GetFileUploadURL

The GetFileUploadURL operation generates and returns a temporary URL for the purposes of retrieving a file uploaded by a Worker as an answer to a FileUploadAnswer question for a HIT.

The temporary URL is generated the instant the GetFileUploadURL operation is called, and is valid for 60 seconds.

Tip:

URL expiration allows your application to retrieve the file without credentials, but still retain control over who can access your data, because you need an access key ID and signature to get the temporary URL. If you need to retrieve the file after the URL has expired, call GetFileUploadURL again to get a new URL.

You can get a temporary file upload URL any time until the HIT is disposed. After the HIT is disposed, any uploaded files are deleted, and cannot be retrieved.

The following example of a call to the GetFileUploadURL operation retrieves the temporary URL for a file-upload answer to the given question in the given assignment.

http://mechanicalturk.amazonaws.com/?Service=AWSMechanicalTurkRequester
&AWSAccessKeyId=[the Requester's Access Key ID]
&Version=2007-03-12
&Operation=GetFileUploadURL
&Signature=[signature for this request]
&Timestamp=[your system's local time]
&AssignmentId=123RVWYBAZW00EXAMPLE456RVWYBAZW00EXAMPLE
&QuestionIdentifier=ReadAloudAudio

A request to the Mechanical Turk Service includes parameters that control its behavior and the data it returns. Required parameters must be included for the request to succeed.

GetFileUploadURL accepts parameters common to all operations. Some common parameters are required. See Common Parameters for more information.

The following parameters are specific to the GetFileUploadURL operation:

NameDescriptionTypeValue
Operation

The operation you would like to call. To access the GetFileUploadURL operation, set the Operation parameter to GetFileUploadURL.

Required

GetFileUploadURL

AssignmentId

The ID of the assignment that contains the question with a FileUploadAnswer.

Required

A valid assignment ID

QuestionIdentifier

The identifier of the question with a FileUploadAnswer, as specified in the HIT's QuestionForm.

Required

A string

A successful request for the GetFileUploadURL operation will have a GetFileUploadURLResult element in the response.

The GetFileUploadURLResult element contains the following elements:

NameDescriptionValue
FileUploadURL

A temporary URL for the file that the Worker uploaded for the answer.

A URL