How to download a file and store it in Downloads folder using Flutter

Question

I'm building an App using Flutter 1.10.3 and I'm having difficulties downloading images to the Downloads folder of the device.

Is there an option to do so without using any 3rd-part libraries?

Answer 1

If you control the server, another option is to let the user's system handle the download. On the server you add a Content-Disposition: attachment header to the response. In nginx you can do this with the add_header directive in your sites-enabled config file:

add_header Content-Disposition "attachment";

More notes about that here.

Then on the Flutter side you can use the url_launcher package to initiate the download:

await launch('https://www.example.com/my_file.pdf');

This will hand over the downloading to the browser installed on the phone. And the Content-Disposition: attachment header will tell the browser that it is to be downloaded instead of displayed or played.

This solution is pretty painless, though it doesn't give you control about where the file is downloaded to.

Answer 2

Add few required dependencies, I have a test demo with android only. please review file_utils and path_provider while you implement in IOS device.

  dio: ^3.0.0

  path_provider: ^1.3.0

  simple_permissions: ^0.1.9

  file_utils: ^0.1.3

Note: simple_permissions is disconnected please use this dependency permission_handler

You are required to add permissions on the android manifest file.

  <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET"/>
  <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
  <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

Sample code:

  import 'dart:io';
  import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
  import 'package:dio/dio.dart';
  import 'package:path_provider/path_provider.dart';
  import 'dart:async';
  import 'package:simple_permissions/simple_permissions.dart';
  import 'package:file_utils/file_utils.dart';
  import 'dart:math';

  void main() => runApp(Downloader());

  class Downloader extends StatelessWidget {
    @override
    Widget build(BuildContext context) => MaterialApp(
          title: "File Downloader",
          debugShowCheckedModeBanner: false,
          home: FileDownloader(),
          theme: ThemeData(primarySwatch: Colors.blue),
        );
  }

  class FileDownloader extends StatefulWidget {
    @override
    _FileDownloaderState createState() => _FileDownloaderState();
  }

  class _FileDownloaderState extends State<FileDownloader> {

    final imgUrl = "https://images6.alphacoders.com/683/thumb-1920-683023.jpg";
    bool downloading = false;
    var progress = "";
    var path = "No Data";
    var platformVersion = "Unknown";
    Permission permission1 = Permission.WriteExternalStorage;
    var _onPressed;
    static final Random random = Random();
    Directory externalDir;

    @override
    void initState() {
      super.initState();
      downloadFile();
    }


    Future<void> downloadFile() async {
      Dio dio = Dio();
      bool checkPermission1 =
          await SimplePermissions.checkPermission(permission1);
      // print(checkPermission1);
      if (checkPermission1 == false) {
        await SimplePermissions.requestPermission(permission1);
        checkPermission1 = await SimplePermissions.checkPermission(permission1);
      }
      if (checkPermission1 == true) {
        String dirloc = "";
        if (Platform.isAndroid) {
          dirloc = "/sdcard/download/";
        } else {
          dirloc = (await getApplicationDocumentsDirectory()).path;
        }

        var randid = random.nextInt(10000);

        try {
          FileUtils.mkdir([dirloc]);
          await dio.download(imgUrl, dirloc + randid.toString() + ".jpg",
              onReceiveProgress: (receivedBytes, totalBytes) {
            setState(() {
              downloading = true;
              progress =
                  ((receivedBytes / totalBytes) * 100).toStringAsFixed(0) + "%";
            });
          });
        } catch (e) {
          print(e);
        }

        setState(() {
          downloading = false;
          progress = "Download Completed.";
          path = dirloc + randid.toString() + ".jpg";
        });
      } else {
        setState(() {
          progress = "Permission Denied!";
          _onPressed = () {
            downloadFile();
          };
        });
      }
    }

    @override
    Widget build(BuildContext context) => Scaffold(
        appBar: AppBar(
          title: Text('File Downloader'),
        ),
        body: Center(
            child: downloading
                ? Container(
                    height: 120.0,
                    width: 200.0,
                    child: Card(
                      color: Colors.black,
                      child: Column(
                        mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
                        children: <Widget>[
                          CircularProgressIndicator(),
                          SizedBox(
                            height: 10.0,
                          ),
                          Text(
                            'Downloading File: $progress',
                            style: TextStyle(color: Colors.white),
                          ),
                        ],
                      ),
                    ),
                  )
                : Column(
                    mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
                    children: <Widget>[
                      Text(path),
                      MaterialButton(
                        child: Text('Request Permission Again.'),
                        onPressed: _onPressed,
                        disabledColor: Colors.blueGrey,
                        color: Colors.pink,
                        textColor: Colors.white,
                        height: 40.0,
                        minWidth: 100.0,
                      ),
                    ],
                  )));
  }