How to access files in IOS that are stored in Files.app using react-native-fs?

Question

I'm looking for a way to access the Files.app directory mainly the "Downloads" directory but the directory marked as "On My iPhone" would work as well. The use case will be a user downloads a certificate outside of the app into Files.app and the app will browse the directory for that certificate. I am using 'react-native-fs' and have tried using several file directory paths provided by the library such as DocumentDirectoryPath and LibraryDirectoryPath. I have also added UISupportsDocumentBrowser to the info.plist all with no luck.

Just for testing I am using:

    RNFS.readDir(RNFS.DocumentDirectoryPath).then(files => {
        console.log(files);
    })
    .catch(err => {
        console.log(err.message, err.code);
    });

Answer 1

The file manager cannot magically "see" into the Files app world. That world belongs to the Files app! You are sandboxed. You can allow the user to choose a file from the Files app using the documents browser, but you can't just magically peer into it.

Answer 2

If you are trying to access the Files.app you can open it through your app by adding LSApplicationQueriesSchemes as an Array in info.plist. Then add shareddocuments (without the ://). This allows Files to be opened on a button press if you want.

If you are trying to access a document in the filesystem on iOS then react-native-document-picker is a good one to use. I have done that to grab .CSV files stored anywhere on On My Ipad or Cloud.