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#

Record APIs

All Xata record APIs can be used to create, read, update, delete and query files.

#

Upload a file through inserting a new record

const record = await xata.db.Users.create({
  name: 'Keanu',
  photo: {
    name: 'file.png',
    mediaType: 'image/png',
    base64Content:
      'iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAEklEQVR42mNk+M9QzwAEjDAGACCDAv8cI7IoAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC'
  }
});

#

Update a file through updating a record

const user = await xata.db.Users.update('record_id', {
  photo: {
    base64Content:
      'iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAEklEQVR42mNk+M9QzwAEjDAGACCDAv8cI7IoAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC'
  }
});
 
// or, using the `update` method on the record object:
 
user.update({
  photo: {
    base64Content:
      'iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAEklEQVR42mNk+M9QzwAEjDAGACCDAv8cI7IoAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC'
  }
});

#

Append a file to an array through updating a record

In the following example the photos column is of type file[] (file array). The existing file ids from the array must be present in the update.

const user = await xata.db.Users.update('record_id', {
  photos: [
    { 
      id: 'existing_file_id'
    },
    {
      id: 'new_id',
      base64Content:
        'iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAEklEQVR42mNk+M9QzwAEjDAGACCDAv8cI7IoAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC'
    }
  ]
});
 
// or, using the `update` method on the record object:
 
user.update({
  photos: [
    {
      id: 'existing_file_id'
    },
    {
      id: 'new_id',
      base64Content:
        'iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAEklEQVR42mNk+M9QzwAEjDAGACCDAv8cI7IoAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC'
    }
  ]
});

#

Download a file through reading a record

const user = await xata.db.Users.read('record_id', ['photo.name', 'photo.base64Content']);

Response:

{
  "id": "record_id",
  "photo": {
    "name": "file.png",
    "base64Content": "iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAIAAAACCAYAAABytg0kAAAAEklEQVR42mNk+M9QzwAEjDAGACCDAv8cI7IoAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC"
  }
}

#

Delete a file through updating a record

const user = await xata.db.Users.update('record_id', { photo: null });
 
// or, using the `update` method on the record object:
 
await user.update({ photo: null });

#

Delete a file from an array through updating a record

A file array item is deleted by setting the array to the set of ids that need to be kept.

const user = await xata.db.Users.update('record_id', { photos: [{id: 'id_to_keep_1'}, {id: 'id_to_keep_2'} ] });
 
// or, using the `update` method on the record object:
 
await user.update({ photos: [{id: 'id_to_keep_1'}, {id: 'id_to_keep_2'} ] });

#

Query files metadata

Here is an example of retrieving access URLs for all files from the photo column, that are image/png, sorted by file size:

const photos = await xata.db.Users.select(['name', 'photo.url', 'photo.size'])
  .filter({ 'photo.mediaType': 'image/png' })
  .sort('photo.size', 'desc')
  .getMany();

#

File (binary) APIs

Since all record APIs use JSON for both request and response body, the file content needs to be encoded. For reasons like performance or data size on the wire, encoding the content might not be desired. To work directly with binary file content, Xata introduces new file APIs. Similar to the other Xata APIs, the file APIs require the Authorization header and a valid API key.

#

Upload a file using file APIs

file column type:

await xata.files.upload({ table: 'table_name', column: 'column_name', record: 'record_id' }, file);

#

Append a file to an array using file APIs

Column type is file[] (file array). The fileId is optional and a unique id will be automatically generated if not provided.

await xata.files.upload({ table: 'table_name', column: 'column_name', record: 'record_id', fileId: 'id' }, file);

#

Download a file using file APIs

file column type:

const file = await xata.files.download({ table: 'table_name', column: 'column_name', record: 'record_id' });

file[] (file array) column type:

const file = await xata.files.download({
  table: 'table_name',
  column: 'column_name',
  record: 'record_id',
  fileId: 'file_id'
});

#

Delete a file from an array using file APIs

Column type is file[] (file array). fileId is required to identify the array item to be deleted.

await xata.files.delete({ table: 'table_name', column: 'column_name', record: 'record_id', fileId: 'id' });

On this page

Record APIsUpload a file through inserting a new recordUpdate a file through updating a recordAppend a file to an array through updating a recordDownload a file through reading a recordDelete a file through updating a recordDelete a file from an array through updating a recordQuery files metadataFile (binary) APIsUpload a file using file APIsAppend a file to an array using file APIsDownload a file using file APIsDelete a file from an array using file APIs