Binding to Custom File System Provider

• Feb 02, 2023
• 2 minutes to read

FileManager allows you to implement a custom system provider.

To create a custom provider, follow the steps below.

1. Create your own provider class by inheriting it from the base FileSystemProviderBase class.

   C#

   public class LinqFileSystemProvider : FileSystemProviderBase {
       // ...
   }
   

2. Provide implementation for the required virtual methods in your class. If you inherit from FileSystemProviderBase, the implementation of the following methods is essential:

   • FileSystemProviderBase.GetFiles,
   • FileSystemProviderBase.GetFolders,
   • FileSystemProviderBase.ReadFile,
   • FileSystemProviderBase.Exists.
   C#

   public class LinqFileSystemProvider : FileSystemProviderBase {
       // ...
       public override IEnumerable<FileManagerFile> GetFiles(FileManagerFolder folder) {
           DbFileSystemItem dbFolderItem = FindDbFolderItem(folder);
               return
               from dbItem in DataContext.DbFileSystemItems
               where !dbItem.IsFolder && dbItem.ParentId == dbFolderItem.Id
               select new FileManagerFile(this, folder, dbItem.Name);
       }
       public override IEnumerable<FileManagerFolder> GetFolders(FileManagerFolder parentFolder) {
           DbFileSystemItem dbFolderItem = FindDbFolderItem(parentFolder);
           return
           from dbItem in FolderCache.Values
           where dbItem.IsFolder && dbItem.ParentId == dbFolderItem.Id
           select new FileManagerFolder(this, parentFolder, dbItem.Name);
       }
       public override bool Exists(FileManagerFile file) {
           return FindDbFileItem(file) != null;
       }
       public override bool Exists(FileManagerFolder folder) {
           return FindDbFolderItem(folder) != null;
       }
       public override System.IO.Stream ReadFile(FileManagerFile file) {
           return new MemoryStream(FindDbFileItem(file).Data.ToArray());
       }
   }
   

3. Bind the FileManager to your provider class instance via the FileManagerExtension.BindToFileSystemProvider method. FileManager will use your custom provider to access data.

   C# (Controller)

   using System.Web.Mvc;
   
   namespace MyProject {
       public partial class HomeController : Controller {
   
           public MyProject.Models.LinqFileSystemProvider dataSource = new MyProject.Models.LinqFileSystemProvider();
           public ActionResult Index() {
               return View(dataSource);
           }
           [ValidateInput(false)]
           public ActionResult DataBindingPartial() {
               return View("DataBindingPartial", dataSource);
           }
       }
   }
   

   Razor (View)

   @model LinqFileSystemProvider
   
   @using(Html.BeginForm()) {
       @Html.Partial("DataBindingPartial", Model)
   }
   

   Razor (DataBindingPartial)

   @Html.DevExpress().FileManager(settings => {
       settings.Name = "fileManager";
       settings.CallbackRouteValues = new { Controller = "Home", Action = "DataBindingPartial" };
   
       settings.Settings.InitialFolder = "Salvador Dali\\1936 - 1945"; // Folder within the data source
       settings.Settings.ThumbnailFolder = Url.Content("~/Content/FileManager/Thumbnails"); 
   
       settings.SettingsEditing.AllowCreate = true;
       settings.SettingsEditing.AllowDelete = true;
       settings.SettingsEditing.AllowMove = true;
       settings.SettingsEditing.AllowRename = true;
   }).BindToFileSystemProvider(Model).GetHtml()
   

Online Demo

• File Manager - Data Binding