File Sharing API for PubNub C# 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.SendFile()
        .Channel(string)
        .File(string|byte[])
        .FileName(string)
        .Message(string)
        .ShouldStore(bool)
        .Meta(Dictionary<string, object>)
        .Ttl(int)

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`Channel`	string	Yes	`Channel` for the file.
`File`	string or `byte[]`	Yes	Full path of the file with file name or an array of bytes. When using an array of bytes, you must set `FileName`.
`FileName`	string	Required when sending a file by `byte[]`	Name of the file to send. You can use it to override the default file name.
`Message`	string	Optional	Message which should be sent along with file to specified `channel`.
`ShouldStore`	bool	Optional	Whether PubNub published file `message` should be stored in `channel` history.
`Meta`	Dictionary`<string, object>`	Optional	Dictionary`<string, object>` with values which should be used by PubNub service to filter file messages.
`TtL`	int	Optional	How long message should be stored in channel's storage.

Deprecated parameter

The CipherKey parameter in this method is deprecated. We recommend that you configure the crypto module on your PubNub instance instead.

If you pass CipherKey as an argument, it overrides the crypto module configuration and the legacy encryption with 128-bit cipher key entropy is used.

Basic Usage

PNResult<PNFileUploadResult> fileUploadResponse = await pubnub.SendFile()
    .Channel("my_channel")
    .File("cat_picture.jpg") //checks the bin folder if no path is provided
    .Message("Look at this photo!")
    .ExecuteAsync();
PNFileUploadResult fileUploadResult = fileUploadResponse.Result;
PNStatus fileUploadStatus = fileUploadResponse.Status;
if (!fileUploadStatus.Error && fileUploadResult != null)
{
    Console.WriteLine(pubnub.JsonPluggableLibrary.SerializeToJsonString(fileUploadResult));
}
else
{
    Console.WriteLine(pubnub.JsonPluggableLibrary.SerializeToJsonString(fileUploadStatus));
}

Response

{
    "Timetoken":15957709330808500,
    "FileId":"d9515cb7-48a7-41a4-9284-f4bf331bc770",
    "FileName":"cat_picture.jpg"
}

Returns

The SendFile() operation returns a PNResult``<PNFileUploadResult> which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Result`	PNFileUploadResult	Returns a `PNFileUploadResult` object.
`Status`	PNStatus	Returns a `PNStatus` object.

PNFileUploadResult contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Timetoken`	long	Returns a `PNFileUploadResult` object.
`FileId`	string	Returns the `ID` of the file.
`FileName`	string	Returns the `name` of the file.

List channel files

Retrieve list of files uploaded to Channel.

Method(s)

pubnub.ListFiles()
        .Channel(string)

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
`Channel`	string	Yes		`Channel` to get list of files.
`Limit`	int	Optional	100	Number of files to return.
`Next`	string	Optional		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.

Basic Usage

PNResult<PNListFilesResult> listFilesResponse = await pubnub.ListFiles()
    .Channel("my_channel")
    .ExecuteAsync();
PNListFilesResult listFilesResult = listFilesResponse.Result;
PNStatus listFilesStatus = listFilesResponse.Status;
if (!listFilesStatus.Error && listFilesResult != null)
{
    Console.WriteLine(pubnub.JsonPluggableLibrary.SerializeToJsonString(listFilesResult));
}
else
{
    Console.WriteLine(pubnub.JsonPluggableLibrary.SerializeToJsonString(listFilesStatus));
}

Response

{
    "FilesList":[
    {
        "Name":"cat_picture.jpg",
        "Id":"d9515cb7-48a7-41a4-9284-f4bf331bc770",
        "Size":25778,
        "Created":"2020-07-26T13:42:06Z"
    }],
    "Count":1,
    "Next":null
}

Returns

The ListFiles() operation returns a PNResult<PNListFilesResult> which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Result`	PNListFilesResult	Returns a `PNListFilesResult` object.
`Status`	PNStatus	Returns a `PNStatus` object.

PNListFilesResult contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`FilesList`	list`<PNFileResult>`	`List` of channel files.
`Count`	int	Number of files returned.
`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.

PNFileResult contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Name`	string	`Name` of the file.
`Id`	string	`ID` of the file.
`Size`	int	`Size` of the file.
`Created`	string	Create date of the file.

Get File Url

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

Method(s)

pubnub.GetFileUrl()
        .Channel(string)
        .FileId(string)
        .FileName(string)

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`Channel`	string	Yes	Name of `channel` within which file with name has been uploaded.
`FileId`	string	Yes	Unique file identifier which has been assigned during file upload.
`FileName`	string	Yes	Name under which uploaded file is stored for `channel`.

Basic Usage

PNResult<PNFileUrlResult> getFileUrlResponse = await pubnub.GetFileUrl()
    .Channel("my_channel")
    .FileId("d9515cb7-48a7-41a4-9284-f4bf331bc770")
    .FileName("cat_picture.jpg")
    .ExecuteAsync();
PNFileUrlResult getFileUrlResult = getFileUrlResponse.Result;
PNStatus getFileUrlStatus = getFileUrlResponse.Status;
if (!getFileUrlStatus.Error && getFileUrlResult != null)
{
    Console.WriteLine(pubnub.JsonPluggableLibrary.SerializeToJsonString(getFileUrlResult));
}
else
{
    Console.WriteLine(pubnub.JsonPluggableLibrary.SerializeToJsonString(getFileUrlStatus));
}

Response

{
    "Url":"http://ps.pndsn.com/v1/files/demo/channels/my_channel/files/d9515cb7-48a7-41a4-9284-f4bf331bc770/cat_picture.jpg?pnsdk=NET461CSharp4.9.0.0&timestamp=1595771548&uuid=pn-9ce9e988-8e04-40bf-90c4-ebe170478f7d"
}

Returns

The GetFileUrl() operation returns a PNResult<PNFileUrlResult> which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Result`	PNFileUrlResult	Returns a `PNFileUrlResult` object.
`Status`	PNStatus	Returns a `PNStatus` object.

PNFileUrlResult contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Url`	string	`URL` which can be used to download remote file with specified name and identifier.

Download file

Download file from specified Channel.

Method(s)

pubnub.DownloadFile()
        .Channel(string)
        .FileId(string)
        .FileName(string)

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`Channel`	string	Yes	Name of `channel` within which file with name has been uploaded.
`FileId`	string	Yes	Unique file identifier which has been assigned during file upload.
`FileName`	string	Yes	Name under which uploaded file is stored for `channel`.

Deprecated parameter

Basic Usage

PNResult<PNDownloadFileResult> fileDownloadResponse = await pubnub.DownloadFile()
    .Channel("my_channel")
    .FileId("d9515cb7-48a7-41a4-9284-f4bf331bc770")
    .FileName("cat_picture.jpg")
    .ExecuteAsync();
PNDownloadFileResult fileDownloadResult = fileDownloadResponse.Result;
PNStatus fileDownloadStatus = fileDownloadResponse.Status;
if (!fileDownloadStatus.Error && fileDownloadResult != null)
{
    fileDownloadResult.SaveFileToLocal(downloadUrlFileName); //saves to bin folder if no path is provided
    Console.WriteLine(pubnub.JsonPluggableLibrary.SerializeToJsonString(fileDownloadResult.FileName));
}
else
{
    Console.WriteLine(pubnub.JsonPluggableLibrary.SerializeToJsonString(fileDownloadStatus));
show all 16 lines

Response

{
    //Call fileDownloadResult.SaveFileToLocal(<destination path>) to save file.
    "FileBytes":"/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQEAkACQAAD/4RCERXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgABAE7AAIAAAAGAAAISodpAAQAAAABAAAIUJydAAEAAAA...<truncated due to lengthy data",
    "FileName":"cat_picture.jpg"
}

Returns

The DownloadFile() operation returns a PNResult<PNDownloadFileResult> which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Result`	PNDownloadFileResult	Returns a `PNDownloadFileResult` object.
`Status`	PNStatus	Returns a `PNStatus` object.

PNDownloadFileResult contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`FileBytes`	byte[]	byte array of the downloaded file. Use SaveFileToLocal method to copy file to local.
`FileName`	string	Name of the downloaded file from channel.
`SaveFileToLocal(string)`		Provide full destination path to `SaveFileToLocal` for saving the downloaded file locally.

Delete file

Delete file from specified Channel.

Method(s)

pubnub.DeleteFile()
        .Channel(string)
        .FileId(string)
        .FileName(string)

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
`Channel`	string	Yes	Name of `channel` within which file with name needs to be deleted.
`FileId`	string	Yes	Unique file identifier of the file to be deleted.
`FileName`	string	Yes	Name of the file to be deleted from the `channel`.

Basic Usage

PNResult<PNDeleteFileResult> deleteFileResponse = await pubnub.DeleteFile()
    .Channel("my_channel")
    .FileId("d9515cb7-48a7-41a4-9284-f4bf331bc770")
    .FileName("cat_picture.jpg")
    .ExecuteAsync();
PNDeleteFileResult deleteFileResult = deleteFileResponse.Result;
PNStatus deleteFileStatus = deleteFileResponse.Status;
if (!deleteFileStatus.Error && deleteFileResult != null)
{
    Console.WriteLine(pubnub.JsonPluggableLibrary.SerializeToJsonString(deleteFileResult));
}
else
{
    Console.WriteLine(pubnub.JsonPluggableLibrary.SerializeToJsonString(deleteFileStatus));
}

Response

{}

Returns

The DeleteFile() operation returns a PNResult<PNDeleteFileResult> which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Result`	PNDeleteFileResult	Returns a `PNDeleteFileResult` object.
`Status`	PNStatus	Returns a `PNStatus` object.

PNDeleteFileResult returns empty object

Publish file message

Publish file message from specified Channel.

Method(s)

pubnub.PublishFileMessage()
        .Channel(string)
        .FileId(string)
        .FileName(string)
        .Message(object)
        .Meta(Dictionary<string, object>)
        .ShouldStore(bool)

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
`Channel`	string	Yes		Name of `channel` to publish file message
`FileId`	string	Yes		Unique file identifier of the file.
`FileName`	string	Yes		Name of the file.
`Message`	string	Optional		The payload.
`Meta`	string	Optional		Meta data object which can be used with the filtering ability.
`ShouldStore`	bool	Optional	`true`	Store in `history`.

Basic Usage

PNResult<PNPublishFileMessageResult> publishFileMsgResponse = await pubnub.PublishFileMessage()
    .Channel("my_channel")
    .FileId("d9515cb7-48a7-41a4-9284-f4bf331bc770")
    .FileName("cat_picture.jpg") //checks the bin folder if no path is provided
    .Message("This is a sample message")
    .ExecuteAsync();
PNPublishFileMessageResult publishFileMsgResult = publishFileMsgResponse.Result;
PNStatus publishFileMsgStatus = publishFileMsgResponse.Status;
if (!publishFileMsgStatus.Error && publishFileMsgResult != null)
{
    Console.WriteLine(pubnub.JsonPluggableLibrary.SerializeToJsonString(publishFileMsgResult));
}
else
{
    Console.WriteLine(pubnub.JsonPluggableLibrary.SerializeToJsonString(publishFileMsgStatus));
show all 16 lines

Response

{
    "Timetoken":15957738720237858
}

Returns

The PublishFileMessage() operation returns a PNResult<PNPublishFileMessageResult> which contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Result`	PNPublishFileMessageResult	Returns a `PNPublishFileMessageResult` object.
`Status`	PNStatus	Returns a `PNStatus` object.

PNPublishFileMessageResult contains the following properties:

Property Name	Type	Description
`Timetoken`	long	Returns a long representation of the timetoken when the `message` was published.

Send file​

Method(s)​

Deprecated parameter

Basic Usage​

Response​

Returns​

List channel files​

Method(s)​

Basic Usage​

Response​

Returns​

Get File Url​

Method(s)​

Basic Usage​

Response​

Returns​

Download file​

Method(s)​

Deprecated parameter

Basic Usage​

Response​

Returns​

Delete file​

Method(s)​

Basic Usage​

Response​

Returns​

Publish file message​

Method(s)​

Basic Usage​

Response​

Returns​

Send file

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Response

Returns

List channel files

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Response

Returns

Get File Url

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Response

Returns

Download file

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Response

Returns

Delete file

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Response

Returns

Publish file message

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Response

Returns