Meteor File Uploads: Handling Large Files with Meteor's Built-in Support

Meteor provides a built-in package called `ostrio:files` for handling file uploads. This package allows you to upload files of any size and type, making it suitable for handling large files. In this article, we will explore how to use Meteor's built-in support for file uploads to handle large files.

Setting Up the `ostrio:files` Package

To use the `ostrio:files` package, you need to add it to your Meteor project. You can do this by running the following command in your terminal:

meteor add ostrio:files

Configuring the `ostrio:files` Package

Once you have added the `ostrio:files` package, you need to configure it to handle large files. You can do this by creating a new file called `files.js` in your Meteor project's root directory. In this file, you can configure the package to handle large files by setting the `maxSize` option:

import { Files } from 'meteor/ostrio:files';

Files.config({
  maxSize: 1024 * 1024 * 1024, // 1GB
  tempStore: {
    adapter: 'gridfs',
    maxTries: 3
  },
  storagePath: '/uploads',
  downloadRoute: '/files/download',
  cacheControl: 'public, max-age=31536000'
});

Uploading Large Files

Once you have configured the `ostrio:files` package, you can upload large files using the `Files.insert()` method. This method takes a file object as an argument and returns a file ID that you can use to retrieve the file:

import { Files } from 'meteor/ostrio:files';

const file = new File(['Hello World!'], 'example.txt', {
  type: 'text/plain'
});

Files.insert(file, (err, fileObj) => {
  if (err) {
    console.error(err);
  } else {
    console.log(fileObj._id);
  }
});

Retrieving Large Files

Once you have uploaded a large file, you can retrieve it using the `Files.findOne()` method. This method takes a file ID as an argument and returns a file object that you can use to access the file's contents:

import { Files } from 'meteor/ostrio:files';

const fileId = 'exampleFileId';
const file = Files.findOne(fileId);

if (file) {
  console.log(file.name);
  console.log(file.size);
  console.log(file.type);
} else {
  console.error('File not found');
}

Handling Large File Uploads on the Client-Side

When handling large file uploads on the client-side, you need to use a library that supports chunked uploads. One popular library for this is `resumable.js`. This library allows you to upload large files in chunks, making it suitable for handling large file uploads:

import Resumable from 'resumablejs';

const file = new File(['Hello World!'], 'example.txt', {
  type: 'text/plain'
});

const r = new Resumable({
  target: '/upload',
  chunkSize: 10 * 1024 * 1024, // 10MB
  simultaneousUploads: 3
});

r.addFile(file);

r.on('fileAdded', (file) => {
  console.log('File added:', file);
});

r.on('fileSuccess', (file) => {
  console.log('File uploaded:', file);
});

r.on('fileError', (file, error) => {
  console.error('File upload error:', error);
});

r.upload();

Handling Large File Uploads on the Server-Side

When handling large file uploads on the server-side, you need to use a library that supports chunked uploads. One popular library for this is `multer`. This library allows you to upload large files in chunks, making it suitable for handling large file uploads:

import multer from 'multer';

const upload = multer({
  dest: '/uploads/',
  limits: {
    fileSize: 1024 * 1024 * 1024 // 1GB
  }
});

app.post('/upload', upload.single('file'), (req, res) => {
  console.log(req.file);
  res.send('File uploaded successfully!');
});

Conclusion

In this article, we explored how to use Meteor's built-in support for file uploads to handle large files. We configured the `ostrio:files` package to handle large files and uploaded large files using the `Files.insert()` method. We also retrieved large files using the `Files.findOne()` method and handled large file uploads on the client-side and server-side using `resumable.js` and `multer` respectively.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the maximum file size that can be uploaded using the `ostrio:files` package?

The maximum file size that can be uploaded using the `ostrio:files` package is 1GB by default. However, you can configure the package to handle larger files by setting the `maxSize` option.

How do I handle large file uploads on the client-side?

You can handle large file uploads on the client-side using a library that supports chunked uploads, such as `resumable.js`.

How do I handle large file uploads on the server-side?

You can handle large file uploads on the server-side using a library that supports chunked uploads, such as `multer`.

What is the difference between `resumable.js` and `multer`?

`resumable.js` is a client-side library that supports chunked uploads, while `multer` is a server-side library that supports chunked uploads.

Can I use the `ostrio:files` package to upload files of any type?

Yes, you can use the `ostrio:files` package to upload files of any type.