Sharing certain types of file (including zip) in Cocoa using NSSharingServiceNameComposeMessage

Question

Here is my code:

          NSSharingService *service = [NSSharingService sharingServiceNamed: NSSharingServiceNameComposeMessage];
          tempURL = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:[NSHomeDirectory() stringByAppendingPathComponent:@"test.zip"]]
          [service performWithItems:@[@"test", tempURL]];

The message window is properly shown, as well as the 'test' text, but the file is not included in the message.

What works:

• I know the URL is fine because it is correctly displayed when using the service named NSSharingServiceNameComposeEmail instead
• the zip file is valid; it is a test file I am using already at a known location, and I already checked it can be properly expanded; it's also a very small file
• I know a message can have a file attached: the above works for PDFs, Pages documents, etc...
• I know my setup for Messages is fine and it can work with zip files: the 'share' button in Finder works fine when used with a zip file and selecting the 'Send Message' option

Similar issues:

• unknown file types also don't work
• same issue when using the Airdrop service NSSharingServiceNameSendViaAirDrop

Any ideas what else I could try? Thanks!

Answer 1

Apparently you can share a zip file but It doesn't show up on the share sheet.

I tested It and when I sent the message to myself I got the zip file attached.

- (IBAction)shareZipFile:(id)sender {
    NSOpenPanel *openPanel = [NSOpenPanel openPanel];
    openPanel.allowedFileTypes = @[@"zip"];
    openPanel.prompt = @"Share";
    [openPanel runModal];

    NSSharingService *service = [NSSharingService sharingServiceNamed:NSSharingServiceNameComposeMessage];
    NSArray *items = @[openPanel.URL.lastPathComponent.stringByDeletingPathExtension, openPanel.URL];

    if (![service canPerformWithItems:items]) {
        NSLog(@"Can't share that kind of stuff, sorry!");
        return;
    }

    [service performWithItems:items];
}