Documentation Enhancement: File Support

[m-terra]

in the below 2 documents

• https://docs.spring.io/spring-integration/docs/5.1.0.RELEASE/reference/html/whats-new.html#x5.1-files
• https://docs.spring.io/spring-integration/docs/5.1.0.RELEASE/reference/html/files.html

there are many examples where the file-inbound-channel-adapter's property directory uses the file url prefix. according to my tests this does not work, it only works when specifiying the directory without any prefix or url formatting

<int-file:inbound-channel-adapter id="filesIn" directory="file:${input.directory}" prevent-duplicates="true"> <int-file:locker ref="customLocker"/> </int-file:inbound-channel-adapter>

[artembilan]

How does it look when you it doesn't work?
What an exception do you have?

Yes, I see it works well without file: when we have a <context:property-placeholder/>, but when we don't it doesn't resolve the property-placeholder at all.

Any possible way that we can reproduce it?
What is the minimal configuration can you share that we may confirm it is wrong?

Thanks

[garyrussell]

It works fine for me with or without a PPH.

Since the property is a java.io.File, Spring uses a FileEditor property editor, which detects if the String is a URL and uses a ResourceEditor to convert the String to a Resource and then converts that to a File.

	public void setAsText(String text) throws IllegalArgumentException {
		if (!StringUtils.hasText(text)) {
			setValue(null);
			return;
		}

		// Check whether we got an absolute file path without "file:" prefix.
		// For backwards compatibility, we'll consider those as straight file path.
		File file = null;
		if (!ResourceUtils.isUrl(text)) {
			file = new File(text);
			if (file.isAbsolute()) {
				setValue(file);
				return;
			}
		}

		// Proceed with standard resource location parsing.
		this.resourceEditor.setAsText(text);
		Resource resource = (Resource) this.resourceEditor.getValue();

		// If it's a URL or a path pointing to an existing resource, use it as-is.
		if (file == null || resource.exists()) {
			try {
				setValue(resource.getFile());
			}
			catch (IOException ex) {
				throw new IllegalArgumentException(
						"Could not retrieve file for " + resource + ": " + ex.getMessage());
			}
		}
		else {
			// Set a relative File reference and hope for the best.
			setValue(file);
		}
	}

[m-terra]

I configure "file:target" as directory and get the exception

Source directory [file:target] does not exist.

When I remove the prefix, it works. All other configuration like "autoCreateDirectory" etc does not matter. We are using integration versin 5.1.2. This used to work but now it doesn't work anymore

[artembilan]

That's not helpful. Sorry.

Any chances to have something we can play and reproduce from our side?
How does it work with the latest version - 5.1.5 ?

[m-terra]

I agree that this is most likely something on my side. It just can't be the permissions because it works with the same directory when I remove the prefix. I can report back with more details next week but feel free to close the issue. thanks

[garyrussell]

We can leave it open for a while, while you investigate. You might want to try setting s breakpoint inFileEditor.setAsText().

[artembilan]

I think we don't need too much details. According to you description it is as simple as just <int-file:inbound-channel-adapter id="filesIn" directory="file:${input.directory}" prevent-duplicates="true"> configuration.
So, I believe it should be easy for you to isolate an issue to a simple config and test-case for it.
Or that can be just play Spring Boot project with that channel adapter configuration.
The point is that this Source directory [file:target] does not exist. happens just in the start(). So, there is no need in any other configuration.
Although, as far as I know, there is auto-configured properties placeholder in Spring Boot...

[Yanick-Salzmann]

I have created a zip with a minimal example that creates the same issue.

integration-dir-test.zip

	<int-file:inbound-channel-adapter
			id="fileInAdapter"
			channel="flow.in"
			directory="file:${output.directory}"
			filename-pattern="*"
			auto-create-directory="false"
			auto-startup="true">
		<int:poller fixed-delay="5000"/>
	</int-file:inbound-channel-adapter>

This results in:
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Source directory [file:C:\Users] does not exist.

I am trying to debug how it loads the string and will give you another update in this issue.

[Yanick-Salzmann]

@garyrussell That breakpoint is not hit, and in SourcePollingChannelAdapterFactoryBean#initializeAdapter in the FileReadingMessageSource the directory is file:C:\Users.

[garyrussell]

Interesting. I see it too (on MacOS) with your sample.

Investigating...

[garyrussell]

The problem is because Boot injects a ConversionService into the BeanFactory which pre-empts the property editor; the conversion service doesn't handle the conversion to a Resource.

I'll open an issue against Spring Boot to see what the core team has to say.