File Sharing API for PubNub Python-Asyncio SDK

Allows users to upload and share files. You can upload any file of up to 5 MB in size. This feature is commonly used in social apps to share images, or in medical apps to share medical records for patients.

When a file is uploaded on a channel, it's stored and managed using a storage service, and associated with your key. Subscribers to that channel receive a file event which contains a file ID, filename, and optional description.

Send file

Upload file / data to specified channel.

Method(s)

pubnub.send_file()
    .channel(channel) \
    .file_name(file_name) \
    .message(message) \
    .should_store(should_store) \
    .ttl(ttl) \
    .file_object(file_object) \
    .cipher_key(cipher_key) \
    .future()

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
channel	String	Yes		Channel for the file.
file_name	String	Yes		Name of the file to send.
file_object	bytes or Python file object	Yes		Input stream with file content.
cipherKey	String	Optional	PNConfiguration#cipherKey	Key to be used to encrypt uploaded data. If not provided, cipherKey in PNConfiguration will be used, if provided.
ttl	Integer	Optional		How long message should be stored in channel's storage.
should_store	Boolean	Optional	True	Whether PubNub published file message should be stored in channel history.
message	Dictionary	Optional		Message which should be sent along with file to specified channel.
meta	Dictionary	Optional		Meta data object which can be used with the filtering ability.

Basic Usage

with open("knights_of_ni.jpg", "rb") as fd:
    envelope = await pubnub.send_file().\
        channel("test_channel").\
        file_name("knights_of_ni.jpg").\
        message({"test_message": "test"}).\
        should_store(True).\
        ttl(222).\
        file_object(fd).\
        cipher_key("secret").future()

Returns

The send_file() operation returns a PNSendFileResult which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
name	String	Name of the uploaded file.
file_id	String	ID of the uploaded file.
timestamp	String	The timetoken at which the message was published.

List channel files

Retrieve list of files uploaded to Channel.

Method(s)

pubnub.list_files().channel(String)

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
channel	String	Yes		Channel to get the list of files.

Basic Usage

envelope = await pubnub.list_files().channel("test_channel").future()

Returns

The list_file() operation returns a PNGetFilesResult which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
next	String	Random string returned from the server, indicating a specific position in a data set. Used for forward pagination, it fetches the next page, allowing you to continue from where you left off.
prev	String	Random string returned from the server, indicating a specific position in a data set. Used for backward pagination, it fetches the previous page, enabling access to earlier data. Ignored if the next parameter is supplied.
count	Int	Number of files returned.
data	List	List of channel files.

data contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
id	Long	Id of the uploaded file.
name	String	Name of the upload file.
size	String	Size of the uploaded file.
created	String	Time of creation.

Get File Url

Generate URL which can be used to download file from target Channel.

Method(s)

pubnub.get_file_url() \
    .channel(String) \
    .file_id(String) \
    .file_name(String)

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
channel	String	Yes	Name of channel to which the file has been uploaded.
file_name	String	Yes	Name under which the uploaded file is stored.
file_id	String	Yes	Unique identifier for the file, assigned during upload.

Basic Usage

envelope = await pubnub.get_file_url().\
    channel("test_channel").\
    file_id("d9515cb7-48a7-41a4-9284-f4bf331bc770").\
    file_name("knights_of_ni.jpg").future()

Returns

The get_file_url() operation returns a PNGetFileDownloadURLResult which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
file_url	String	URL to be used to download the requested file.

Download file

Download file from specified Channel.

Method(s)

pubnub.download_file() \
    .channel(String) \
    .file_id(String) \
    .file_name(String)

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
channel	String	Yes	Name of channel to which the file has been uploaded.
file_name	String	Yes	Name under which the uploaded file is stored.
file_id	String	Yes	Unique identifier for the file, assigned during upload.
cipher_key	String	Optional	Key to be used to decrypt downloaded data. If a key is not provided, the SDK uses the cipher_key from the PNConfiguration.

Basic Usage

download_envelope = await pubnub.download_file().\
    channel("test_channel").\
    file_id("fileId").\
    file_name("knights_of_ni.jpg").future()

Returns

The download_file() operation returns a PNDownloadFileResult which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
data	bytes	Python bytes object.

Delete file

Delete file from specified Channel.

Method(s)

pubnub.delete_file() \
    .channel(String) \
    .file_id(String) \
    .file_name(String)

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
channel	String	Yes	The channel from which to delete the file.
file_id	String	Yes	Unique identifier of the file to be deleted.
file_name	String	Yes	Name of the file to be deleted.

Basic Usage

envelope = await pubnub.delete_file().\
    channel("test_channel").\
    file_id("fileId").\
    file_name("knights_of_ni.jpg").future()

Returns

The delete_file() operation returns a PNDeleteFileResult which contains the following property:

Property Name	Type	Description
status	Int	Returns a status code.

Publish file message

Publish file message from specified Channel.

Method(s)

pubnub.publish_file_message() \
    .channel(String) \
    .meta(Dictionary) \
    .message(Dictionary) \
    .file_id(String) \
    .file_name(String) \
    .should_store(Boolean) \
    .ttl(Integer)

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
channel	String	Yes		Name of channel to publish file message.
file_name	String	Yes		Name of the file.
file_id	String	Yes		Unique identifier of the file.
message	Dictionary	Optional		The payload.
meta	Dictionary	Optional		Meta data object which can be used with the filtering ability.
should_store	Boolean	Optional	True	Set to False to not store this message in history. By default, messages are stored according to the retention policy you set on your key.
ttl	Integer	Optional	0	How long the message should be stored in the channel's history. If not specified, defaults to the key set's retention value.

Basic Usage

envelope = await pubnub.publish_file_message().\
    channel("test_channel").\
    meta({"test": "test"}).\
    message({"test_message": "test"}).\
    file_id("fileID").\
    file_name("knights_of_ni.jpg").\
    ttl(22).future()

Returns

The publish_file_message() operation returns a PNPublishFileMessageResult which contains the following property:

Property Name	Type	Description
timestamp	String	The timetoken at which the message was published.