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

Here's the full solution for storing meta data with files in loopback.

You need a container model

common/models/container.json

{
  "name": "container",
  "base": "Model",
  "idInjection": true,
  "options": {
    "validateUpsert": true
  },
  "properties": {},
  "validations": [],
  "relations": {},
  "acls": [],
  "methods": []
}

Create the data source for your container in server/datasources.json. For example:

...
"storage": {
    "name": "storage",
    "connector": "loopback-component-storage",
    "provider": "filesystem", 
    "root": "/var/www/storage",
    "maxFileSize": "52428800"
}
...

You'll need to set the data source of this model in server/model-config.json to the loopback-component-storage you have:

...
"container": {
    "dataSource": "storage",
    "public": true
}
...

You'll also need a file model to store the meta data and handle container calls:

common/models/files.json

{
  "name": "files",
  "base": "PersistedModel",
  "idInjection": true,
  "options": {
    "validateUpsert": true
  },
  "properties": {
    "name": {
      "type": "string"
    },
    "type": {
      "type": "string"
    },
    "url": {
      "type": "string",
      "required": true
    }
  },
  "validations": [],
  "relations": {},
  "acls": [],
  "methods": []
}

And now connect files with container:

common/models/files.js

var CONTAINERS_URL = '/api/containers/';
module.exports = function(Files) {

    Files.upload = function (ctx,options,cb) {
        if(!options) options = {};
        ctx.req.params.container = 'common';
        Files.app.models.container.upload(ctx.req,ctx.result,options,function (err,fileObj) {
            if(err) {
                cb(err);
            } else {
                var fileInfo = fileObj.files.file[0];
                Files.create({
                    name: fileInfo.name,
                    type: fileInfo.type,
                    container: fileInfo.container,
                    url: CONTAINERS_URL+fileInfo.container+'/download/'+fileInfo.name
                },function (err,obj) {
                    if (err !== null) {
                        cb(err);
                    } else {
                        cb(null, obj);
                    }
                });
            }
        });
    };

    Files.remoteMethod(
        'upload',
        {
            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'}
        }
    );

};

For expose the files api add to the model-config.json file the files model, remember select your correct datasources:

...
"files": {
    "dataSource": "db",
    "public": true
}
...

Done! You can now call POST /api/files/upload with a file binary data in file form field. You'll get back id, name, type, and url in return.