file-selector

What is file-selector?

The file-selector npm package is a utility library for handling file selections in web applications. It provides functions to convert file selections into a standardized format for easier manipulation, including functions to handle selections from both file inputs and drag-and-drop operations.

What are file-selector's main functionalities?

Converting FileList to Array

This feature allows you to convert a FileList object, which is obtained from a file input element, into an array of files for easier iteration and manipulation.

import { fromFileList } from 'file-selector';

const inputElement = document.querySelector('input[type="file"]');
inputElement.addEventListener('change', async (event) => {
  const filesArray = await fromFileList(event.target.files);
  // Now you have an array of files
});

Handling Drag-and-Drop Files

This feature provides a way to handle files dropped into a dropzone on a webpage, converting the DataTransferItem list from the event into an array of files.

import { fromEvent } from 'file-selector';

const dropzone = document.getElementById('dropzone');
dropzone.addEventListener('drop', async (event) => {
  event.preventDefault();
  const items = await fromEvent(event);
  // Now you have an array of files from the drop event
});

Other packages similar to file-selector

dropzone

Dropzone is a widely-used library that provides drag-and-drop file uploads with image previews. It's more feature-rich than file-selector, offering UI for file previews and progress bars, but it's also heavier and more opinionated in terms of functionality.

react-dropzone

React-dropzone is a React wrapper for dropzone.js. It integrates the drag-and-drop file upload functionality into React components, making it convenient for React developers. It is similar to file-selector but tailored specifically for React and provides more UI components.

README

File Selector

A small package for converting a DragEvent or file input to a list of File objects.

Table of Contents

• Installation
• Usage
• Browser Support
• Contribute
• Credits

Installation

---

You can install this package from NPM:

npm add file-selector

Or with Yarn:

yarn add file-selector

CDN

For CDN, you can use unpkg:

https://unpkg.com/file-selector/dist/bundles/file-selector.umd.min.js

The global namespace for file-selector is fileSelector:

const {fromEvent} = fileSelector;
document.addEventListener('drop', async evt => {
    const files = await fromEvent(evt);
    console.log(files);
});

Usage

---

ES6

Convert a DragEvent to File objects:

import {fromEvent} from 'file-selector';
document.addEventListener('drop', async evt => {
    const files = await fromEvent(evt);
    console.log(files);
});

Convert a change event for an input type file to File objects:

import {fromEvent} from 'file-selector';
const input = document.getElementById('myInput');
input.addEventListener('change', async evt => {
    const files = await fromEvent(evt);
    console.log(files);
});

Convert FileSystemFileHandle items to File objects:

import {fromEvent} from 'file-selector';

// Open file picker
const handles = await window.showOpenFilePicker({multiple: true});
// Get the files
const files = await fromEvent(handles);
console.log(files);

NOTE The above is experimental and subject to change.

CommonJS

Convert a DragEvent to File objects:

const {fromEvent} = require('file-selector');
document.addEventListener('drop', async evt => {
    const files = await fromEvent(evt);
    console.log(files);
});

Browser Support

---

Most browser support basic File selection with drag 'n' drop or file input:

• File API
• Drag Event
• DataTransfer
• <input type="file">

For folder drop we use the FileSystem API which has very limited support:

• DataTransferItem.getAsFile()
• DataTransferItem.webkitGetAsEntry()
• FileSystemEntry
• FileSystemFileEntry.file()
• FileSystemDirectoryEntry.createReader()
• FileSystemDirectoryReader.readEntries()

Contribute

---

If you wish to contribute, please use the following guidelines:

• Use Conventional Commits
• Use [ci skip] in commit messages to skip a build

Credits

---

• html5-file-selector