Retrieving and Updating Files in NetSuite

Learn how to retrieve file details, download content, update properties, and delete files from NetSuite File Cabinet.

Prerequisites

• NetSuite connector configured with fileCabinet resource enabled
• File ID from uploaded file or search results

Retrieving File Details

Get complete information about a file:

from abstra.connectors import run_connection_action

file_details = run_connection_action(
    "netsuite",
    "get_file",
    {"fileId": "654321"}
)

print(f"Name: {file_details['data']['name']}")
print(f"Size: {file_details['data']['fileSize']} bytes")
print(f"Type: {file_details['data']['fileType']}")
print(f"URL: {file_details['data']['url']}")
print(f"Created: {file_details['data']['createdDate']}")
print(f"Modified: {file_details['data']['lastModifiedDate']}")

Downloading File Content

Download and save file locally:

import base64

# Get file
file_details = run_connection_action(
    "netsuite",
    "get_file",
    {"fileId": "654321"}
)

# Decode content
content_base64 = file_details['data']['content']
content_bytes = base64.b64decode(content_base64)

# Save to disk
filename = file_details['data']['name']
with open(f"downloaded_{filename}", "wb") as f:
    f.write(content_bytes)

print(f"✓ Downloaded: {filename}")

Bulk Download

Download multiple files:

import base64
import os

def download_files(file_ids, output_dir="downloads"):
    """Download multiple files from NetSuite"""

    # Create output directory
    os.makedirs(output_dir, exist_ok=True)

    downloaded = []

    for file_id in file_ids:
        try:
            # Get file
            result = run_connection_action(
                "netsuite",
                "get_file",
                {"fileId": str(file_id)}
            )

            # Decode and save
            content = base64.b64decode(result['data']['content'])
            filename = result['data']['name']
            filepath = os.path.join(output_dir, filename)

            with open(filepath, "wb") as f:
                f.write(content)

            downloaded.append(filename)
            print(f"✓ Downloaded: {filename}")

        except Exception as e:
            print(f"❌ Failed to download {file_id}: {str(e)}")

    return downloaded

# Usage
file_ids = ["654321", "654322", "654323"]
downloaded_files = download_files(file_ids)
print(f"\n✓ Downloaded {len(downloaded_files)} files")

Updating File Properties

Update Name and Description

from abstra.connectors import run_connection_action

result = run_connection_action(
    "netsuite",
    "update_file",
    {
        "fileId": "654321",
        "name": "updated_document.pdf",
        "description": "Updated financial report for Q4 2025"
    }
)

if result['data']['success']:
    print("✓ File properties updated")

Replace File Content

import base64

# Read new content
with open("new_version.pdf", "rb") as f:
    new_content = base64.b64encode(f.read()).decode('utf-8')

# Update file
result = run_connection_action(
    "netsuite",
    "update_file",
    {
        "fileId": "654321",
        "content": new_content
    }
)

if result['data']['success']:
    print("✓ File content replaced")

Move File to Different Folder

# Move to SuiteScripts folder (ID: -10)
result = run_connection_action(
    "netsuite",
    "update_file",
    {
        "fileId": "654321",
        "folder": {"internalId": "-10"}
    }
)

# Move to SuiteFiles folder (ID: -15)
result = run_connection_action(
    "netsuite",
    "update_file",
    {
        "fileId": "654321",
        "folder": {"internalId": "-15"}
    }
)

Deleting Files

Delete Single File

from abstra.connectors import run_connection_action

result = run_connection_action(
    "netsuite",
    "delete_file",
    {"fileId": "654321"}
)

if result['data']['success']:
    print("✓ File deleted")

Bulk Delete

Delete multiple files safely:

def delete_files(file_ids):
    """Safely delete multiple files"""
    results = {
        "deleted": [],
        "failed": []
    }

    for file_id in file_ids:
        try:
            result = run_connection_action(
                "netsuite",
                "delete_file",
                {"fileId": str(file_id)}
            )

            if result['data']['success']:
                results['deleted'].append(file_id)
                print(f"✓ Deleted: {file_id}")
            else:
                results['failed'].append(file_id)
                print(f"❌ Failed: {file_id}")

        except Exception as e:
            results['failed'].append(file_id)
            print(f"❌ Error deleting {file_id}: {str(e)}")

    return results

# Usage
file_ids = ["654321", "654322"]
results = delete_files(file_ids)
print(f"\n✓ Deleted {len(results['deleted'])} files")
print(f"❌ Failed {len(results['failed'])} files")

Practical Examples

File Cleanup Script

Delete old temporary files:

from datetime import datetime, timedelta

# Find old temp files
old_date = (datetime.now() - timedelta(days=30)).strftime('%Y-%m-%d')

result = run_connection_action(
    "netsuite",
    "query",
    {
        "query": f"""
            SELECT id, name, createddate
            FROM File
            WHERE name LIKE '%temp%'
              AND createddate < TO_DATE('{old_date}', 'YYYY-MM-DD')
        """
    }
)

# Delete each file
for file in result['data']['items']:
    delete_result = run_connection_action(
        "netsuite",
        "delete_file",
        {"fileId": str(file['id'])}
    )

    if delete_result['data']['success']:
        print(f"✓ Deleted: {file['name']}")

print(f"\n✓ Cleaned up {len(result['data']['items'])} old files")

File Versioning

Create new version of file:

import base64
from datetime import datetime

def create_file_version(file_id, new_content_path):
    """Create a new version by updating existing file"""

    # Get current file info
    current = run_connection_action(
        "netsuite",
        "get_file",
        {"fileId": file_id}
    )

    # Read new content
    with open(new_content_path, "rb") as f:
        new_content = base64.b64encode(f.read()).decode('utf-8')

    # Update with version suffix
    timestamp = datetime.now().strftime('%Y%m%d_%H%M%S')
    original_name = current['data']['name']
    name_parts = original_name.rsplit('.', 1)
    new_name = f"{name_parts[0]}_v{timestamp}.{name_parts[1]}"

    result = run_connection_action(
        "netsuite",
        "update_file",
        {
            "fileId": file_id,
            "name": new_name,
            "content": new_content,
            "description": f"Updated version from {datetime.now().strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M')}"
        }
    )

    if result['data']['success']:
        print(f"✓ Created version: {new_name}")
        return new_name

    return None

# Usage
create_file_version("654321", "new_report.pdf")

Download Files by Date Range

import base64
import os
from datetime import datetime

def download_files_by_date(start_date, end_date, output_dir="downloads"):
    """Download all files created in date range"""

    # Search for files
    result = run_connection_action(
        "netsuite",
        "query",
        {
            "query": f"""
                SELECT id, name, createddate
                FROM File
                WHERE createddate BETWEEN TO_DATE('{start_date}', 'YYYY-MM-DD')
                                      AND TO_DATE('{end_date}', 'YYYY-MM-DD')
                ORDER BY createddate DESC
            """
        }
    )

    # Create output directory
    os.makedirs(output_dir, exist_ok=True)

    # Download each file
    for file_info in result['data']['items']:
        file_details = run_connection_action(
            "netsuite",
            "get_file",
            {"fileId": str(file_info['id'])}
        )

        content = base64.b64decode(file_details['data']['content'])
        filepath = os.path.join(output_dir, file_info['name'])

        with open(filepath, "wb") as f:
            f.write(content)

        print(f"✓ Downloaded: {file_info['name']}")

    print(f"\n✓ Downloaded {len(result['data']['items'])} files")

# Usage
download_files_by_date("2025-01-01", "2025-12-31")

Error Handling

Always include error handling:

def safe_file_operation(operation, file_id, **kwargs):
    """Safely perform file operations with error handling"""
    try:
        result = run_connection_action(
            "netsuite",
            operation,
            {"fileId": file_id, **kwargs}
        )

        if result.get('status') == 'error':
            return {
                "success": False,
                "error": result.get('message', 'Unknown error')
            }

        return {
            "success": True,
            "data": result['data']
        }

    except Exception as e:
        return {
            "success": False,
            "error": str(e)
        }

# Usage
result = safe_file_operation("get_file", "654321")
if result['success']:
    print(f"✓ File retrieved: {result['data']['name']}")
else:
    print(f"❌ Operation failed: {result['error']}")

Best Practices

Check File Exists Before Operations

def file_exists(file_id):
    """Check if file exists"""
    result = run_connection_action(
        "netsuite",
        "query",
        {"query": f"SELECT id FROM File WHERE id = {file_id}"}
    )
    return len(result['data']['items']) > 0

# Usage
if file_exists("654321"):
    # Proceed with operation
    pass
else:
    print("File not found")

Backup Before Deletion

import base64

def delete_with_backup(file_id, backup_dir="backups"):
    """Delete file after creating local backup"""
    import os

    # Get file
    file_details = run_connection_action(
        "netsuite",
        "get_file",
        {"fileId": file_id}
    )

    # Create backup
    os.makedirs(backup_dir, exist_ok=True)
    content = base64.b64decode(file_details['data']['content'])
    backup_path = os.path.join(backup_dir, file_details['data']['name'])

    with open(backup_path, "wb") as f:
        f.write(content)

    # Delete from NetSuite
    delete_result = run_connection_action(
        "netsuite",
        "delete_file",
        {"fileId": file_id}
    )

    if delete_result['data']['success']:
        print(f"✓ Deleted {file_id}, backup saved to {backup_path}")
        return True

    return False

Troubleshooting

"File not found" errors

Verify file ID:

# Check if file exists
result = run_connection_action(
    "netsuite",
    "query",
    {"query": f"SELECT id, name FROM File WHERE id = {file_id}"}
)

if result['data']['items']:
    print(f"File found: {result['data']['items'][0]['name']}")
else:
    print(f"File {file_id} does not exist")

"Permission denied" errors

Ensure your NetSuite role has:

• File Cabinet > View permission
• File Cabinet > Edit permission (for updates)
• File Cabinet > Delete permission (for deletions)

Base64 decoding errors

Handle corrupted content:

import base64

try:
    content = base64.b64decode(file_details['data']['content'])
except Exception as e:
    print(f"❌ Failed to decode content: {str(e)}")

Next Steps

• Upload files
• Search for files
• Attach files to records

Resources

• NetSuite File Cabinet Guide
• Abstra Connectors Reference