First, let's set up a new data model in Xano to store the metadata of your files.

• Head over to the Database section in Xano.
• Click on Create Database Table.
• Give the table a fitting name like files or file_metadata.
• Add columns to store metadata such as filename, url, size, content_type, and created_at.

Pick a file storage provider like AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, or any other you prefer.

• Create a bucket for storing files.
• Jot down the necessary configuration details: access key, secret key, bucket name, region, etc.

To securely manage your storage configuration:

• Go to the Settings in Xano.
• Select Environment Variables.
• Add variables for S3_ACCESS_KEY, S3_SECRET_KEY, BUCKET_NAME, REGION, etc.

Create an endpoint to handle file uploads:

• Navigate to the API section in Xano.
• Click Create API Endpoint and choose POST.
• Name it something like /upload.

Within this endpoint:

• Use Add Input Parameters to allow file input.
• Implement the necessary logic to upload the file to your S3 bucket or preferred storage.
• Save the file metadata to the previously created table file_metadata.

Example workflow in Xano for file handling and metadata saving:

• Upload the file to storage: Use storage APIs provided by your storage service (e.g., AWS SDK for S3).
• Save metadata to Xano's database.

Create an endpoint to handle file retrieval:

• Click Create API Endpoint and choose GET.
• Name it something like /files/{id}.

Within this endpoint:

• Retrieve the file metadata from the database using the file ID (id).
• Generate a temporary URL for accessing the file from the storage service if needed.

Example workflow in Xano for retrieving file metadata and generating access URL:

• Fetch file metadata from the file_metadata table using the provided file ID.
• Generate access URL: Utilize your storage service's SDK to generate a pre-signed URL if public access is not allowed.

To ensure that only authorized users can upload or retrieve files:

• Implement authentication and authorization logic within your endpoints.
• Use API keys, JWT tokens, or other forms of authentication supported by Xano.

This will safeguard your file storage and prevent unauthorized access.

Finally, ensure that your file upload and retrieval endpoints work correctly:

• Use tools like Postman or Insomnia to make API requests.
• Verify that files are uploaded to the storage and metadata is stored in the database.
• Check that files can be retrieved using the generated URLs.

Testing each part separately and then together helps ensure the entire process is functioning as expected.