[expo-file-system] Trying to use FileSystem.moveAsync() and getting error: File "...." could not be moved to "..."

Summary

Trying to move an audio recording created with expo-av from the cache folder to a newly created document directory.

• When the app starts, the document directory is created.
• I’m able to create the recording and retrieve it’s URI.
• When I try to move the file to the new directory, this happens:

Google Pixel 3A device:

File 'file:///data/user/0/host.exp.exponent/cache/ExperienceData/%2540lucas%252Faudioly/Audio/recording-8c8cafcd-34e8-45ba-9ffa-b7129cdcf44f.m4a' could not be moved to 'file:///data/user/0/host.exp.exponent/files/ExperienceData/%2540lucas%252Faudioly/my-recordings-folder/'
at node_modules/react-native/Libraries/BatchedBridge/NativeModules.js:103:50 in promiseMethodWrapper
at node_modules/@unimodules/react-native-adapter/build/NativeModulesProxy.native.js:15:23 in moduleName.methodInfo.name
at node_modules/expo-file-system/build/FileSystem.js:69:17 in moveAsync
at node_modules/expo-file-system/build/FileSystem.js:65:7 in moveAsync
at [native code]:null in flushedQueue
at [native code]:null in invokeCallbackAndReturnFlushedQueue

Managed or bare workflow? If you have ios/ or android/ directories in your project, the answer is bare!

managed

What platform(s) does this occur on?

Android

SDK Version (managed workflow only)

42.0.1

Environment

Expo CLI 4.9.1 environment info: System: OS: macOS 11.5 Shell: 5.8 - /bin/zsh Binaries: Node: 14.17.0 - /usr/local/bin/node npm: 6.14.13 - /usr/local/bin/npm Watchman: 4.9.0 - /usr/local/bin/watchman SDKs: iOS SDK: Platforms: iOS 14.4, DriverKit 20.2, macOS 11.1, tvOS 14.3, watchOS 7.2 IDEs: Android Studio: 4.2 AI-202.7660.26.42.7351085 Xcode: 12.4/12D4e - /usr/bin/xcodebuild npmPackages: expo: ~42.0.1 => 42.0.3 react: 16.13.1 => 16.13.1 react-dom: 16.13.1 => 16.13.1 react-native: https://github.com/expo/react-native/archive/sdk-42.0.0.tar.gz => 0.63.2 react-native-web: ^0.17.1 => 0.17.1 npmGlobalPackages: expo-cli: 4.9.1 Expo Workflow: managed

Reproducible demo or steps to reproduce from a blank project

1. Create new expo managed workflow (blank) project
2. Install expo-av
3. Install expo-file-system
4. Replace code in App.js with:

import React, { useEffect } from "react";
import { Text, View, StyleSheet, Button, SafeAreaView } from "react-native";
import { Audio } from "expo-av";
import * as FileSystem from "expo-file-system";

export default function App() {
  const [recording, setRecording] = React.useState();
  const [update, setUpdate] = React.useState(false);
  const [uri, setUri] = React.useState("");

  const recordingsDir = FileSystem.documentDirectory + "my-recordings-folder/";

  useEffect(() => {
    //Check if the Document Directory was created
    const makeDir = async () => {
      const dir = await FileSystem.getInfoAsync(recordingsDir);
      if (!dir.exists) {
        console.log("Recordings Folder directory doesn't exist, creating....");
        await FileSystem.makeDirectoryAsync(recordingsDir, {
          intermediates: true,
        });
      }
      const dirInfo = await FileSystem.readDirectoryAsync(recordingsDir);
      console.log("URI of Recording Folder.:");
      console.log(dir);
      console.log("Contents of Recording Folder:");
      console.log(dirInfo);
    };

    makeDir();
  }, [update]);

  async function startRecording() {
    try {
      console.log("Requesting permissions...");
      await Audio.requestPermissionsAsync();
      await Audio.setAudioModeAsync({
        allowsRecordingIOS: true,
        playsInSilentModeIOS: true,
      });
      console.log("Starting recording...");
      const { recording } = await Audio.Recording.createAsync(
        Audio.RECORDING_OPTIONS_PRESET_HIGH_QUALITY
      );
      setRecording(recording);
      console.log("Recording started.");
    } catch (err) {
      console.error("Failed to start recording", err);
    }
  }

  async function stopRecording() {
    console.log("Stopping recording..");
    setRecording(undefined);
    await recording.stopAndUnloadAsync();
    const uri = recording.getURI();
    console.log("Recording stopped and stored at:", uri);
    try {
      await FileSystem.moveAsync({
        from: uri,
        to: recordingsDir,
      });
      console.log("Audio was moved! ;)");
    } catch (err) {
      console.log(err);
    }
    setUri(uri);
    setUpdate(!update);
  }

  return (
    <SafeAreaView style={styles.container}>
      <View style={styles.container}>
        <Text>{uri}</Text>
        <Button
          title={recording ? "Stop Recording" : "Start Recording"}
          onPress={recording ? stopRecording : startRecording}
        />
      </View>
    </SafeAreaView>
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    paddingVertical: 24,
    flex: 1,
    backgroundColor: "#fff",
    alignItems: "center",
    justifyContent: "center",
  },
});

[SufianBabri]

I was facing the same issue (File <old-file-path> could not be moved to <new-file-path>) and was able to resolve it.

In OP’s case, they are giving the directory path and not the complete file path. They need to append a filename as well.

So, anyone facing this issue should confirm the following:

1. the path set in from property actually exists (const {exists} = await FileSystem.getInfoAsync(path);)
2. the path against the to property is a file path (and not a dir path) and its dir MUST exist (if parent dir doesn’t exist, execute this line: await FileSystem.makeDirectoryAsync(dirPath, { intermediates: true }))

[dmitryame]

Aren’t we moving files to a Directory What if I want to rename file (move it to a different file name)?

Honestly, this was such a long time ago, I don’t remember what was causing the issue. I think I may have solved it by upgrading to the latest versions, as far as I remember there was a version number missmatch or something. All works for me now.