topic RE: How to download a file using web api. in Product Forum

How to download a file using web api.

AZ — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 17:23:00 GMT

I want to download a file using Web API. After making request we are getting File data as text in the response content data item.

For your reference I am getting the response as below as text type.

%PDF-1.4 %��
68 0 obj <</Linearized 1/L 1850803/O 70/E 262535/N 13/T 1849323/H [ 916 320]>> endobj
xref
68 31
0000000016 00000 n
0000001236 00000 n
0000001456 00000 n
0000001821 00000 n
0000001957 00000 n
0000002087 00000 n
0000002229 00000 n
0000002972 00000 n
0000003602 00000 n
0000004428 00000 n
0000005000 00000 n
0000005715 00000 n

I am not adding all the content here.

How can we save this content as a original file.

Please help, its an urgent.

Thanks
K

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A Z
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RE: How to download a file using web api.

AmadorYranon — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 17:56:00 GMT

Try the Utility - File management - Append to Text File. ...maybe will work..not sure

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Amador Yranon
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RE: How to download a file using web api.

AZ — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 18:06:00 GMT

No, it doesn't work.
The actual file is a binary file(pdf, excel,ppt,word), not a text file.

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A Z
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RE: How to download a file using web api.

AmadorYranon — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 18:46:00 GMT

Sorry, I have not dissected properly your post.

- VBO Rest API return collection
- VBO HTTP return text

Since end point return binary file e.g. pdf, excel, the only solution that i can think is using Code Stage write code like sample below:

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Amador Yranon
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RE: How to download a file using web api.

AZ — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 03:30:00 GMT

No, our endpoint taking specific file Id and returning file data as in type text and text mentioned above.
My query is, after receiving file data as text in response data item, how to convert the text into original file.
Can anyone please help.

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A Z
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RE: How to download a file using web api.

zdenek.kabatek — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 07:17:00 GMT

Hi,

it is not clear what you are getting then. If you take the content of your Response open data item in Blue Prism containing the text and save it in clipboard and paste in notepad what the result is? The information you have provided is not sufficient to give you more hints.

Regards,

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Zdeněk Kabátek
Head of Professional Services
NEOOPS
http://www.neoops.com/
Europe/Prague
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RE: How to download a file using web api.

AZ — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 10:37:00 GMT

Hello,

Please find the below image for your reference.

In the above image, left side data is original Content of Excel File Opened in Notepad, Right side data is from the Web api response content(text) output.

How can I convert the right side data (Response Content) as original Excel File.

Please let me know if any info required.

Thanks,
K

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A Z
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RE: How to download a file using web api.

zdenek.kabatek — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 10:57:00 GMT

Hi,

hmm, it seems that you will really need to call the WebApi through HTTP Client code (VB or C# code) to get the true binary stream not converted to text.

a skeleton can look like this (taken from SO)

byte[] postBytes = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(postString);
request.ContentLength = postBytes.Length;
Stream stream = request.GetRequestStream();
stream.Write(postBytes, 0, postBytes.Length);
stream.Close();

response = (HttpWebResponse)request.GetResponse();
Stream ReceiveStream = response.GetResponseStream();
string filename = "C:\\responseGot.txt";

byte[] buffer = new byte[1024];
FileStream outFile = new FileStream(filename, FileMode.Create);
int bytesRead;
while ((bytesRead = ReceiveStream.Read(buffer, 0, buffer.Length)) != 0)
outFile.Write(buffer, 0, bytesRead);

Regards,

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Zdeněk Kabátek
Head of Professional Services
NEOOPS
http://www.neoops.com/
Europe/Prague
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RE: How to download a file using web api.

AZ — Mon, 27 Apr 2020 11:08:00 GMT

Thanks for the quick reply.

Will let you know after check with this code.

Thanks Again.

Thanks,
K

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A Z
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RE: How to download a file using web api.

Sheela — Sat, 01 May 2021 21:25:00 GMT

@A Z

Could you please let me know if you were able to download the file from WebApi.
If so could you please share your logic.

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Sheela Parthasarathy
Assistant Consultant
TCS
Pacific/Apia
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RE: How to download a file using web api.

ewilson — Sun, 02 May 2021 03:21:00 GMT

@Sheela Parthasarathy,

The Web API service feature does not currently support downloading binary data. It only supports textual data. To download a binary file (ex. PDF, ZIP, etc) you can use the latest Utility -HTTP VBO (available on the DX) or write your own code stage.

Cheers,

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Eric Wilson
Director, Partner Integrations for Digital Exchange
Blue Prism
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RE: How to download a file using web api.

Sheela — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 15:18:00 GMT

@Eric Wilson

I read the guide for HTTP VBO and Im not able to find any reference to get output as Binary, I can see all the request output types are set as Type only.
https://digitalexchange.blueprism.com/dx/entry/3439/solution/utility---http
Could you please let me know if this is the VBO you referred.

Regards,
Sheela

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Sheela Parthasarathy
Assistant Consultant
TCS
Pacific/Apia
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RE: How to download a file using web api.

ewilson — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 15:32:00 GMT

@Sheela Parthasarathy,

That is the correct VBO. There is an action on it called HTTP Request File which can be used to download a binary file.

Cheers,

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Eric Wilson
Director, Integrations and Enablement
Blue Prism Digital Exchange
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