Saving PDF Files with Swift in iOS and display them

Since several people requested this, here is the equivalent to the first answer in Swift:

//The URL to Save
let yourURL = NSURL(string: "http://somewebsite.com/somefile.pdf")
//Create a URL request
let urlRequest = NSURLRequest(URL: yourURL!)
//get the data
let theData = NSURLConnection.sendSynchronousRequest(urlRequest, returningResponse: nil, error: nil)

//Get the local docs directory and append your local filename.
var docURL = (NSFileManager.defaultManager().URLsForDirectory(.DocumentDirectory, inDomains: .UserDomainMask)).last as? NSURL

docURL = docURL?.URLByAppendingPathComponent( "myFileName.pdf")

//Lastly, write your file to the disk.
theData?.writeToURL(docURL!, atomically: true)

Also, since this code uses a synchronous network request, I highly recommend dispatching it to a background queue:

dispatch_async(dispatch_get_global_queue(DISPATCH_QUEUE_PRIORITY_DEFAULT, 0), { () -> Void in
    //The URL to Save
    let yourURL = NSURL(string: "http://somewebsite.com/somefile.pdf")
    //Create a URL request
    let urlRequest = NSURLRequest(URL: yourURL!)
    //get the data
    let theData = NSURLConnection.sendSynchronousRequest(urlRequest, returningResponse: nil, error: nil)

    //Get the local docs directory and append your local filename.
    var docURL = (NSFileManager.defaultManager().URLsForDirectory(.DocumentDirectory, inDomains: .UserDomainMask)).last as? NSURL

    docURL = docURL?.URLByAppendingPathComponent( "myFileName.pdf")

    //Lastly, write your file to the disk.
    theData?.writeToURL(docURL!, atomically: true)
})

And the answer to second question in Swift:

//Getting a list of the docs directory
let docURL = (NSFileManager.defaultManager().URLsForDirectory(.DocumentDirectory, inDomains: .UserDomainMask).last) as? NSURL

//put the contents in an array.
var contents = (NSFileManager.defaultManager().contentsOfDirectoryAtURL(docURL!, includingPropertiesForKeys: nil, options: NSDirectoryEnumerationOptions.SkipsHiddenFiles, error: nil))
//print the file listing to the console
println(contents)

I am giving an example of storing and retrieving a pdf document in iOS. I hope that is what you are looking for.

1. How do I save a PDF local on my app ( for example if the user can enter a url) and where exactly will it save it ?

// the URL to save
NSURL *yourURL = [NSURL URLWithString:@"http://yourdomain.com/yourfile.pdf"];
// turn it into a request and use NSData to load its content
NSURLRequest *request = [NSURLRequest requestWithURL:result.link];
NSData *data = [NSURLConnection sendSynchronousRequest:request returningResponse:nil error:nil];

// find Documents directory and append your local filename
NSURL *documentsURL = [[[NSFileManager defaultManager] URLsForDirectory:NSDocumentDirectory inDomains:NSUserDomainMask] lastObject];
documentsURL = [documentsURL URLByAppendingPathComponent:@"localFile.pdf"];

// and finally save the file
[data writeToURL:documentsURL atomically:YES];

2. When saved, how can I show all the local storaged files within a tableview to open them?

You can check that the file has downloaded, or you can list the Documents directory like so:

// list contents of Documents Directory just to check
NSURL *documentsURL = [[[NSFileManager defaultManager] URLsForDirectory:NSDocumentDirectory inDomains:NSUserDomainMask] lastObject];

NSArray *contents = [[NSFileManager defaultManager]contentsOfDirectoryAtURL:documentsURL includingPropertiesForKeys:nil options:NSDirectoryEnumerationSkipsHiddenFiles error:nil];

NSLog(@"%@", [contents description]);

Swift 4.1

 func savePdf(urlString:String, fileName:String) {
        DispatchQueue.main.async {
            let url = URL(string: urlString)
            let pdfData = try? Data.init(contentsOf: url!)
            let resourceDocPath = (FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask)).last! as URL
            let pdfNameFromUrl = "YourAppName-\(fileName).pdf"
            let actualPath = resourceDocPath.appendingPathComponent(pdfNameFromUrl)
            do {
                try pdfData?.write(to: actualPath, options: .atomic)
                print("pdf successfully saved!")
            } catch {
                print("Pdf could not be saved")
            }
        }
    }

    func showSavedPdf(url:String, fileName:String) {
        if #available(iOS 10.0, *) {
            do {
                let docURL = try FileManager.default.url(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask, appropriateFor: nil, create: false)
                let contents = try FileManager.default.contentsOfDirectory(at: docURL, includingPropertiesForKeys: [.fileResourceTypeKey], options: .skipsHiddenFiles)
                for url in contents {
                    if url.description.contains("\(fileName).pdf") {
                       // its your file! do what you want with it!

                }
            }
        } catch {
            print("could not locate pdf file !!!!!!!")
        }
    }
}

// check to avoid saving a file multiple times
func pdfFileAlreadySaved(url:String, fileName:String)-> Bool {
    var status = false
    if #available(iOS 10.0, *) {
        do {
            let docURL = try FileManager.default.url(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask, appropriateFor: nil, create: false)
            let contents = try FileManager.default.contentsOfDirectory(at: docURL, includingPropertiesForKeys: [.fileResourceTypeKey], options: .skipsHiddenFiles)
            for url in contents {
                if url.description.contains("YourAppName-\(fileName).pdf") {
                    status = true
                }
            }
        } catch {
            print("could not locate pdf file !!!!!!!")
        }
    }
    return status
}

Downloading and displaying PDF in Webview using Swift.

let request = URLRequest(url:  URL(string: "http://<your pdf url>")!)
        let config = URLSessionConfiguration.default
        let session =  URLSession(configuration: config)
        let task = session.dataTask(with: request, completionHandler: {(data, response, error) in
            if error == nil{
                if let pdfData = data {
                   let pathURL = FileManager.default.urls(for: .documentDirectory, in: .userDomainMask)[0].appendingPathComponent("\(filename).pdf")
                    do {
                        try pdfData.write(to: pathURL, options: .atomic)
                    }catch{
                        print("Error while writting")
                    }

                    DispatchQueue.main.async {
                        self.webView.delegate = self
                        self.webView.scalesPageToFit = true
                        self.webView.loadRequest(URLRequest(url: pathURL))
                    }
                }
            }else{
                print(error?.localizedDescription ?? "")
            }
        }); task.resume()