Files Blocks

Advanced Blocks

For most blocks in this drawer, you can right-click the block and select Show advanced block to see an expanded block with additional outputs. Both the simple and advanced blocks will be explained in this document.

Block: Image/Video from Photo Library

This block will open the user's photo library and allow the user to select a photo or video. The file can then be used in the app.

Advanced Block

Output	Data Type	Function
photo or video	image/video	if a file was selected, returns the file
was cancelled	true/false	returns whether the user cancelled selecting a file
error	text	if there was an error, returns the error

Block: File from Device

This block will open the user's file library and allow the user to select a file. The file can then be used in the app.

You can allow the user to upload any kind of file, or limit their selection by file type using the drop down menu.

Your end users may experience lags or delays if the file size they try to upload is larger than 5MB.

Advanced Block

Output	Description	Data Type
file	Points to the file that has been uploaded	Data type of the file that has been uploaded. Can also return address of the file as text
name	Name of the uploaded file	Text
mime type	Describes the type of file in MIME format	Text
size	Returns size of uploaded file in bytes	Number
was cancelled	Indicates whether the end user cancelled selecting a file	True/False
error	If there is an error, returns the error. Else returns null	Text

Upload a File to the Cloud

Thunkable integrates with Cloudinary, a service that allows you to store media files in the cloud. The upload file block allows you to send media directly from your Thunkable app to a linked Cloudinary account.

Video Tutorial

How to Store and Access Cloudinary Files in Your Thunkable App

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to use files stored in Cloudinary in your app and how to upload files directly from your app to Cloudinary.

Connect Your Cloudinary Account to Your Thunkable Project

Thunkable provides a shared Cloudinary account for your convenience, but we strongly recommend creating your own account to ensure privacy for your uploaded media. In addition, the shared Thunkable Cloudinary account has a media size limit of 10MB per app and your files will be deleted after 90 days.

To connect your Cloudinary accout to your Thunkable project:

1. Create a free Cloudinary account here: cloudinary.com.

2. From your Cloudinary dashboard, retrieve the following account details:

   1. Cloud Name

   2. API Key

   3. API Secret

3. Return to your Thunkable project page.

4. Click the Settings icon in the left side menu.
5. Scroll down until you reach the Cloudinary Settings section.

6. Input your Cloudinary Cloud Name, API Key, and API Secret.

Block: url from uploaded file / upload file

Advanced Block

Output	Data Type	Function
URL	text	returns a URL for the uploaded file
error	text	if there was an error, returns the error

To see some examples of the url from uploaded file block in action, check out this video tutorial: How to Create Data in a Thunkable Data Source and the following screenshots.

Connect the image from photo library block to the url from uploaded file block to allow users to browse and select any image stored on their device's library.

Connect the photo from camera block to the url from uploaded file block to let users snap a picture from their device's camera and upload it instantly.

Connect the image file from device block to the url from uploaded file block for a more universal option that works on Android, iOS, and even in web apps, allowing users to upload any image file from their device, no matter the platform.

Block: Resize Image

This block will take an image file and return it in the given dimensions, quality and format.

Advanced Block

Input	Data Type	Function
resize image	Any image file	The image to be resized
width	Number	Width in pixels to resize image file to
height	Number	Height in pixels to resize image file to
quality	Number	Quality of resulting image, as a percentage of quality of original image
using ... format	Select from menu	Select image type for resulting image

Output	Data Type	Function
resized Image	Image	The resized image in the selected format and quality level
error	Text	If there was an error, returns the error. Else returns NULL

Download A File Within Your App

The Download File within app blocks enable your app's users to download files used in your app on request, ensuring a better offline user experience.

Block: Download File from URL

This block allows you to download a file from a URL onto your device. This file cannot be accessed from outside the app.

Advanced Block

Output	Data Type	Function
file	Text	Returns a file name and extension for the downloaded file.
progress	number	Returns the progress of the downloaded file.
error	Text	If there was an error, returns the error. Else returns NULL

The file type in the URL must be the same type as the type on the file name. Downloaded files cannot be accessed outside of the app (e.g. device files, photo gallery, etc.).

Block: Get Downloaded Files

This block returns the list of files that you have already downloaded.

Advanced Block

Output	Data Type	Function
files	Text	Returns a list of file names and extensions for the downloaded files.
error	Text	If there was an error, returns the error. Else returns NULL

Block: Delete Downloaded File

This block deletes the file that you have downloaded from your local storage.

Advanced Block

Output	Data Type	Function
error	Text	If there was an error, returns the error. Else returns NULL

Block: Rename Downloaded File

This block renames a previously downloaded file from your local storage.

Advanced Block

Output	Data Type	Function
error	Text	If there was an error, returns the error. Else returns NULL