How to store files with meta data in LoopBack?

Question

What I want to do: Have an html form, with a file input inside. When a file is chosen, the file input should upload the file, and get a file id, so when the form is submitte

Answer 1

I had the same problem. I solved it by creating my own models to store meta data and my own upload methods.

1. I created a model File which will store info like name,type,url,userId ( same as yours)

2. I created my own upload remote method because I was unable to do it with the hooks. Container model is the model which is created by loopback-component-storage.

3. var fileInfo = fileObj.files.myFile[0]; Here myFile is the fieldname for file upload, so you will have to change it accordingly. If you don't specify any field, then it will come as fileObj.file.null[0]. This code lacks proper error checking, do it before deploying it in production.

    File.uploadFile = function (ctx,options,cb) {
     File.app.models.container.upload(ctx.req,ctx.result,options,function (err,fileObj) {
       if(err) cb(err);
       else{
               // Here myFile is the field name associated with upload. You should change it to something else if you
               var fileInfo = fileObj.files.myFile[0];
               File.create({
                 name: fileInfo.name,
                 type: fileInfo.type,
                 container: fileInfo.container,
                 userId: ctx.req.accessToken.userId,
                 url: CONTAINERS_URL+fileInfo.container+'/download/'+fileInfo.name // This is a hack for creating links
               },function (err,obj) {
                 if(err){
                   console.log('Error in uploading' + err);
                   cb(err);
                 }
                 else{
                   cb(null,obj);
                 }
               });
             }
           });
   };
   
   File.remoteMethod(
     'uploadFile',
     {
       description: 'Uploads a file',
       accepts: [
       { arg: 'ctx', type: 'object', http: { source:'context' } },
       { arg: 'options', type 'object', http:{ source: 'query'} }
       ],
       returns: {
         arg: 'fileObject', type: 'object', root: true
       },
       http: {verb: 'post'}
     }
   
   );