For a quick explanation and code examples of working with the
file system in AIR, see the following quick start articles on the
Adobe Developer Connection:
Adobe AIR provides classes that you can use
to access, create, and manage both files and folders. These classes,
contained in the flash.filesystem package, are used as follows:
|
File classes
|
Description
|
|
File
|
File object represents a path to a file
or directory. You use a file object to create a pointer to a file or
folder, initiating interaction with the file or folder.
|
|
FileMode
|
The FileMode class defines string constants
used in the
fileMode
parameter of the
open()
and
openAsync()
methods
of the FileStream class. The
fileMode
parameter
of these methods determines the capabilities available to the FileStream
object once the file is opened, which include writing, reading,
appending, and updating.
|
|
FileStream
|
FileStream object is used to open files
for reading and writing. Once you’ve created a File object that
points to a new or existing file, you pass that pointer to the FileStream
object so that you can open it and read or write data.
|
Some methods in the File
class have both synchronous and asynchronous versions:
-
File.copyTo()
and
File.copyToAsync()
-
File.deleteDirectory()
and
File.deleteDirectoryAsync()
-
File.deleteFile()
and
File.deleteFileAsync()
-
File.getDirectoryListing()
and
File.getDirectoryListingAsync()
-
File.moveTo()
and
File.moveToAsync()
-
File.moveToTrash()
and
File.moveToTrashAsync()
Also, FileStream operations work synchronously or asynchronously depending
on how the FileStream object opens the file: by calling the
open()
method
or by calling the
openAsync()
method.
The asynchronous versions let you initiate processes that run
in the background and dispatch events when complete (or when error
events occur). Other code can execute while these asynchronous background
processes are taking place. With asynchronous versions of the operations,
you must set up event listener functions, using the
addEventListener()
method
of the File or FileStream object that calls the function.
The synchronous versions let you write simpler code that does
not rely on setting up event listeners. However, since other code
cannot execute while a synchronous method is executing, important
processes such as display object rendering and animation can be
delayed.
