[SOLVED] Capacitor readdir shows no files despite the directory having data

Capacitor readdir shows no files despite the directory having data

Hi I'm making an application using Ionic Vue and Capacitor to read files from my Android device. I already added the file permissions to read and write.

I have also placed my files in the path Phone/Android/data/io.ionic.starter/files which is also the path the code to write a file in Ionic created a sample file successfully.

And finally, I have used the following functions to try to list all the files inside my application folder:

try {
const fList = await Filesystem.readdir({
  path: '',
  directory: Directory.External,
}).then(res => {
  console.log("CALLBACK READING");
  console.log(res);
  console.log("%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%");
}).catch(err => {
  console.log("Error reading the file directory");
  console.log(err);
});

console.log("FILES TESTED OUTSIDE");
console.log(fList);
console.log("###################");
} catch(err){
  console.log("ERROR READING FILE");
  console.log(err);
}

Nonetheless the CALLBACK READING function returns nothing while the FILES TESTED OUTSIDE block returns "undefined". I spent an entire day testing different routes and application combinations, my files were created manually and placed inside my application folder. I already tested writing a file and it works, but just doesn't seem to read the files in the directory.

What am I missing? And is there any way I can more easily debug the error?

Solution

Modify your file_paths.xml file and add the access to root directory like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<paths>
<root-path name="root" path="." />
</paths>

this file is located in android/app/src/main/res/xml you also need to add permission to External in Android.Manifest(effective for android <=10) android:requestLegacyExternalStorage="true">