Skip to main content

Neutralino.filesystem

Neutralino.filesystem namespace contains methods for handling files.

filesystem.createDirectory(path)​

Creates a directory or multiple directories recursively. Throws NE_FS_DIRCRER if directory creation is not possible.

Parameters​

  • path String: New directory path.
await Neutralino.filesystem.createDirectory('./newDirectory');

await Neutralino.filesystem.createDirectory(NL_PATH + '/myFolder/api/fs');

filesystem.remove(path)​

Removes a directory or file. If the given path is a directory, this function recursively removes all contents of the specific directory. Throws NE_FS_REMVERR if the removal is not possible.

Parameters​

  • path String: Directory or file path.
await Neutralino.filesystem.remove('./tmpDirectory');
await Neutralino.filesystem.remove('./tmpFile.txt');

filesystem.writeFile(filename, data)​

Writes a text file. Throws NE_FS_FILWRER for file write errors.

Parameters​

  • filename String: Filename.
  • data String: Content of the file.
await Neutralino.filesystem.writeFile('./myFile.txt', 'Sample content');

filesystem.appendFile(filename, data)​

Appends text content to file. Throws NE_FS_FILWRER for file write errors. If the provided file doesn't exist, this function creates a new file with data.

Parameters​

  • filename String: Filename.
  • data String: Content to append.
await Neutralino.filesystem.appendFile('./myFile.txt', 'Sample ');
await Neutralino.filesystem.appendFile('./myFile.txt', 'content');

filesystem.writeBinaryFile(filename, data)​

Writes a binary file. Throws NE_FS_FILWRER for file write errors.

Parameters​

  • filename String: Filename.
  • data ArrayBuffer: Content of the binary file as an ArrayBuffer.
let rawBin = new ArrayBuffer(1);
let view = new Uint8Array(rawBin);
view[0] = 64; // Saves ASCII '@' to the binary file

await Neutralino.filesystem.writeBinaryFile('./myFile.bin', rawBin);

filesystem.appendBinaryFile(filename, data)​

Appends binary data to a file. Throws NE_FS_FILWRER for file write errors. If the provided file doesn't exist, this function creates a new file with data.

Parameters​

  • filename String: Filename.
  • data ArrayBuffer: Binary content to append as an ArrayBuffer.
let rawBin = new ArrayBuffer(1);
let view = new Uint8Array(rawBin);
view[0] = 64; // Saves ASCII '@' to the binary file

await Neutralino.filesystem.appendBinaryFile('./myFile.bin', rawBin);
await Neutralino.filesystem.appendBinaryFile('./myFile.bin', rawBin);

filesystem.readFile(filename)​

Reads a text file. Throws NE_FS_FILRDER for file read errors.

Parameters​

  • filename String: Filename.
  • pos Number (optional): File cursor position in bytes.
  • size Number (optional): File reader buffer size in bytes.

Return String (awaited):​

File content.

let data = await Neutralino.filesystem.readFile('./myFile.txt');
console.log(`Content: ${data}`);

let data = await Neutralino.filesystem.readFile('./myFile.txt', {
    pos: 2,
    size: 10
});
console.log(`Content: ${data}`);

filesystem.readBinaryFile(filename, options)​

Reads binary files. Throws NE_FS_FILRDER for file read errors.

Parameters​

  • filename String: Filename.

Options​

  • pos Number (optional): File cursor position in bytes.
  • size Number (optional): File reader buffer size in bytes.

Return Object (awaited):​

Content of the binary file as an ArrayBuffer.

let data = await Neutralino.filesystem.readBinaryFile('./myFile.bin');
let view = new Uint8Array(data);

console.log('Binary content: ', view);

filesystem.openFile(filename)​

Creates a readable file stream. Throws NE_FS_FILOPER for file open errors.

Parameters​

  • filename String: Filename.

Return Number (awaited):​

File stream identifier.

let fileId = await Neutralino.filesystem.openFile('./myFile.txt');
console.log(`ID: ${fileId}`);

filesystem.updateOpenedFile(id, action, data)​

Invokes file stream actions. Throws NE_FS_UNLTOUP if the framework can't update the stream. Call this method to read and seek an opened file (aka a readable stream).

Parameters​

  • id Number: File stream identifier.
  • action String: An action to take. Accepts only the following values:
    • read: Reads a bytes segment from the file stream.
    • readBinary: Behaves the same as read but uses the binary read mode.
    • readAll: Triggers the read action until file stream cursor position reaches EOF.
    • readAllBinary: Behaves the same as readAll but uses the binary read mode.
    • seek: Sets the file cursor position.
    • close: Closes and frees file handler resources.
  • data Object (optional): Additional data for the action. Send the buffer size in bytes (default: 256 bytes) if the action is read, readBinary, readAll, or readAllBinary. Send the file stream cursor position if the action is seek.
let fileId = await Neutralino.filesystem.openFile('./myFile.txt');

let content = '';
Neutralino.events.on('openedFile', (evt) => {
  if(evt.detail.id == fileId) {
    switch(evt.detail.action) {
      case 'data':
        content += evt.detail.data;
        break;
      case 'end':
        console.log(content);
        break;
    }
  }
});

// Sets the file stream cursor to 10th byte
await Neutralino.filesystem.updateOpenedFile(fileId, 'seek', 10);
// Reads 2 bytes from the cursor position
await Neutralino.filesystem.updateOpenedFile(fileId, 'read', 2);
// Reads the next bytes until the cursor reaches EOF (buffer size: 2)
await Neutralino.filesystem.updateOpenedFile(fileId, 'readAll', 2);

filesystem.getOpenedFileInfo(id)​

Returns file stream details. Throws NE_FS_UNLTFOP if the file stream identifier is not valid.

Parameters​

  • id Number: File stream identifier.

Return Object (awaited):​

  • id Number: File stream identifier.
  • eof Boolean: Becomes true if the stream reached EOF.
  • pos Number: File stream cursor position.
  • lastRead Number: Last read bytes.
let info = await Neutralino.filesystem.getOpenedFileInfo(0);
console.log(info);

filesystem.createWatcher(path)​

Creates a filesystem watcher. Throws NE_FS_UNLCWAT for watcher creation failures. If there is an existing active watcher for the given path, this function returns the existing watcher identifier.

Parameters​

  • path String: Directory path.

Return Number (awaited):​

File watcher identifier.

let watcherId = await Neutralino.filesystem.createWatcher(NL_PATH);
Neutralino.events.on('watchFile', (evt) => {
    if(watcherId == evt.detail.id) {
        console.log(evt.detail);
    }
});
console.log(`ID: ${watcherId}`);

filesystem.removeWatcher(watcherId)​

Removes a filesystem watcher. Throws NE_FS_NOWATID for watcher removal failures.

Parameters​

  • watcherId Number: File watcher identifier.

Return Number (awaited):​

File watcher identifier.

let watcherId = await Neutralino.filesystem.createWatcher(NL_PATH);
console.log(`ID: ${watcherId}`);
await Neutralino.filesystem.removeWatcher(watcherId);

filesystem.getWatchers()​

Returns information about created file watchers.

Return Object (awaited):​

An array of FileWatcher objects.

FileWatcher​

  • id Number: Watcher identifier.
  • path String: File watcher path.
let watchers = await Neutralino.filesystem.getWatchers();
for(let watcher of watchers) {
    console.log(watcher);
}

filesystem.readDirectory(path, options)​

Reads directory contents. Throws NE_FS_NOPATHE if the path doesn't exist.

Parameters​

  • path String: File/directory path.

options​

  • recursive Boolean: Read sub-directories recursively. The default value is false.

Return Object (awaited):​

An array of DirectoryEntry objects.

DirectoryEntry​

  • entry String: file name.
  • type String: The type of the entry (FILE or DIRECTORY).
let entries = await Neutralino.filesystem.readDirectory(NL_PATH);
console.log('Content: ', entries);

filesystem.copy(source, destination)​

Copies a file or directory to a new destination. Throws NE_FS_COPYERR if the system cannot copy the path.

Parameters​

  • source String: Source path.
  • destination String: Destination path.

options​

  • recursive Boolean: Copy sub-directories recursively. The default value is true.
  • overwrite Boolean: Overwrite an existing file with the same name. The default value is true.
  • skip Boolean: Skip an existing file with the same name. The default value is false.
await Neutralino.filesystem.copy('./source.txt', './destination.txt');
await Neutralino.filesystem.copy('./myDir', './myDirCopy');

filesystem.move(source, destination)​

Moves a file or directory to a new destination. Throws NE_FS_MOVEERR if the system cannot rename the path.

Parameters​

  • source String: Source path.
  • destination String: Destination path.
await Neutralino.filesystem.move('./source.txt', './destination.txt');
await Neutralino.filesystem.move('./myDir', './myFolder');

filesystem.getStats(path)​

Returns file statistics for the given path. If the given path doesn't exist or is inaccessible,NE_FS_NOPATHE is thrown. Therefore, you can use this method to check for the existance of a file or directory.

Parameters​

  • path String: File or directory path.

Return Object (awaited):​

  • size Number: Size in bytes.
  • isFile Boolean: true if the path represents a normal file.
  • isDirectory Boolean: true if the path represents a directory.
  • createdAt Number: On Windows, returns Unix milliseconds of the file creation time — On Unix or Unix-like platforms, returns Unix milliseconds of the last inode modification time.
  • modifiedAt Number: Unix milliseconds of the last file modification time.
let stats = await Neutralino.filesystem.getStats('./sampleVideo.mp4');
console.log('Stats:', stats);

filesystem.getAbsolutePath(path)​

Returns the absolute path for a given path. This function works with paths that don't exist on the system.

Parameters​

  • path String: Path.

Return String (awaited):​

Absolute path.

let path = await Neutralino.filesystem.getAbsolutePath('./myFolder');
console.log(path);

filesystem.getRelativePath(path, base)​

Returns the relative path for a given path and base. This function works with paths that don't exist on the system.

Parameters​

  • path String: Path.
  • base String (optional): Base path that is used for calculating the relative path with the path parameter. NL_CWD is used by default if this parameter is not provided.

Return String (awaited):​

Relative path.

let path = await Neutralino.filesystem.getRelativePath('./myFolder');
console.log(path);

path = await Neutralino.filesystem.getRelativePath('./myFolder', '/home/user');
console.log(path);

filesystem.getPathParts(path)​

Parses a given path and returns its parts.

Parameters​

  • path String: Path.

Return Object (awaited):​

  • rootName String: Root path name.
  • rootDirectory String: Root path directory.
  • rootPath String: Root path.
  • relativePath String: Path relative to the root path.
  • parentPath String: Parent path or the directory path without filename.
  • filename String: Filename.
  • extension String: File extension.
  • stem String: Filename segment without extension.
let pathParts = await Neutralino.filesystem.getPathParts('./myFolder/myFile.txt');
console.log('Parts:', pathParts);

filesystem.setPermissions(path, permissions, mode)​

This method sets the size of the window. Throws NE_FS_UNLSTPR if the framework can't update file permissions for the given path.

Parameters​

  • path String: Path.
  • permissions Permissions: File permissions using the Permissions object format.
  • mode String(optional): Permission replacement mode. Accepted values are ADD, REPLACE(default), and REMOVE.

Permissions​

  • all: All permissions for all entities.
  • ownerAll: All file permissions for the owner.
  • groupAll: All file permissions for the user's group.
  • othersAll: All file permissions for other users.
  • ownerRead: Read permission for the owner.
  • ownerWrite: Write permission for the owner.
  • ownerExec: Execution permission for the owner.
  • groupRead: Read permission for the user's group.
  • groupWrite: Write permission for the user's group.
  • groupExec: Execution permission for the user's group.
  • othersRead: Read permission for other users.
  • othersWrite: Write permission for other users.
  • othersExec: Execution permission for other users.
await Neutralino.filesystem.setPermissions(NL_PATH + '/my-directory-1', {ownerRead: true, groupRead: true});
await Neutralino.filesystem.setPermissions(NL_PATH + '/my-directory-2', {all: true});
await Neutralino.filesystem.setPermissions(NL_PATH + '/my-directory-3', {otherAll: true}, 'REMOVE');

filesystem.getPermissions(path)​

Returns file permissions for a given path. Throws NE_FS_NOPATHE if the path doesn't exist or is inaccessible.

Parameters​

  • path String: Path.

Return Object (awaited):​

An instance of the Permissions object.

const permissions = await Neutralino.filesystem.getPermissions(NL_PATH + '/my-directory-1');