Awake File 3.0: access remote files securely using java.io.File APIs

RemoteSession is the only API class you’ll have to learn. It is used to establish a session with the remote server:

 // Define URL of the path to the Server File Manager servlet
  String url = "https://www.acme.org/ServerFileManager";

  // The login info for strong authentication on server side:
  String username = "myUsername";
  char[] password = { 'm', 'y', 'P', 'a', 's', 's', 'w', 'o', 'r', 'd' };

  // Establish a session with the remote server
  RemoteSession remoteSession = new RemoteSession(url, username, password);

The client side talks to the server via a servlet named Server File Manager.

There is no complicated setup, “registration” or programming on the server side (except few lines of code for files location and security settings if required.)

Uploading a File

Just use RemoteOutputStream that implements OutputStream:

 // Establish a session with the remote server
  RemoteSession remoteSession = new RemoteSession(url, username, password);

  // Upload a file using a RemoteOutputStream
  InputStream in = null;
  OutputStream out = null;
  
  File localFile = new File("C:\\Users\\Mike\\Koala.jpg");
  String remotePath = "/Koala.jpg";

  try {
      in = new FileInputStream(localFile);

      // Create an OutputStream that maps a remote file on the host
      out = new RemoteOutputStream(remoteSession, remotePath,
        localFile.length());

      // Copy the bytes to create our remote file
      byte[] buffer = new byte[1024 * 4];
      int n = 0;
      while ((n = in.read(buffer)) != -1) {
          out.write(buffer, 0, n);
      }
  } finally {
      if (in != null) in.close();
      if (out != null) out.close();
  }

Downloading a Remote File

Just use RemoteInputStream that implements InputStream:

	// Establish a session with the remote server
	RemoteSession remoteSession = new RemoteSession(url, username, password);

	File file = new File("C:\\Users\\Mike\\Koala_DOWNLOADED.jpg");
	String remotePath = "/Koala.jpg";

	InputStream in = null;
	OutputStream out = null;

	try {

	    // Get an InputStream from the file located on our server
	    in = new RemoteInputStream(remoteSession, remotePath);
	    
	    out = new FileOutputStream(file);

	    // Copy the remote bytes to create our local file
	    byte[] buffer = new byte[1024 * 4];
	    int n = 0;
	    while ((n = in.read(buffer)) != -1) {
		        out.write(buffer, 0, n);
	    }

	} finally {
	    if (in != null)in.close();
	    if (out != null) out.close();
	}

Awake File includes Apache Commons IO. We can simplify the 2 examples (if we don’t need to setup a GUI Progress Bar).

Example for file upload:

	// Establish a session with the remote server
	RemoteSession remoteSession = new RemoteSession(url, username, password);

	File file = new File("C:\\Users\\Mike\\Koala.jpg");
	String remotePath= "/Koala.jpg";

	InputStream in = null;
	OutputStream out = null;

	try {
	    in = new FileInputStream(file);
	    // Create an OutputStream that maps a remote file on the host
	    out = new RemoteOutputStream(remoteSession, remotePath,
		    file.length());

	    // upload file
	    IOUtils.copy(in, out);

	} finally {
	    IOUtils.closeQuietly(in);
	    IOUtils.closeQuietly(out);
	}

Accessing Remote Files

Awake FILE 3.0 gives now the power to access remote files using well known java.io.File methods. If you know to use java.io.File you know how to use RemoteFile to access remote files and directories:

  // Establish a session with the remote server
  RemoteSession remoteSession = new RemoteSession(url, username, password);

  // Create a new RemoteFile that maps a file on remote server
  RemoteFile remoteFile = new RemoteFile(remoteSession, "/Koala.jpg");

  // RemoteFile methods have the same names, signatures and behaviors
  // as java.io.File methods: a RemoteFile method is a File method that
  // is executed on the remote host
  if (remoteFile.exists()) {
      System.out.println(remoteFile.getName() + " length  : "
        + remoteFile.length());
      System.out.println(remoteFile.getName() + " canWrite: "
        + remoteFile.canWrite());
  }

  // List files on our remote root directory
  remoteFile = new RemoteFile(remoteSession, "/");

  RemoteFile[] files = remoteFile.listFiles();
  for (RemoteFile file : files) {
      System.out.println("Remote file: " + file);
  }

  // List all text files in out root directory
  // using an Apache Commons IO 2.4 FileFiter
  FileFilter fileFilter = new SuffixFileFilter(".txt");

  files = remoteFile.listFiles(fileFilter);
  for (RemoteFile file : files) {
      System.out.println("Remote text file: " + file);
  }
  
  // Create a new remote directory
  new RemoteFile(remoteSession, "/my_new_dir").mkdirs();

Remote Java Method Call

This snippet shows how to call a remote Java method. There is no setup or “registration” on server side:

  // Establish a session with the remote server
  RemoteSession remoteSession = new RemoteSession(url, username, password);

  // OK: call the add(int a, int b) remote method that returns a + b:
  String result = remoteSession.call(
    "org.kawanfw.examples.Calculator.add", 33, 44);
  System.out.println("Calculator Result: " + result);

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