fileExistsAtPath and checkResourceIsReachableAndReturnError both didn't work

Question

fileExistsAtPath and checkResourceIsReachableAndReturnError both returns NO Even the file exists at server URL

I have a file in (local)server in http://10.0.0.15/images/hibrise.png

  NSURL *url=[NSURL URLWithString:@"http://10.0.0.15/images/hibrise.png"];

BOOL fileExists = [[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:[url path]];
 NSLog(fileExists ? @"Yes" : @"No");

I have checked the file permissions also its fine. When I type the same url in my browser it presents the image

'fileExistsAtPath' This method is used to check the file availability in internal file system

checkResourceIsReachableAndReturnError This is also only for the internal iOS File System This method is currently applicable only to URLs for file system resources. For other URL types, NO is returned Apple says the same for fileExistsAtPath

What is the best way to check file availability using URL

Answer 1

NSFileManager is for internal iOS file system. You can not check if remote file is exist or not using NSFileMAnager.

Use the method checkResourceIsReachableAndReturnError of class NSURL instead.

Answer 2

You cannot check a file in a location other than the device using the NSFileManager class.

What you need to use is NSURL method - (BOOL)checkResourceIsReachableAndReturnError:(NSError **)error

NSURL *url=[NSURL URLWithString:@"http://10.0.0.15/images/hibrise.png"];
NSError *err;
BOOL fileExists = [url checkResourceIsReachableAndReturnError:&err];

If there was an error, it will be passed to the NSError pointer so you should also check this

Correct answer is to actually perform an HTTP HEAD request and check for a 404 error:

BOOL fileExists;
NSURL *url=[NSURL URLWithString:@"http://10.0.0.15/images/hibrise.png"];
    NSMutableURLRequest *headRequest = [NSMutableURLRequest requestWithURL:url cachePolicy:NSURLRequestReloadIgnoringLocalCacheData timeoutInterval:30.0f];
    [headRequest setHTTPMethod:@"HEAD"];
    [NSURLConnection sendAsynchronousRequest:headRequest
                                       queue:[NSOperationQueue mainQueue]
                           completionHandler:^(NSURLResponse *response, NSData *data, NSError *error) {
                               fileExists = ([(NSHTTPURLResponse *)response statusCode]!=404)
                           }];