Forslag: file-datatype-direct-io-is-onprem-only

custom/knowledge/architecture/file-datatype-direct-io-is-onprem-only.md

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+---
+bc-version: [all]
+domain: architecture
+keywords: [file-datatype, saas, onprem, uploadintostream, downloadfromstream, instream, outstream, streaming]
+technologies: [al]
+countries: [w1]
+application-area: [all]
+---
+
+# The File data type's direct I/O methods are OnPrem-only
+
+## Description
+
+The classic `File` variable type — `OPEN`/`CREATE`/`READ`/`WRITE`/`CLOSE`
+against a path on the local/server filesystem — only works on-premises.
+None of these methods are supported in SaaS/cloud Business Central,
+because there is no accessible filesystem in the cloud sandbox. Any
+extension intended to run in Business Central Online (which today means
+essentially every new AppSource or CURABIS extension) must not rely on
+`File.Open`, `File.Create`, `File.Read`, or `File.Write` for its core
+functionality — code built this way compiles but fails, or is silently
+skipped, in the cloud.
+
+The cloud-compatible equivalent is stream-based: import via
+`UploadIntoStream` (reads user-selected file content into an `InStream`),
+export via `DownloadFromStream` (writes an `OutStream`'s content to a
+file the user saves), with the actual parsing/formatting done against
+`InStream`/`OutStream` rather than a `File` variable. `TempBlob` is the
+usual staging container between the stream and the rest of the code.
+
+## Best Practice
+
+```al
+var
+    TempBlob: Codeunit "Temp Blob";
+    InStream: InStream;
+    FileName: Text;
+begin
+    if UploadIntoStream('Import file', '', 'All Files (*.*)|*.*', FileName, InStream) then
+        // parse InStream
+end;
+```
+
+## Anti Pattern
+
+```al
+var
+    ImportFile: File;
+    InStream: InStream;
+begin
+    ImportFile.WriteMode(false);
+    ImportFile.TextMode(true);
+    ImportFile.Open('C:\Import\data.txt'); // fails in SaaS — no local filesystem
+    ImportFile.CreateInStream(InStream);
+end;
+```
+
+A hardcoded or user-supplied filesystem path passed to `File.Open`/`Create`
+is a strong signal the code was written for on-premises only, or copied
+from older material that predates the cloud-first streaming APIs.
+
+## Source
+
+CURABIS Academy course "The Developers Guide through AL" (rev. July 2022),
+Chapter 9: Interfaces, "File-Handling", "The File Data Type", "Reading or
+Writing Data in External Files" (p. 291–294) — the course material itself
+already flags `READ`/`WRITE` as "only supported on-premises," confirmed
+still accurate against current Business Central Online behavior as of
+2026-08-13.