Product Metafield with file type not returning url

[50451]

I'm attempting to access a product metafield with a file content type. However I'm running into issues.

The metafield is set up as below.

As far as I am aware the metafield with this setup should return a generic_file object that should allow access to id, media_type, preview_image, and url.

When trying to access on a product page using the liquid code  {{ product.metafields.my_fields.product_instructions.url }} I get nothing returned. 

However when using {{ product.metafields.my_fields.product_instructions }} on a product page where the product has a file metafeild set the follwing is returned gid://shopify/GenericFile/22363445657783

When no metafield is set as expected nothing is returned.

[Anthony_David_]

Share product url

[drakedev]

Interesting question, I'd like to know more and check.

Which file type/format are you trying to reference in the metafields file object?

[50451]

It's a pdf that's being referenced.

I was expecting to be returned a generic file object as per the metafield object docs. From which I could access id/media_type/preview_image/url as per  the generic_file object docs.

Interestingly it instead appears to return a type of Metafields::MetafieldDrop which I can't find any reference to anywhere. This can be seen if you try to use something like asset_url where you get the error "Liquid error (sections/test.liquid line 1): Expected input to be a String but got Metafields::MetafieldDrop"

 I've used the below code instead, utilising the file_reference metafield filter which works for my uses, but it is not what I had expected from the docs.

{{ product.metafields.my_fields.product_instructions | file_reference }}

[drakedev]

It is indeed something strange and the documentation need to be improved. I submitted a report on that documentation page.

In the meanwhile the only way that I was able to get the file URL path was using this

File URL: {{ product.metafields.specs.pdf_file | file_url }}

[tekhaus]

And none of these methods appear to work within email notifications. @Shopify, what is the correct way to generate a PDF file_reference url within an order notification template?

{{ line.product.metafields.my_fields.manual }} => "gid://shopify/GenericFile/22826941284522"

{{ line.product.metafields.my_fields.manual | file_url }} => "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0534/2560/2730/files/gid://shopify/GenericFile/22826941284522?113"

{{ line.product.metafields.my_fields.manual.url }} => null

{{ line.product.metafields.my_fields.manual.url | file_url }} => "https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0534/2560/2730/files/?113"

[Verdant-Spark]

Did  you ever get a resolution to this?

[mkyigitoglu]

I know that is not a best solution but it works for me.

{% assign getFile = line.product.metafields.my_fields.manual %}
{{  getFile | file_url | remove: getFile }}

=>//cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/xxx/xxxx/xxxx/files/xxx.pdf?v=xxxxxxxxxxxx

@tekhaus 

[brendamarienyc]

I am having this problem as well, and have tried everything suggested in this thread. Sometimes the below liquid works as expected and it creates a url link to the file (a pdf in my case), but most of the time I get a liquid error that reads "Liquid error (sections/main-product.liquid line 310): internal".

{{ product.metafields.my_fields.tear_sheet | file_url }}

[Danh11]

Also getting this problem. Appending '.url' on the end of the metafield path doesn't work as expected. Putting it through the 'file_url' filter does work.

[silus]

 Instead of
{{ product.metafields.my_fields.product_instructions.url }}

use

 {{ product.metafields.my_fields.product_instructions.value.url }}

[easyt]

1 year later, I've encountered the exact issue you described.

[ChunkySteveo]

For anyone else having this issue still - to get the file URL, you need to add .url to the .value:

{{ product.metafields.my_meta_namespace.field_key_name.value.url }}

[made4Uo]

Hi future readers, 

If you console.log the code below, you will have the result (see image below)

<script>
console.log({{ product.metafields.my_fields.product_instructions | json }})
</script>

Result of console.log with a PDF file: 

Calling the metafield differs on what type of files are included in the metafield. 

Notice on the image below, the first file, which is 0, is a jpg file. Second is a pdf, and third is an mp3. Both pdf and mp3 have a dropdowns. 

For the pdf and audio file, the code below should work to get the url

{{ product.metafields.my_fields.product_instructions.value.url }}

For the image, you can use the code below to get the url. 

{{ product.metafields.my_fields.product_instructions.value }}

NOTE: This differ greatly when you have a list of file metafield, like the sample above. The console log result is an array and we need to loop the values, to call each file. 

{% assign metaFiles = product.metafields.my_fields.product_instructions.value %}
{% for file in metaFiles %}
{{ file.url }}  
{{ file }}
{% endfor %}

I recommend, to use console.log to have an idea what you are working for. Happy coding!