PRODUCTS
Uploading large video files can be a daunting task, especially in an era where users expect seamless and efficient experiences. Challenges such as slow internet speeds, network instability, and server timeouts often interrupt uploads, resulting in wasted time, bandwidth, and user frustration. These issues are particularly amplified with massive video files, which are more susceptible to disruptions.
Integrating pause and resume functionality into the upload process has proven to be an effective solution, addressing these pain points by offering:
This approach not only enhances the reliability of the upload process but also optimizes efficiency and user satisfaction, making it a critical feature for platforms managing large video files.
In this article, we’ll delve into the importance of pause and resume functionality, how it works in both manual and automatic modes, and how you can implement it using the FastPix resumable uploads SDK. Additionally, we’ll explore real-world use cases and the significant impact this feature has on user satisfaction and business performance.
Video uploads, especially large ones, can often feel like a test of patience. But with pause and resume functionality, the experience can transform from frustrating to seamless. Let’s look at how this feature shines across various industries and scenarios, solving real-world problems and driving business success.
The problem: Imagine a content creator uploading a 5GB high-definition video to a media platform. The upload halts midway due to network instability. Without pause and resume, they’d have to restart from scratch.
The solution:
Impact: The creator saves time, bandwidth, and frustration while ensuring their work reaches the platform smoothly.
Why it matters:
2. E-Learning platforms
The problem: An instructor is uploading multiple lengthy lecture videos. Midway, they experience a power outage or need to pause uploads to prioritize other activities.
The solution:
Impact: The course content is uploaded on time, keeping learners engaged and instructors stress-free.
Why it matters:
The problem: A production house uploads 20GB+ raw footage to a cloud collaboration tool. Mid-upload, the internet disconnects. Without pause and resume, the entire process must restart.
The solution:
Impact: Editors receive footage on time, ensuring production schedules stay intact.
Why it matters for businesses:
Implementing pause and resume functionality involves breaking down a large video file into manageable chunks, uploading each chunk sequentially or concurrently, and handling interruptions efficiently. Here’s a step-by-step guide to building this feature, complete with code snippets in JavaScript.
Step 1: Split the file into chunks
To efficiently upload large files, split them into smaller chunks. This ensures that only the affected chunks need to be retried in case of a failure, saving bandwidth and time.
/**
* Splits a file into smaller chunks for upload.
* @param {File} file - The file to be split into chunks.
* @param {number} chunkSize - The size of each chunk in bytes (default: 1MB).
* @returns {Blob[]} Array of file chunks.
*/
function createFileChunks(file, chunkSize = 5 * 1024 * 1024) {
const fileChunks = []; // Array to store the chunks of the file.
let currentPosition = 0; // Tracks the current position within the file.
// Loop until the entire file is processed into chunks.
while (currentPosition < file.size) {
const nextPosition = Math.min(currentPosition + chunkSize, file.size); // Calculate the next chunk boundary.
const fileChunk = file.slice(currentPosition, nextPosition); // Extract the current chunk.
fileChunks.push(fileChunk); // Add the chunk to the array.
currentPosition = nextPosition; // Move the position to the next chunk start.
}
return fileChunks; // Return the array of chunks.
}
// Add an event listener to handle file selection
const fileInput = document.getElementById("fileInput"); // Input element for file selection.
fileInput.addEventListener("change", (event) => {
const selectedFile = event.target.files[0]; // Retrieve the selected file from the event.
if (selectedFile) {
const fileChunks = createFileChunks(selectedFile); // Generate chunks from the selected file.
console.log(`Total Chunks: ${fileChunks.length}`);
} else {
console.error("No file selected");
}
});
If you want to know more about how chucking helps in uploading large files please check out this article.
Step 2: Track uploads state
To effectively manage the upload state, maintain an object that dynamically updates throughout the process, tracking key details such as totalChunks (total chunks to upload), currentChunkIndex (the chunk currently being uploaded), and chunksLeft (remaining chunks to upload). Additionally, include is Paused (a boolean indicating if the upload is paused) and is Offline (a boolean indicating if the network is offline) to handle interruptions and provide seamless pause-and-resume functionality for enhanced user experience.
Step 3: Detect network conditions
Use the online and offline event listeners in JavaScript to monitor network status.These events help pause uploads when offline and resume them when the connection is restored.
Step 4 : Tracking upload progress with XMLHttpRequest for chunked uploads
To handle chunked uploads efficiently, you can use XMLHttpRequest (XHR) to track the upload progress of each chunk. Here's how you can implement XHR to send each chunk, track its progress, and handle the upload process.
1// Function to create chunks from the file
2function createFileChunks(file, chunkSize = 1024 * 1024) { // Default chunk size of 1MB
3const chunks = [];
4let start = 0;
5
6while (start < file.size) {
7const end = Math.min(start + chunkSize, file.size);
8const chunkedFile = file.slice(start, end);
9chunks.push(chunkedFile);
10start = end;
11}
12
13return chunks;
14}
15
16// Function to upload a chunk using XMLHttpRequest
17function uploadChunk(chunk, chunkIndex, totalChunks) {
18return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
19const xhr = new XMLHttpRequest();
20xhr.open("PUT", "/upload", true); // Replace with your actual server endpoint
21xhr.setRequestHeader("Content-Type", "application/octet-stream");
22
23// Track upload progress
24xhr.upload.onprogress = function (event) {
25if (event.lengthComputable) {
26const progress = (event.loaded / event.total) * 100;
27console.log(`Uploading Chunk ${chunkIndex + 1}/${totalChunks}: ${progress.toFixed(2)}%`);
28}
29};
30
31// Handle successful upload
32xhr.onload = function () {
33if (xhr.status === 200) {
34console.log(`Chunk ${chunkIndex + 1} uploaded successfully.`);
35resolve(); // Resolve the promise to indicate success
36} else {
37console.error(`Error uploading Chunk ${chunkIndex + 1}`);
38reject(new Error(`Error uploading Chunk ${chunkIndex + 1}`)); // Reject the promise on error
39}
40};
41
42// Handle errors
43xhr.onerror = function () {
44console.error(`Error uploading Chunk ${chunkIndex + 1}`);
45reject(new Error(`Error uploading Chunk ${chunkIndex + 1}`)); // Reject the promise on error
46};
47
48// Send the chunk to the server
49xhr.send(chunk);
50});
51}
52
53// Example usage: Handle file input and upload chunks sequentially
54document.getElementById("fileInput").addEventListener("change", function (event) {
55const file = event.target.files[0];
56const chunks = createFileChunks(file);
57const totalChunks = chunks.length;
58
59// Function to upload chunks one by one
60let currentChunkIndex = 0;
61
62function uploadNextChunk() {
63if (currentChunkIndex < totalChunks) {
64const chunk = chunks[currentChunkIndex];
65uploadChunk(chunk, currentChunkIndex, totalChunks)
66.then(() => {
67// After successful upload of a chunk, increment the index and upload the next one
68currentChunkIndex++;
69uploadNextChunk(); // Recursively call to upload the next chunk
70})
71.catch((error) => {
72console.error("Upload failed:", error);
73});
74} else {
75console.log("All chunks uploaded successfully.");
76}
77}
78
79// Start uploading the first chunk
80uploadNextChunk();
81});
82
Step 5: Pause and resume upload process through button actions:
By using flags like is paused and managing the upload state, we can halt the upload process when needed and resume from the last uploaded chunk when the user decides to continue.
1<button id="pauseButton">Pause</button>
2<button id="resumeButton" disabled>Resume</button>
3
4<script>
5let uploadState = {
6totalChunks: 0,
7currentChunkIndex: 0,
8isPaused: false,
9};
10
11// Pause the upload
12document.getElementById("pauseButton").addEventListener("click", () => {
13uploadState.isPaused = true;
14document.getElementById("resumeButton").disabled = false;
15document.getElementById("pauseButton").disabled = true;
16console.log("Upload paused");
17});
18
19// Resume the upload
20document.getElementById("resumeButton").addEventListener("click", () => {
21uploadState.isPaused = false;
22document.getElementById("pauseButton").disabled = false;
23document.getElementById("resumeButton").disabled = true;
24console.log("Resuming upload...");
25uploadNextChunk(chunks); // Function to resume from the last chunk
26});
27
28// Function to handle chunked uploads
29function uploadNextChunk(chunks) {
30if (uploadState.isPaused) {
31console.log("Upload paused. Waiting to resume.");
32return; // Stop if paused
33}
34
35if (uploadState.currentChunkIndex < uploadState.totalChunks) {
36const chunk = chunks[uploadState.currentChunkIndex];
37uploadChunk(chunk, uploadState.currentChunkIndex) // Function to upload a chunk
38.then(() => {
39uploadState.currentChunkIndex++;
40uploadNextChunk(chunks); // Continue to the next chunk
41})
42.catch(error => console.error("Error uploading chunk", error));
43} else {
44console.log("All chunks uploaded.");
45}
46}
47</script>
48
FastPix resumable upload SDK
For the steps outlined above, FastPix Uploads provides a comprehensive, one-stop solution that simplifies the entire chunked upload process. It seamlessly manages file uploads, including handling interruptions due to network issues.
With built-in support for pausing and resuming uploads, FastPix ensures that users can easily integrate pause and resume functionality into their applications with minimal effort. The SDK also provides a range of lifecycle events to track upload progress effectively, giving developers full control over the upload process. Additionally, FastPix Uploads offers several configuration options, such as chunk size adjustments, retry attempts in case of failures, and other customizable settings, allowing for greater flexibility and reliability when uploading large files.
Incorporating pause and resume functionality into the upload process for large video files is no longer a luxury but a necessity for modern digital platforms. By enabling users to handle interruptions seamlessly, whether caused by network issues or manual pauses, platforms can ensure a smoother and more reliable upload experience. The ability to resume uploads without starting over saves valuable time and resources, enhancing user satisfaction and improving overall efficiency.
With tools like the FastPix Resumable Uploads SDK, developers can easily integrate these features into their applications, offering configurable options for chunk size, retry attempts, and more. FastPix not only simplifies the technical complexity of managing large uploads but also empowers users with complete control over their upload process.
Chunked uploading divides a large file into smaller, manageable chunks that are uploaded sequentially or concurrently. If an interruption occurs, only the affected chunks need to be reuploaded rather than starting over, saving bandwidth and time.
Network condition monitoring uses online and offline event listeners to detect connectivity changes. When a network disruption is detected, the upload process automatically pauses. Once the connection is restored, the upload resumes from the last completed chunk, ensuring seamless recovery.
Yes, pause and resume functionality can handle simultaneous uploads by maintaining independent upload states for each file. This includes tracking the progress, managing paused or resumed files, and efficiently handling interruptions for multiple uploads concurrently.
Pause allows users to manually stop an upload and resume it later at their convenience, while auto-resume automatically restarts uploads when network connectivity is restored. Both features enhance user control and ensure reliability during disruptions.
Pause and resume functionality reduces failed uploads, optimizes bandwidth usage, and improves user satisfaction by providing seamless experiences. Platforms with this feature are better positioned to attract and retain users by offering reliability and flexibility in handling large video files.
.png)
.png)
