Angular 2 Best approach to use FileSaver.js

Question

I need to use the FileSaver.js (https://github.com/eligrey/FileSaver.js/) in my Angular2 application.

I know I can add it as a script file in main html page and it w

Answer 1

Just doing npm install file-saver --save is a good start. You also need a typescript declaration file (like file-saver.d.ts or typings.d.ts) for this library is in plain javascript. Normally you would get it by doing npm install @types/file-saver but this package is currently outdated.

I have created a file-saver.d.ts for myself – just place it in your source directory.

file-saver.d.ts

declare function saveAs(data: Blob, filename: string, noAutoBOM?: boolean): void;
declare module 'file-saver' {
    export = saveAs;
}

Then you can use saveAs as follows:

your.ts

import saveAs = require('file-saver');
function save() {
    let blob = new Blob(['Hello world!'], { type: 'text/plain;charset=utf-8' });
    saveAs(blob, 'newcontrol.txt');
}

Of course, don't forget to update your loader's configuration.

For SystemJS you need something like this:

/**
 * System configuration for Angular samples
 * Adjust as necessary for your application needs.
 */
(function (global) {
  System.config({
    paths: {
      // paths serve as alias
      'npm:': 'node_modules/'
    },
    // map tells the System loader where to look for things
    map: {
      // our app is within the app folder
      app: 'app',

      // angular bundles
      '@angular/core': 'npm:@angular/core/bundles/core.umd.js',
      '@angular/common': 'npm:@angular/common/bundles/common.umd.js',
      '@angular/compiler': 'npm:@angular/compiler/bundles/compiler.umd.js',
      '@angular/platform-browser': 'npm:@angular/platform-browser/bundles/platform-browser.umd.js',
      '@angular/platform-browser-dynamic': 'npm:@angular/platform-browser-dynamic/bundles/platform-browser-dynamic.umd.js',
      '@angular/http': 'npm:@angular/http/bundles/http.umd.js',
      '@angular/router': 'npm:@angular/router/bundles/router.umd.js',
      '@angular/forms': 'npm:@angular/forms/bundles/forms.umd.js',

      // other libraries
      'rxjs':                      'npm:rxjs',
      'angular-in-memory-web-api': 'npm:angular-in-memory-web-api/bundles/in-memory-web-api.umd.js',
      'file-saver':                'npm:file-saver'
    },
    // packages tells the System loader how to load when no filename and/or no extension
    packages: {
      app: {
        main: './main.js',
        defaultExtension: 'js'
      },
      rxjs: {
        defaultExtension: 'js'
      },
      'file-saver': {
        main: './FileSaver.js',
        defaultExtension: 'js'
      }
    }
  });
})(this);