Background transfer sample

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Shows how to use the Background Transfer API to download and upload files in the background in Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps.

Note: This sample is part of a large collection of UWP feature samples. You can download this sample as a standalone ZIP file from docs.microsoft.com, or you can download the entire collection as a single ZIP file, but be sure to unzip everything to access shared dependencies. For more info on working with the ZIP file, the samples collection, and GitHub, see Get the UWP samples from GitHub. For more samples, see the Samples portal on the Windows Dev Center.

Classes in the Windows.Networking.BackgroundTransfer namespace provide a power-friendly, cost-aware, and flexible API for transferring files in the background. This sample shows how to download and upload files using the Background Transfer API.

For the download scenario, the sample first uses methods on BackgroundDownloader class to enumerate any downloads that were going on in the background while the app was closed. An app should enumerate these downloads when it gets started so it can attach a progress handler to these downloads to track progress and prevent stale downloads. Then other methods on the BackgroundDownloader and related classes are used to start new downloads to the local Pictures Library. The sample also shows how to pause downloads and change the priority of a download.

For the upload scenario, the sample first uses methods on BackgroundUploader class to enumerate any uploads that were going on in the background while the app was closed. An app should enumerate these uploads when it gets started so it can attach a progress handler to these uploads to track progress and prevent stale uploads. Then other methods on the BackgroundUploader and related classes are used to start new uploads. The sample also shows how to set a content header and use a multipart upload.

The sample also showcases several advanced usage scenarios:

• Configuring toast and tile notifications to inform the user when all transfers succeed or when at least one transfer fails.
• Executing a background task when a set of uploads or downloads completes.
• Accessing file content and seeking within that content while a download is still ongoing, effectively altering the order in which remote file data is requested from the server.
• Recovering from a failed download without losing already-downloaded data.

Note Background transfer is primarily designed for long-term transfer operations for resources like video, music, and large images. For short-term operations involving transfers of smaller resources (i.e. a few KB), the HTTP APIs are recommended. HttpClient is preferred and can be used in all languages supported by UWP apps. XHR can be used in JavaScript. IXHR2 can be used in C++.

This sample requires the following capabilities:

• Internet (Client & Server) - Needed to send requests to download or upload files to HTTP or FTP servers on the Internet.
• Private Networks (Client & Server) - Needed to send requests to download or upload files to HTTP or FTP servers on a home or work intranet.
• Pictures Library - Needed to downloads files to the Pictures library.

For more information on network capabilities, see How to set network capabilities.

Note Network communications using an IP loopback address cannot normally be used for interprocess communication between a UWP app and a different process (a different UWP app or a desktop app) because this is restricted by network isolation. Network communication using an IP loopback address is allowed within the same process for communication purposes in a UWP app.

Note Background Transfer is only enabled on Windows if at least one of the networking capabilities is set: Internet (Client), Internet (Client & Server), or Private Networks (Client & Server).

Related topics

Other resources

Adding support for networking
How to configure network isolation capabilities
Quickstart: Downloading a file
Quickstart: Uploading a file
Transferring a file from a network resource

Reference

BackgroundDownloader
BackgroundUploader
HttpClient
IXHR2
Windows.Networking.BackgroundTransfer
Windows.Storage
XHR

Related samples

• BackgroundTransfer sample for JavaScript (archived)

System requirements

• Windows 10

Build the sample

1. If you download the samples ZIP, be sure to unzip the entire archive, not just the folder with the sample you want to build.
2. Start Microsoft Visual Studio and select File > Open > Project/Solution.
3. Starting in the folder where you unzipped the samples, go to the Samples subfolder, then the subfolder for this specific sample, then the subfolder for your preferred language (C++, C#, or JavaScript). Double-click the Visual Studio Solution (.sln) file.
4. Press Ctrl+Shift+B, or select Build > Build Solution.

Deploying and running the Windows version of the sample

This sample requires that a web server is available for the app to access for uploading and downloading files. The web server must be started before the app is run. The web server must also have a BackgroundTransferSample path available for uploads and downloads. The sample includes a PowerShell script that will install IIS on the local computer, create the BackgroundTransferSample folder on the server, copy files to this folder, create firewall rules to allow access, and enable IIS.

The easiest way to run the sample is to use the provided web server scripts. Browse to the Server folder in your sample folder to setup and start the web server. There are two options possible.

• Start PowerShell elevated (Run as administrator) and run the following command:

  .\SetupServer.ps1

  Note that you may also need to change script execution policy.

• Start an elevated Command Prompt (Run as administrator) and run following command:

  PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -File SetupServer.ps1

When the web server is not needed anymore, please browse to the Server folder in you sample folder and run one of the following:

• Start PowerShell elevated (Run as administrator) and run the following command:

  .\RemoveServer.ps1

  Note that you may also need to change script execution policy.

• Start an elevated Command Prompt (Run as administrator) and run following command:

  PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -File RemoveServer.ps1

The sample can run using any web server, not only the one provided with the sample. If IIS is used on a different computer, then the previous scripts can be used with minor changes.

• Copy the Server folder to the device where IIS will be run.
• Run the above scripts to install IIS, create the BackgroundTransferSample folder on the server, copy files to this folder, and enable IIS.

The sample must also be updated when run against a non-localhost web server. To configure the sample for use with IIS on a different device:

• The hostname of the server to connect to needs to be updated. This can be handled in two ways. The AddressField element in the HTML or XAML files can be edited so that "localhost" is replaced by the hostname or IP address of the web server. Alternately when the app is run, enter the hostname or IP address of the web server instead of the "localhost" value in the Remote address textbox.

Note IIS is not available on ARM builds nor on Windows Phone. Instead, set up the web server on a separate 64-bit or 32-bit computer and follow the steps for using the sample against a non-localhost web server.

Note When used with the supplied scripts, this app sample communicates with another process (IIS server which is a desktop app) on the same machine over loopback for demonstration purposes only. A UWP app that communicates over loopback to another process that represents a UWP app or a desktop app is not allowed and such apps will not pass Microsoft Store validation. For more information, see How to enable loopback and troubleshoot network isolation.

However if a server different than IIS is used, then this requires some special configuration of the server to create the BackgroundTransferSample folder.

Copy the Server\webSite directory to the BackgroundTransferSample folder on the web server and configure the server to allow download and upload requests.

To configure the sample for use with a web server different than IIS not using localhost:

The remote server address and local filename fields should be updated. This can be handled in two ways. The serverAddressField and fileNameField elements in the HTML or XAML files can be edited so that the remote server address and filename are replaced by a server address and filename for the non-IIS server. Alternately when the app is run, enter the remote address and local filename to access on the web server instead of the default values in the Remote address and Local file name fields displayed.

To deploy and run the Windows version of the sample:

• To debug the sample and then run it, press F5 or select Debug > Start Debugging. To run the sample without debugging, press Ctrl+F5 or select Debug > Start Without Debugging.

Deploying and running the Windows Phone version of the sample

IIS is not available on Windows Phone. For the app to access a web server, there are two options:

• The easiest way to run the sample is to use the provided web server scripts on a separate 64-bit or 32-bit device that can run IIS. Follow the instructions for deploying and running the Windows version of the sample using IIS on a different device.
• Use a web server different than IIS on a separate device. Follow the instructions for deploying and running the Windows version of the sample using a non-IIS web server.

To deploy and run the Windows Phone version of the sample:

• To debug the sample and then run it, press F5 or select Debug > Start Debugging. To run the sample without debugging, press Ctrl+F5 or select Debug > Start Without Debugging.