File Sharing API for PubNub Python 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.

Request execution and return values

You can decide whether to perform the Python SDK operations synchronously or asynchronously.

.sync() returns an Envelope object, which has two fields: Envelope.result, whose type differs for each API, and Envelope.status of type PnStatus.
```
pubnub.publish() \
    .channel("myChannel") \
    .message("Hello from PubNub Python SDK") \
    .sync()
```

.pn_async(callback) returns None and passes the values of Envelope.result and Envelope.status to a callback you must define beforehand.

def my_callback_function(result, status):
    print(f'TT: {result.timetoken}, status: {status.category.name}')

pubnub.publish() \
    .channel("myChannel") \
    .message("Hello from PubNub Python SDK") \
    .pn_async(my_callback_function)

Send file

Upload the file to a specified channel.

This method covers the entire process of sending a file, including preparation, uploading the file to a cloud storage service, and post-uploading messaging on a channel.

For the last messaging step, send_file internally calls the publish_file_message method to publish a message on the channel.

The published message contains metadata about the file, such as the file identifier and name, enabling others on the channel to find out about the file and access it.

Method(s)

pubnub.send_file() \
    .channel(String) \
    .file_name(String) \
    .message(Dictionary) \
    .should_store(Boolean) \
    .ttl(Integer) \
    .file_object(Python Object File or bytes) \
    .meta(Dictionary) \
    .custom_message_type(String)

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
`channel`	String	Yes		Channel for the file.
`file_name`	String	Yes		Name of the file to send.
`message`	Dictionary	Optional		Message which should be sent along with file to specified `channel`.
`should_store`	Boolean	Optional	`True`	Whether PubNub published `file message` should be stored in `channel` history.
`ttl`	Integer	Optional		How long message should be stored in channel's storage.
`file_object`	bytes or Python file object	Yes		Input stream with file content.
`meta`	Dictionary	Optional		`Meta` data object which can be used with the filtering ability.
`custom_message_type`	String	Optional		A case-sensitive, alphanumeric string from 3 to 50 characters describing the business-specific label or category of the message. Dashes `-` and underscores `_` are allowed. The value cannot start with special characters or the string `pn_` or `pn-`. Examples: `text`, `action`, `poll`.

Deprecated parameter

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

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

Basic Usage

Builder Pattern
Named Arguments

with open(sample_path, 'rb') as sample_file:
    response = pubnub.send_file(channel="ch1",
                                file_name="sample.gif",
                                file_object=sample_file,
                                message="Hey, it's gif not jif",
                                custom_message_type="file-message") \ 

    .sync()

Returns

The send_file() operation returns an Envelope which contains the following fields:

Field	Type	Description
result	`PNSendFileResult`	A detailed object containing the result of the operation.
status	`PNStatus`	A status object with additional information.

PNSendFileResult

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

Builder Pattern
Named Arguments

file_list_response = pubnub.list_files(channel="ch1").sync()
print(f"Found {len(file_list_response.result.data)} files:")

for file_data in file_list_response.result.data:
print(f"  {file_data['name']} with id: {file_data['id']}")

Returns

The list_files() operation returns an Envelope which contains the following fields:

Field	Type	Description
result	`PNGetFilesResult`	A detailed object containing the result of the operation.
status	`PNStatus`	A status object with additional information.

PNGetFilesResult

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.
`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

Builder Pattern
Named Arguments

download_url = pubnub.get_file_url(channel="ch1",
                                   file_id=file_data['id'],
                                   file_data['name']) \
    .sync()

print(f'  Download url: {download_url.result.file_url}')

Returns

The get_file_url() operation returns an Envelope which contains the following fields:

Field	Type	Description
result	`PNGetFileDownloadURLResult`	A detailed object containing the result of the operation.
status	`PNStatus`	A status object with additional information.

PNGetFileDownloadURLResult

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.

Deprecated parameter

Basic Usage

Builder Pattern
Named Arguments

download_url = pubnub.download_file(channel="ch1",
                                    file_id=file_data['id'],
                                    file_data['name']) \
    .sync()

fw = open(f"{os.getcwd()}/{file_data['name']}", 'wb')
fw.write(download_file.result.data)

print(f"File saved as {os.getcwd()}/{file_data['name']}")

Returns

The download_file() operation returns an Envelope which contains the following fields:

Field	Type	Description
result	`PNDownloadFileResult`	A detailed object containing the result of the operation.
status	`PNStatus`	A status object with additional information.

PNDownloadFileResult

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

Builder Pattern
Named Arguments

pubnub.delete_file(channel="ch1",
                   file_id=file_data['id'],
                   file_data['name']) \
    .sync()

print(f"File deleted")

Returns

The download_file() operation returns an Envelope which contains the following fields:

Field	Type	Description
result	`PNDeleteFileResult`	A detailed object containing the result of the operation.
status	`PNStatus`	A status object with additional information.

PNDeleteFileResult

Property Name	Type	Description
`status`	Int	Returns a status code.

Publish file message

Publish the uploaded file message to a specified channel.

This method is called internally by send_file as part of the file-sending process to publish the message with the file (already uploaded in a storage service) on a channel.

This message includes the file's unique identifier and name elements, which are needed to construct download links and inform channel subscribers that the file is available for download.

You can call this method when send_file fails and returns the status.operation === PNPublishFileMessageOperation error. In that case, you can use the data from the status object to try again and use publish_file_message to manually resend a file message to a channel without repeating the upload step.

Method(s)

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

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
`channel`	String	Yes		Name of `channel` to publish file message.
`meta`	Dictionary	Optional		Meta data object which can be used with the filtering ability.
`message`	Dictionary	Optional		The payload.
`file_id`	String	Yes		Unique identifier of the file.
`custom_message_type`	String	Optional		A case-sensitive, alphanumeric string from 3 to 50 characters describing the business-specific label or category of the message. Dashes `-` and underscores `_` are allowed. The value cannot start with special characters or the string `pn_` or `pn-`. Examples: `text`, `action`, `poll`.
`file_name`	String	Yes		Name of the file.
`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`	Int	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

Builder Pattern
Named Arguments

# synchronous:
envelope = pubnub.publish_file_message() \
    .channel("test_channel") \
    .meta({"test": "test"}) \
    .message({"test_message": "test"}) \
    .custom_message_type("file-message") \
    .file_id("fileID") \
    .file_name("knights_of_ni.jpg") \
    .ttl(22) \
    .sync()

# multithreaded asynchronous:
def callback(response, status):
    pass

show all 24 lines

envelope = pubnub.publish_file_message(channel="test_channel",
                                       message="Bring me a shrubbery",
                                       file_id="fileID",
                                       file_name="knights_of_ni.jpg",
                                       custom_message_type="file-message",
                                       meta={"nice": True, "expensive": False},
                                       ttl=22) \
    .sync()

Returns

The publish_file_message() operation returns an Envelope which contains the following fields:

Field	Type	Description
result	`PNPublishFileMessageResult`	A detailed object containing the result of the operation.
status	`PNStatus`	A status object with additional information.

PNPublishFileMessageResult

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.

Request execution and return values

Send file​

Method(s)​

Deprecated parameter

Basic Usage​

Returns​

PNSendFileResult​

List channel files​

Method(s)​

Basic Usage​

Returns​

PNGetFilesResult​

Get File Url​

Method(s)​

Basic Usage​

Returns​

PNGetFileDownloadURLResult​

Download file​

Method(s)​

Deprecated parameter

Basic Usage​

Returns​

PNDownloadFileResult​

Delete file​

Method(s)​

Basic Usage​

Returns​

PNDeleteFileResult​

Publish file message​

Method(s)​

Basic Usage​

Returns​

PNPublishFileMessageResult​

Send file

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Returns

PNSendFileResult

List channel files

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Returns

PNGetFilesResult

Get File Url

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Returns

PNGetFileDownloadURLResult

Download file

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Returns

PNDownloadFileResult

Delete file

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Returns

PNDeleteFileResult

Publish file message

Method(s)

Basic Usage

Returns

PNPublishFileMessageResult