Download PDF and save to the "Files" in iPhone, not to the app data, Swift

Question

I tried downloading pdf files with the below code. Here it's storing in the app data. But I need to show the downloaded pdf in "Files" folder in iPhone.

    // Create destination URL
    let documentsUrl:URL =  FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first as URL!
    let destinationFileUrl = documentsUrl.appendingPathComponent("downloadedFile.jpg")

    //Create URL to the source file you want to download
    let fileURL = URL(string: "http://swift-lang.org/guides/tutorial.pdf")

    let sessionConfig = URLSessionConfiguration.default
    let session = URLSession(configuration: sessionConfig)

    let request = URLRequest(url:fileURL!)

    let task = session.downloadTask(with: request) { (tempLocalUrl, response, error) in
        if let tempLocalUrl = tempLocalUrl, error == nil {
            // Success
            if let statusCode = (response as? HTTPURLResponse)?.statusCode {
                print("Successfully downloaded. Status code: \(statusCode)")
            }

            do {
                try FileManager.default.copyItem(at: tempLocalUrl, to: destinationFileUrl)
            } catch (let writeError) {
                print("Error creating a file \(destinationFileUrl) : \(writeError)")
            }

        } else {
            print("Error took place while downloading a file. Error description: %@", error?.localizedDescription ?? "");
        }
    }
    task.resume()

Is it possible??

Solution

Here's how to download any files and save to Photos(if image file) or Files (if pdf)

let urlString = "your file url"
let url = URL(string: urlString)
let fileName = String((url!.lastPathComponent)) as NSString
// Create destination URL
let documentsUrl:URL =  FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask).first as URL!
let destinationFileUrl = documentsUrl.appendingPathComponent("\(fileName)")
//Create URL to the source file you want to download
let fileURL = URL(string: urlString)
let sessionConfig = URLSessionConfiguration.default
let session = URLSession(configuration: sessionConfig)
let request = URLRequest(url:fileURL!)
let task = session.downloadTask(with: request) { (tempLocalUrl, response, error) in
    if let tempLocalUrl = tempLocalUrl, error == nil {
        // Success
        if let statusCode = (response as? HTTPURLResponse)?.statusCode {
            print("Successfully downloaded. Status code: \(statusCode)")
        }
        do {
            try FileManager.default.copyItem(at: tempLocalUrl, to: destinationFileUrl)
            do {
                //Show UIActivityViewController to save the downloaded file
                let contents  = try FileManager.default.contentsOfDirectory(at: documentsUrl, includingPropertiesForKeys: nil, options: .skipsHiddenFiles)
                for indexx in 0..<contents.count {
                    if contents[indexx].lastPathComponent == destinationFileUrl.lastPathComponent {
                        let activityViewController = UIActivityViewController(activityItems: [contents[indexx]], applicationActivities: nil)
                        self.present(activityViewController, animated: true, completion: nil)
                    }
                }
            }
            catch (let err) {
                print("error: \(err)")
            }
        } catch (let writeError) {
            print("Error creating a file \(destinationFileUrl) : \(writeError)")
        }
    } else {
        print("Error took place while downloading a file. Error description: \(error?.localizedDescription ?? "")")
    }
}
task.resume()

Comments

[Nikunj Kumbhani]

No, it's Not Possible to Save in iPhone you only store in App Data or either upload on iCloud.

[Fabian]

@NikunjKumbhani So the user can’t choose a place where he wants to save his files?

[Nikunj Kumbhani]

@Purpose You can get the confirmation alert from a user before uploading in iCloud and then you can do it. For display this file you can use DocumentViwer.

[Fabian]

I’d like to learn more @NikunjKumbhani . Can you provide a link to learn this please?

[Rashid KC]

@NikunjKumbhani can I get the pdf data from above code?

[Nikunj Kumbhani]

stackoverflow.com/a/42370660/10150796 Try this one for Document Pick from any resource as per your Requirement and for Display Purpose you can do it by just passing the Server URL to QLPreviewingController.

[Fabian]

@NikunjKumbhani Thank you that was very informative. Sharing to the built-in Files app would work though, right?