Implement Document Picker in swift (iOS)

Question

I want to pick a file of any type(.pdf, .docs, .xlsx, .jpeg, .txt, .rtf, etc) functionality in my iOS app. On clicking on Upload button, I want my app to open a directory and select files(DocumentsPicker)

@IBAction pickDocument(sender: UIButton) {
    //Open Document Picker
}

Any approach to do so in Swift?

Answer 1

From your project's capabilities, enable both the iCloud and the Key-Sharing.

Import MobileCoreServices in your class and finally extended the following three classes inside your UIViewController :

UIDocumentMenuDelegate,UIDocumentPickerDelegate,UINavigationControllerDelegate

Implement the following functions :

 public func documentPicker(_ controller: UIDocumentPickerViewController, didPickDocumentsAt urls: [URL]) {
              guard let myURL = urls.first else {
                   return
              }
              print("import result : \(myURL)")
    }


public func documentMenu(_ documentMenu:UIDocumentMenuViewController, didPickDocumentPicker documentPicker: UIDocumentPickerViewController) {
        documentPicker.delegate = self
        present(documentPicker, animated: true, completion: nil)
    }


func documentPickerWasCancelled(_ controller: UIDocumentPickerViewController) {
            print("view was cancelled")
            dismiss(animated: true, completion: nil)
    }

How to call all of this? Add the following bit of code to your click function..

func clickFunction(){

let importMenu = UIDocumentMenuViewController(documentTypes: [String(kUTTypePDF)], in: .import)
            importMenu.delegate = self
            importMenu.modalPresentationStyle = .formSheet       
            self.present(importMenu, animated: true, completion: nil)
}

Click your button. The following menu will pop up ..

In the case of DropBox. Upon clicking on any item. You will be redirected back to your app and the URL will be logged in your terminal.

Manipulate the documentTypes to your need. In my app, Users permitted to Pdf only. So, suit yourself.

kUTTypePDF kUTTypePNG kUTTypeJPEG ...

Also if you feel like customizing your own menu bar. Add the following code and customize your own function inside the handler

        importMenu.addOption(withTitle: "Create New Document", image: nil, order: .first, handler: { print("New Doc Requested") })

Enjoy it.

Answer 2

You can use UIDocumentPickerViewController to get the files from the Files apps or iCloud Drive.

1. Activate the Key-value storage and iCloud Documents from iCloud capability:

2. Import the following framework on the view controller you want to open the document picker:

   import MobileCoreServices
   

3. Implement the following method from UIDocumentPickerDelegate:

   func documentPicker(_ controller: UIDocumentPickerViewController, didPickDocumentsAt urls: [URL]) {
        // you get from the urls parameter the urls from the files selected
   }
   

4. Create an UIDocumentPickerViewController to display the File picker or iCloud Drive:

   let types: [String] = [kUTTypePDF as String]
   let documentPicker = UIDocumentPickerViewController(documentTypes: types, in: .import)
   documentPicker.delegate = self
   documentPicker.modalPresentationStyle = .formSheet
   self.present(documentPicker, animated: true, completion: nil)
   

   If you want the user can import more types of files to your app, you have to add more UTTypes to the types NSArray. To see all the types available, you can check the UTType Docs

When the document picker opens on iOS 11 and you try to select a file inside the Google Drive, it is possible the file is disable due a bug: http://www.openradar.me/24187873

Answer 3

The UIDocumentMenuViewController is deprecated since iOS11. I also found it buggy when presented from a modal view controller. Here's a direct way of using the picker:

import MobileCoreServices

private func attachDocument() {
    let types = [kUTTypePDF, kUTTypeText, kUTTypeRTF, kUTTypeSpreadsheet]
    let importMenu = UIDocumentPickerViewController(documentTypes: types as [String], in: .import)

    if #available(iOS 11.0, *) {
        importMenu.allowsMultipleSelection = true
    }

    importMenu.delegate = self
    importMenu.modalPresentationStyle = .formSheet

    present(importMenu, animated: true)
}

extension AViewController: UIDocumentPickerDelegate, UINavigationControllerDelegate {
    func documentPicker(_ controller: UIDocumentPickerViewController, didPickDocumentsAt urls: [URL]) {
        viewModel.attachDocuments(at: urls)
    }

     func documentPickerWasCancelled(_ controller: UIDocumentPickerViewController) {
        controller.dismiss(animated: true, completion: nil)
    }
}

As usual don't forget to add iCloud support:

Answer 4

You could implement what you describe using NSURLSession.

You will have to limit the target directory you show to your app's documents directory. Apps do not have full access to the file system.

Answer 5

this will help you to implement download/upload functionality

UIDocumentMenuViewController *importMenu = [[UIDocumentMenuViewController alloc] initWithDocumentTypes:@[@"public.item"] inMode:UIDocumentPickerModeImport | UIDocumentPickerModeExportToService];

For more read Apple Documentation

Answer 6

iCloud access all type of files #

func openiCloudDocuments(){
    let importMenu = UIDocumentPickerViewController(documentTypes: [String("public.data")], in: .import)
    importMenu.delegate = self
    importMenu.modalPresentationStyle = .formSheet
    self.present(importMenu, animated: true, completion: nil)
}