File Component
Estimated Reading Time: 17 minutes
TIP Before using the File component, please review our Working With Files in Unqork article to better understand expectations and limitations when working with files.
Overview
The File component lets your end-user End-users, also known as Express Users, are the individuals accessing an application through Express View. In most cases, end-users are the customers using the product. upload files, like supporting documents or scanned images. This component adds an easy-to-use file uploader element to your applications so end-users can drag and drop files into the component area or use a browse function to select a file to upload.
Here are some scenarios when you'd use a File component:
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A mortgage application where the end-user needs to upload financial documents.
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A job application where the end-user uploads their resume.
Once uploaded, files store in a data object. The data object contains the following:
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The file data is represented as a cloud storage URL A URL (uniform resource locator) is a unique identifier used to locate a resource on the internet. Also known as a web address. (submitted as Base64 Base64 is an encoding and decoding technique used to convert binary data to an ASCII (American Standard for Information Interchange) text format. or binary).
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The file type.
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The file name.
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The file size.
Uploaded files become available to view, download, or delete as needed. How end-users access the file is intentionally dependent on the end user’s OS OS (operating system) is the program that manages other application programs on your computer.:
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Desktop (Mac/Windows/Linux): The file opens in the desktop’s native file browser.
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Mobile (iOS/Android): Mobile devices typically allows the end-user to open the file using the photo library, file app, or camera app.
You'll find the File component in the Data & Event Processing group to the left of the Module Builder.
What You'll Learn
After completing this article, you’ll know when to use a File component, how to configure its settings, and how to use it in a module.
About the Configuration Window
General
Setting |
Description |
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Property ID |
A Property ID is the unique field ID used by Unqork to track and link components in your module. The Property ID is how the software identifies your component. Using Property IDs lets you link components, creating logic-based configurations and API APIs (application programming interfaces) are a set of protocols and definitions developers use to build and integrate application software. APIs act as the connective tissue between products and services. calls. Property IDs must use camel case A naming convention for computer programming. Use camelCase for Property IDs, for example: newUser, lastName, & rdoButton. (stylized as camelCase) without spaces or punctuation. |
Notes |
Select this tab to display the component's Notes area. You can use notes to keep your teammates informed. The Notes editor offers a semi-WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) content editor. Built to look like a word processor, this editor lets you create, edit, and format your notes. Notes save when saving the component. |
Display |
Select this tab to manage your component's display settings. |
Actions |
Select this tab to manage your component's actions settings. |
Data |
Select this tab to manage your component's data settings. |
Validation |
Select this tab to manage your component's validation settings. |
Advanced |
Select this tab to manage your component's advanced settings. |
Permissions |
Select this tab to see the RBAC RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) is a method to control system access for authorized users. The role in RBAC refers to the levels of access employees have to a network. (role-based access control) settings of the component. |
Field Tags |
Assign components one-word labels to help organize, identify, and group the components in your application. Consider an example from the API Specification Snippet: Field Tags are applied to Hidden components in the panelRequest and panelResponse Panels. The Field Tags identify the data type of parameters included in the API APIs (application programming interfaces) are a set of protocols and definitions developers use to build and integrate application software. APIs act as the connective tissue between products and services. request and response. The API Docs Dashboard tool populates with information about each parameter’s data type, identified by the Field Tag. Field Tags act as a type of Property ID A Property ID is the unique field ID used by Unqork to track and link components in your module. group and let you group components for configuration purposes. Field Tags let you target two or more components using a simple logic component. For example, add the Field Tag tagForDecision to multiple components in your module. Open the Inputs table of a Decisions component and reference the tagForDecision Field Tag as the input of the Decisions component. The output of the Decisions component then affects all components with the tagForDecision Field Tag. Save your Field Tags by pressing Enter (Return) or adding a comma after each entry. |
Shortcuts |
Select this tab to open the list of supported keyboard shortcuts you can use in the component settings modal. Keyboard shortcuts include:
Additional keyboard shortcuts:
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Documentation |
Select this tab to access the component documentation in Unqork's In-Product Help. |
Cancel |
Click this button to undo any unsaved configuration changes and return to the canvas. |
Save & Close |
Click this button to save all settings as configured and return to the canvas. |
Display Panel
Field Text
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Label Text |
Label Text conveys what the input component is and what information it displays. Enter the purpose of the corresponding component or field. User-friendly labels make your module more accessible. Keep labels short and descriptive (a word or two) using title case. For longer entries, use sentence case. |
Default State Options
Setting |
Description |
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Disable User Input |
When set to (ON), end-users can’t interact with or edit the Express View's input field or element. When end-users hover over the field, their cursor changes to alert them to the status change. By default, the Disable User Input toggle is set to (OFF). |
Hide Component |
Shows or hides the component from view. Setting the Hide Component toggle to (ON) hides the component in Express View. Setting the toggle back to OFF unhides the component. By default, the Hide Component toggle is set to (OFF). |
Contextual Help
Setting |
Description |
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Tooltip |
A short hint that displays when an end-user positions their cursor over the (Tooltip) icon. Tooltips can display across more than one line. |
Formatting
Setting |
Description |
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Allow Multiple Files Selection |
When set to (ON), the end-user can select multiple files when browsing for files to upload. By default, this toggle is set to (OFF). |
Display Thumbnail Images of Icons |
When set to (ON), uploaded image files render a preview. When set to (OFF), uploaded files display as text with a file icon. TIP This setting only works when the Parse Files on Upload and Store Data in Database settings are set to (ON). Doing so ensures the component renders the Base64 encoded string of the file. By default, this toggle is set to (OFF). |
Drop Zone Label Text |
Text that guides the end-user to upload a file. The text displays inside the boundaries of the drag and drop area. By default, the text is Drag & drop your files here, or. The Browse Files Link Text immediately follows this text. |
Starting Upload Message |
Feedback text that displays when a file begins to upload. By default, the text displays Starting upload. |
Browse Files Link Text |
The label text for the link allows end-users to browse their computer for files. By default, the link text shows as browse. |
Drag & Drop Not Supported Message |
Text that displays when an end-user's browser doesn't support drag and drop. By default, the text shows as File Drag/Drop is not supported for this browser. |
Header for File Name Column |
The header label for the column lists the individual file names. By default, the header is File. |
Header for File Size Column |
The header label for the column listing the file sizes. By default, the header is Size. |
Actions Panel
Triggers
Setting |
Description |
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Post Upload |
Enter the Property ID of a component you'd like to trigger after the file uploads. |
Data Panel
Setting |
Description |
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Store Data in Database |
The Store Data in Database setting affects how data persists through your application. When set to (ON), Unqork stores values entered into the field to the database (server-side submission). This occurs in three scenarios:
NOTE By default, workflows persist data from all fields in the client-side submission when navigating between screens. However, only values from fields with Store Data in Database enabled store in the server-side submission. Set the toggle to (OFF) when you don’t want to store the values from this field in the database. NOTE When using a Plug-In to remote execute a module, ensure data moving between modules is persistent. You can optionally enable Store Data in Database for components in the source module. But any components in the API module whose values are included in an API response must have Store Data in Database enabled. When a component’s data is not persistent, the data isn't included in an API call's response. So, Plug-Ins or external services requesting data from the API module can't receive non-persistent data in the response. To learn more about Store Data in Database in the context of API modules, see the panelResponse Panel section of the API Specification Snippet article in our In-Product Help. TIP Store Data in Database also affects what data is tracked using Unqork’s built-in tracker. When the Enable Tracker and Track Value toggles are set to (ON) in Module Settings, only values from fields with Store Data in Database enabled are tracked. By default, this setting is (ON). |
Validation Panel
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Required |
When set to (ON), the end user must enter a value in the component's visible fields. Set the toggle to (OFF) when an entry is optional. By default, the Required toggle is set to (OFF). |
Required Error Message |
A custom error message that displays below a required field. The error message displays when the end-user tries to save or submit the module without completing the required field. |
Advanced Panel
Additional Data Options
Setting |
Description |
---|---|
Compress .jpg and .png Files |
When set to (ON), uploaded images compress. This setting only supports .jpg and .png image formats. By default, this toggle is set to (ON). |
Parse Excel Files with Multiple Tabs |
When set to (ON), all tabs of an uploaded multi-tab Excel file parse into a single JSON structure. By default, this toggle is set to (OFF). |
Parse Files on Upload |
When set to (ON), the file’s data object updates to a cloud storage link, resolving the base64 string. When set to (OFF), the file’s data object is a reference, with the file stored in the cloud the moment the submission is created. TIP For this setting to function correctly, the Store Data in Database setting must be set to (ON). By default, this toggle is set to (ON). |
Additional Styling
Setting |
Description |
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Custom CSS Class |
Enter a Custom CSS Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a style sheet language used for presenting how a HTML or XML document looks to end-users. Class to apply to your component. Custom CSS lets you maintain a consistent look and feel when the field or element is part of a template or multiple modules. Updated CSS styling applies to all components that reference this custom class name. |
Additional Validation Options
Setting |
Description |
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Set Maximum Size |
Validation that limits the size of each file an end-user can upload. It might take longer to upload larger files depending on the browser and network connection. NOTE This value must be equal to or less than your use case's file size limit. These thresholds are 18 MB, 100 MB, and 500 MB. |
File Size Helper Text |
A quick tip explaining the file size limits of your File component. |
File Size Error Message |
Custom error message that displays below uploaded files that exceed the maximum size. |
Accepted File Formats
Setting |
Description |
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Set File Formats to Accept |
Sets the file types accepted by this component. To allow the upload of any file type, simply set the field value to *. To limit file types, list the approved file types adding a comma between each value (for example, .jpg,.png,.gif). |
Adding a File Component
As an example, let's create a basic File component configuration. This component will prompt the end-user to upload a PDF version of their resume.
1. | In the Module Builder, drag and drop a File component onto the canvas. |
2. | In the Property ID A Property ID is the unique field ID used by Unqork to track and link components in your module. field, enter fileResume. |
3. | In the Label Text Label Text conveys what the input component is and what information it displays. Enter the purpose of the corresponding component or field. field, enter Your Resume. |
4. | From the File component's configuration menu, click Validation. |
5. | Set Required to (ON). |
6. | From the File component's configuration menu, click Advanced. |
7. | In the Set File Formats to Accept field, enter .pdf. |
NOTE By entering .pdf in this field, the component only accepts PDF files from the end-user.
8. | Click Save & Close. |
9. | Save your module. |
The File component looks like the following in Express View Express View is how your end-user views you application. Express View also lets you preview your applications to test your configuration and view the styling. This is also the view your end-users will see when interacting with your application. After configuring a module, click Preview in the Module Builder to interact with the module in Express View.:
Data Structure of a File Component
The File component's data stores in submission data Also known as Record Data. Submission data consists of information saved by Unqork components. View submission data by using the angular command, or in Record Collections. as an array of objects. In the example below, the fileResume File component displays the uploaded content in a table. Opening an object in the array displays a set of key/value pairs containing information about the file.
Here's how the same File component looks in the DevTools Console The DevTools Console helps you securely store, build, test, and deploy your software.:
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