Cache images local, from google firebase storage

Question

I am searching for a way, to cache images from the storage on google firebase platform. For now, I can download images, and show these to users, but I am not able to cache this, and access, even without internet connection. The database can be accessed offline. So I thought, there would be a way for storage too. I don't want to download every single image to storage, cause then I would need to check everytime, if the image is still up to date, it may be changed. Here are few links, what I could find, but no answer for my question. Maybe someone know a workaround, or a way how to accomplish it. Thanks!

Download files: https://firebase.google.com/docs/storage/android/download-files

Cache (offline) database: https://firebase.google.com/docs/database/android/offline-capabilities

UPDATE 1

Here is how I "cache" files with picasso, I added activity, that cares the download:

Picasso.with(getApplicationContext())
                            .load(uri.toString())
                            .networkPolicy(NetworkPolicy.OFFLINE)
                            .into(image1);

Any help is welcome. Thanks!

Answer 1

I had the same issue. Tried all possible ways but couldn't fix that. I think the problem lies with the links generated by firebase storage. Picasso generally caches the images it loads. I have tried other cloud services like cloudinary, LibPixel whose links end with image format (Eg:.jpg) and picasso caches these link images. While firebase links end with token numbers. Strange thing it fails!

Answer 2

Thanks to @ATom for notice. Api has changed, and FirebaseUI 3.0 now uses Glide 4.x Here is updated sample:

To load an image from a StorageReference, first register in your AppGlideModule:

@GlideModule
public class MyAppGlideModule extends AppGlideModule {

    @Override
    public void registerComponents(Context context, Glide glide, Registry registry) {
        // Register FirebaseImageLoader to handle StorageReference
        registry.append(StorageReference.class, InputStream.class,
                new FirebaseImageLoader.Factory());
    }
}

Then you can load a StorageReference into an ImageView:

// Reference to an image file in Cloud Storage
StorageReference storageReference = ...;

// ImageView in your Activity
ImageView imageView = ...;

// Download directly from StorageReference using Glide
// (See MyAppGlideModule for Loader registration)
GlideApp.with(this /* context */)
        .load(storageReference)
        .into(imageView);

And don't forget to add dependency in your build.gradle:

implementation 'com.firebaseui:firebase-ui-:3.1.0'

Answer source on GitHub

Old answer:

FirebaseUI 1.0 now released. Storage example has class FirebaseImageLoader

Images displayed using FirebaseImageLoader are cached by their path in Firebase Storage, so repeated loads will be fast and conserve bandwidth.

    // Reference to an image file in Firebase Storage
    StorageReference storageReference = ...;

    // ImageView in your Activity
    ImageView imageView = ...;

    // Load the image using Glide
    Glide.with(this /* context */)
            .using(new FirebaseImageLoader())
            .load(storageReference)
            .into(imageView);