears this is working well if I use external storage. Thank you!

[saravanakumargn]

This might help to delete pdf file.

        RNFetchBlob.fs.exists(this.path)
          .then((exist) => {
            if (exist) {
              RNFetchBlob.fs.unlink(this.path);
            }
          });