feat(android): downloads to disk and uploads through the system picker

Native save over the Storage Access Framework and MediaStore, chunks sent as
binary bridge messages, a chosen folder that has gone asks rather than
redirects, unfinished files removed on abort and after a killed process.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

7 files changed, 482 insertions, 9 deletions

diff --git a/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/assets/bridge/meshbay-bridge.js b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/assets/bridge/meshbay-bridge.js
index c6e1f53..5fb5bb6 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/assets/bridge/meshbay-bridge.js
+++ b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/assets/bridge/meshbay-bridge.js
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@
  * that refuses: `platform.js` decides what to show from whether an object
  * exists (`platform.node.available`, `platform.folder.available`, …).
  *
- * `HUB_BASE` is prepended by the shell when it injects this file: the
- * interface asks for it while its modules load, before anything can await.
+ * `HUB_BASE` and `BINARY` are prepended by the shell when it injects this
+ * file: the interface asks for the hub while its modules load, before anything
+ * can await, and BINARY says whether the WebView carries ArrayBuffer messages.
  */
 (function () {
   'use strict';
@@ -43,6 +44,34 @@
     port.postMessage(JSON.stringify({ id, ch: channel, args }));
   });
 
+  // A write is a binary message: "MBB1" | id | channel | 0 | handle | bytes,
+  // big-endian — one copy, no JSON, no base64 (spike S-3: 136 MB/s awaited
+  // per 48 KB chunk). Without ArrayBuffer messages, base64 over JSON.
+  const SAVE_WRITE = 1;
+  const bytesOf = (chunk) => (chunk instanceof Uint8Array ? chunk
+    : ArrayBuffer.isView(chunk) ? new Uint8Array(chunk.buffer, chunk.byteOffset, chunk.byteLength)
+      : new Uint8Array(chunk));
+  const writeChunk = (handle, chunk) => {
+    const bytes = bytesOf(chunk);
+    if (!BINARY) {
+      let s = '';
+      for (let i = 0; i < bytes.length; i += 0x8000) s += String.fromCharCode.apply(null, bytes.subarray(i, i + 0x8000));
+      return call('save:write', handle, btoa(s));
+    }
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+      const id = ++seq;
+      pending.set(id, { resolve, reject });
+      const frame = new ArrayBuffer(16 + bytes.length);
+      const head = new DataView(frame);
+      head.setUint32(0, 0x4d424231);   // "MBB1"
+      head.setUint32(4, id);
+      head.setUint16(8, SAVE_WRITE);
+      head.setUint32(12, handle);
+      new Uint8Array(frame, 16).set(bytes);
+      port.postMessage(frame);
+    });
+  };
+
   const meshbay = {
     hubBase: () => HUB_BASE,
     setHubBase: (base) => call('hub:set', base),
@@ -50,7 +79,7 @@
     capabilities: {
       nodeAdmin: false,      // no node runs on a phone (§11.3)
       localFolders: false,
-      nativeSave: false,     // phase 2
+      nativeSave: true,
       lanCast: false,        // phase 3
       tray: false,
     },
@@ -102,6 +131,29 @@
     secrets: {
       backend: () => call('secrets:backend'),
     },
+
+    // Where downloads go, chosen once. A display name comes back, never a URI.
+    folder: {
+      choose: () => call('folder:choose'),
+      get: () => call('folder:get'),
+      forget: () => call('folder:forget'),
+    },
+
+    // A sink that writes to disk as chunks arrive, never a buffer handed over
+    // at the end. The page holds an id. `open` exists only where the target
+    // says the file may be opened — a type that runs nothing.
+    saveFile: async (suggestedName, opts) => {
+      const handle = await call('save:begin', suggestedName, opts);
+      if (!handle) return null;
+      const sink = {
+        name: handle.name,
+        write: (chunk) => writeChunk(handle.id, chunk),
+        close: () => call('save:end', handle.id),
+        abort: () => call('save:abort', handle.id),
+      };
+      if (handle.openable) sink.open = () => call('save:open', handle.id);
+      return sink;
+    },
   };
 
   const freeze = (o) => {
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/MainActivity.kt b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/MainActivity.kt
index 9892cae..bd096f7 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/MainActivity.kt
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ import org.meshbay.client.bridge.Channels
 import org.meshbay.client.bridge.KeyChannels
 import org.meshbay.client.hub.HubClient
 import org.meshbay.client.keys.SecretStore
+import org.meshbay.client.save.SaveSinks
+import org.meshbay.client.shell.Pickers
 import org.meshbay.client.shell.EngineCheck
 import org.meshbay.client.shell.NativeText
 import org.meshbay.client.shell.UiAssets
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ class MainActivity : Activity() {
     private lateinit var web: WebView
     private lateinit var hub: HubClient
     private lateinit var channels: Channels
+    private val pickers = Pickers(this)
     private val text = NativeText { code ->
         try { assets.open("ui/locales/$code.js").bufferedReader().use { it.readText() } } catch (e: java.io.IOException) { null }
     }
@@ -69,8 +72,12 @@ class MainActivity : Activity() {
 
         val keys = KeyChannels(SecretStore(this), confirm = ::confirmNatively,
                                declined = { text.get("native.declined", channels.locale) })
+        val saves = SaveSinks(this, getSharedPreferences("downloads", Context.MODE_PRIVATE), pickers,
+                              startActivity = { intent -> runOnUiThread { startActivity(intent) } })
+        // A process killed mid-download left unfinished files; nothing else will.
+        Thread { saves.cleanUpAfterAKilledProcess() }.start()
         channels = Channels(hub, onHubChanged = { runOnUiThread { reloadForHub() } },
-                            hasCatalogue = { code -> hasAsset("ui/locales/$code.js") }, keys = keys)
+                            hasCatalogue = { code -> hasAsset("ui/locales/$code.js") }, keys = keys, saves = saves)
         WebViewCompat.addWebMessageListener(web, Bridge.PORT, setOf(UiAssets.ORIGIN), Bridge(channels))
         installShim()
         web.loadUrl(UiAssets.START)
@@ -137,6 +144,27 @@ class MainActivity : Activity() {
                 setFullscreenBars(false)
             }
 
+            // <input type=file>: the system picker; the page reads what it is
+            // given through the File objects the WebView makes of the URIs.
+            // The callback is always answered, or the next chooser never opens.
+            override fun onShowFileChooser(view: WebView, callback: android.webkit.ValueCallback<Array<Uri>>,
+                                           params: FileChooserParams): Boolean {
+                val intent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT).addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_OPENABLE).setType("*/*")
+                    .putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_ALLOW_MULTIPLE, params.mode == FileChooserParams.MODE_OPEN_MULTIPLE)
+                Thread {
+                    val result = pickers.run(intent)
+                    // A single pick in multiple mode can come back with an
+                    // empty clipData and the file in `data`: take whichever
+                    // carries it, or the page receives a selection of nothing.
+                    val uris = result?.let { r ->
+                        val clip = r.clipData?.takeIf { it.itemCount > 0 }
+                        clip?.let { c -> (0 until c.itemCount).map { c.getItemAt(it).uri } } ?: listOfNotNull(r.data)
+                    }?.takeIf { it.isNotEmpty() }?.toTypedArray()
+                    runOnUiThread { callback.onReceiveValue(uris) }
+                }.start()
+                return true
+            }
+
             override fun onConsoleMessage(m: ConsoleMessage): Boolean {
                 if (BuildConfig.DEBUG) Log.i("MeshBayPage", "${m.messageLevel()} ${m.message()} @${m.sourceId()}:${m.lineNumber()}")
                 return true
@@ -152,7 +180,8 @@ class MainActivity : Activity() {
     private fun installShim() {
         shim?.remove()
         val source = assets.open("bridge/meshbay-bridge.js").bufferedReader().use { it.readText() }
-        val prelude = "const HUB_BASE = ${JSONObject.quote(hub.base)};\n"
+        val binary = WebViewFeature.isFeatureSupported(WebViewFeature.WEB_MESSAGE_ARRAY_BUFFER)
+        val prelude = "const HUB_BASE = ${JSONObject.quote(hub.base)};\nconst BINARY = $binary;\n"
         shim = WebViewCompat.addDocumentStartJavaScript(web, "(function(){$prelude$source\n})();", setOf(UiAssets.ORIGIN))
     }
 
@@ -182,6 +211,11 @@ class MainActivity : Activity() {
         return accepted
     }
 
+    @Deprecated("Activity results for the system pickers; the platform API, kept for minSdk 26.")
+    override fun onActivityResult(requestCode: Int, resultCode: Int, data: Intent?) {
+        if (!pickers.deliver(requestCode, resultCode, data)) super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data)
+    }
+
     private fun hasAsset(path: String) = try { assets.open(path).close(); true } catch (e: java.io.IOException) { false }
 
     private fun refused() = WebResourceResponse("text/plain", "utf-8", 403, "Forbidden", emptyMap(), "".byteInputStream())
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/bridge/Bridge.kt b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/bridge/Bridge.kt
index 50f711c..0946464 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/bridge/Bridge.kt
+++ b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/bridge/Bridge.kt
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import androidx.webkit.WebMessageCompat
 import androidx.webkit.WebViewCompat
 import org.json.JSONArray
 import org.json.JSONObject
+import org.meshbay.client.save.BinaryFrame
 import org.meshbay.client.shell.UiAssets
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors
 
@@ -32,19 +33,29 @@ class Bridge(private val channels: Channels) : WebViewCompat.WebMessageListener
 
     override fun onPostMessage(view: WebView, message: WebMessageCompat, sourceOrigin: Uri,
                                isMainFrame: Boolean, replyProxy: JavaScriptReplyProxy) {
-        val request = try { JSONObject(message.data ?: return) } catch (e: Exception) { return }
-        val id = request.optLong("id", -1)
         if (!isMainFrame || sourceOrigin.toString() != UiAssets.ORIGIN) {
             Log.w(TAG, "refused a message from $sourceOrigin (main frame: $isMainFrame)")
+            val id = if (message.type == WebMessageCompat.TYPE_STRING)
+                try { JSONObject(message.data ?: "").optLong("id", -1) } catch (e: Exception) { -1 } else -1
             replyProxy.postMessage(error(id, "Refused: not the MeshBay interface"))
             return
         }
+        if (message.type == WebMessageCompat.TYPE_ARRAY_BUFFER) {
+            val frame = BinaryFrame.parse(message.arrayBuffer) ?: return
+            dispatch(frame.id, replyProxy, "binary ${frame.channel}") { channels.binary(frame) }
+            return
+        }
+        val request = try { JSONObject(message.data ?: return) } catch (e: Exception) { return }
+        val id = request.optLong("id", -1)
         val channel = request.optString("ch")
         val args = request.optJSONArray("args") ?: JSONArray()
+        dispatch(id, replyProxy, channel) { channels.call(channel, args) }
+    }
+
+    private fun dispatch(id: Long, replyProxy: JavaScriptReplyProxy, channel: String, call: () -> Any?) {
         work.execute {
             val reply = try {
-                JSONObject().put("id", id).put("ok", true).put("value", channels.call(channel, args) ?: JSONObject.NULL)
-                    .toString()
+                JSONObject().put("id", id).put("ok", true).put("value", call() ?: JSONObject.NULL).toString()
             } catch (e: Refused) {
                 error(id, e.message ?: "Refused")
             } catch (e: Exception) {
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/bridge/Channels.kt b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/bridge/Channels.kt
index 736e434..308dfa5 100644
--- a/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/bridge/Channels.kt
+++ b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/bridge/Channels.kt
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ package org.meshbay.client.bridge
 
 import org.json.JSONArray
 import org.meshbay.client.hub.HubClient
+import org.meshbay.client.save.BinaryFrame
+import org.meshbay.client.save.SaveSinks
 import java.net.Inet4Address
 import java.net.InetAddress
 
@@ -20,6 +22,7 @@ class Channels(
     private val onHubChanged: () -> Unit,
     private val hasCatalogue: (String) -> Boolean,
     private val keys: KeyChannels? = null,
+    private val saves: SaveSinks? = null,
 ) {
     @Volatile var locale = "en"
         private set
@@ -29,10 +32,32 @@ class Channels(
         "hub:fetch" -> hub.fetch(args.optString(0, ""), args.optJSONObject(1))
         "ice:resolve-stun" -> resolveStun(args.optJSONArray(0) ?: JSONArray())
         "ui:locale" -> setLocale(args.optString(0, ""))
+
+        // Where downloads go, chosen once; a display name, never a URI.
+        "folder:choose" -> saves().chooseFolder()
+        "folder:get" -> saves().getFolder()
+        "folder:forget" -> saves().forgetFolder()
+        // A sink the page refers to by an opaque id.
+        "save:begin" -> saves().begin(args.optString(0, ""), args.optJSONObject(1)?.optBoolean("auto", false) ?: false)
+        "save:write" -> {   // the base64 path, for a WebView without ArrayBuffer messages
+            val bytes = java.util.Base64.getDecoder().decode(args.optString(1, ""))
+            saves().write(args.optLong(0, -1), bytes, 0, bytes.size)
+        }
+        "save:end" -> saves().end(args.optLong(0, -1))
+        "save:abort" -> saves().abort(args.optLong(0, -1))
+        "save:open" -> saves().open(args.optLong(0, -1))
         else -> if (keys != null && keys.handles(channel)) keys.call(channel, args)
                 else throw Refused("Refused: no such channel")
     }
 
+    private fun saves() = saves ?: throw Refused("Refused: no such channel")
+
+    /** A binary message: one write, its bytes left where the message put them. */
+    fun binary(frame: BinaryFrame): Any? = when (frame.channel) {
+        BinaryFrame.SAVE_WRITE -> saves().write(frame.handle, frame.bytes, frame.offset, frame.length)
+        else -> throw Refused("Refused: no such channel")
+    }
+
     private fun setLocale(code: String): String {
         // A code, never text, and only one the package has a catalogue for.
         if (LOCALE.matches(code) && hasCatalogue(code)) locale = code
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/save/SaveNames.kt b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/save/SaveNames.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eed096f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/save/SaveNames.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+package org.meshbay.client.save
+
+/** The pure part of saving: names, types and the binary frame. JVM-tested. */
+object SaveNames {
+    private val BIDI = Regex("[\\u061c\\u200e\\u200f\\u202a-\\u202e\\u2066-\\u2069]")
+
+    /**
+     * main.js `save:begin`: the basename only, bidirectional controls replaced
+     * — "invoice‮fdp.exe" would otherwise be listed as "invoiceexe.pdf".
+     */
+    fun sanitize(suggested: String?): String {
+        val base = (suggested ?: "").replace('\\', '/').substringAfterLast('/')
+            .replace(BIDI, "_").replace(Regex("[\\u0000-\\u001f]"), "_").trim()
+        return if (base.isEmpty() || base == "." || base == "..") "download" else base
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * downloads.js `OPENABLE`, entry for entry (test_android_downloads.py):
+     * what may be handed to another app to open, under a type chosen from the
+     * name — never one guessed from the bytes.
+     */
+    val OPENABLE = mapOf(
+        "pdf" to "application/pdf",
+        "png" to "image/png", "jpg" to "image/jpeg", "jpeg" to "image/jpeg", "gif" to "image/gif",
+        "webp" to "image/webp", "avif" to "image/avif", "bmp" to "image/bmp",
+        "mp3" to "audio/mpeg", "m4a" to "audio/mp4", "aac" to "audio/aac", "ogg" to "audio/ogg",
+        "oga" to "audio/ogg", "opus" to "audio/ogg", "flac" to "audio/flac", "wav" to "audio/wav",
+        "mp4" to "video/mp4", "m4v" to "video/mp4", "webm" to "video/webm", "ogv" to "video/ogg",
+        "mov" to "video/quicktime",
+        "txt" to "text/plain", "log" to "text/plain", "md" to "text/plain", "csv" to "text/plain",
+    )
+
+    fun extension(name: String): String? = Regex("\\.([A-Za-z0-9]+)$").find(name)?.groupValues?.get(1)?.lowercase()
+
+    fun openableType(name: String): String? = extension(name)?.let { OPENABLE[it] }
+
+    /** The type a file is created under: openable ones by name, the rest opaque. */
+    fun storedType(name: String): String = openableType(name) ?: "application/octet-stream"
+
+    /** "name (n).ext", as main.js `freeName` — never an overwrite. */
+    fun numbered(name: String, n: Int): String {
+        val ext = extension(name)?.let { ".$it" } ?: ""
+        val stem = if (ext.isEmpty()) name else name.dropLast(ext.length)
+        return "$stem ($n)$ext"
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * A binary bridge message: one write, no JSON, no base64.
+ *
+ *   "MBB1" | u32 request id | u16 channel | u16 reserved | u32 handle | bytes
+ *
+ * all big-endian. The reply is an ordinary JSON reply carrying the id.
+ */
+class BinaryFrame(val id: Long, val channel: Int, val handle: Long, val bytes: ByteArray, val offset: Int) {
+    val length get() = bytes.size - offset
+
+    companion object {
+        const val HEADER = 16
+        const val SAVE_WRITE = 1
+        private val MAGIC = byteArrayOf('M'.code.toByte(), 'B'.code.toByte(), 'B'.code.toByte(), '1'.code.toByte())
+
+        private fun u32(b: ByteArray, at: Int) =
+            ((b[at].toLong() and 0xff) shl 24) or ((b[at + 1].toLong() and 0xff) shl 16) or
+            ((b[at + 2].toLong() and 0xff) shl 8) or (b[at + 3].toLong() and 0xff)
+
+        fun parse(b: ByteArray): BinaryFrame? {
+            if (b.size < HEADER || !(0 until 4).all { b[it] == MAGIC[it] }) return null
+            val channel = ((b[8].toInt() and 0xff) shl 8) or (b[9].toInt() and 0xff)
+            return BinaryFrame(u32(b, 4), channel, u32(b, 12), b, HEADER)
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/save/SaveSinks.kt b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/save/SaveSinks.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2da7ec7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/save/SaveSinks.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,238 @@
+package org.meshbay.client.save
+
+import android.content.ContentResolver
+import android.content.ContentValues
+import android.content.Context
+import android.content.Intent
+import android.content.SharedPreferences
+import android.net.Uri
+import android.os.Build
+import android.provider.DocumentsContract
+import android.provider.MediaStore
+import android.util.Log
+import org.json.JSONObject
+import org.meshbay.client.bridge.Refused
+import org.meshbay.client.shell.Pickers
+import java.io.OutputStream
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicLong
+
+/**
+ * Downloads, written to disk as they arrive — never collected in the page and
+ * handed over at the end (§8.5; main.js `save:*`).
+ *
+ * The page never names a path or a URI: it asks, is told a display name, and
+ * holds an opaque id. Where a file lands:
+ *
+ *  - **automatic**, a folder chosen in Settings → that folder (a Storage Access
+ *    Framework tree), as `<name>.part`, renamed on completion;
+ *  - **automatic**, no folder chosen → the system's Downloads collection, as a
+ *    pending entry that only becomes visible when complete — the Android form
+ *    of `.part`;
+ *  - **asked**, or a chosen folder that has gone → the system save dialog.
+ *    A folder that was chosen and has since gone is never silently replaced
+ *    by Downloads: somebody who picked a card wants to know it is not there.
+ *
+ * An unfinished file never carries the final name where that can be avoided,
+ * an aborted one is deleted, and one left by a killed process is deleted at the
+ * next start — Android gives no reliable quit hook, so `before-quit`'s cleanup
+ * happens there.
+ */
+class SaveSinks(
+    private val context: Context,
+    private val prefs: SharedPreferences,
+    private val pickers: Pickers,
+    private val startActivity: (Intent) -> Unit,
+) {
+    private enum class Kind { TREE_PART, MEDIASTORE, PICKED }
+
+    private class Sink(val uri: Uri, val out: OutputStream, val kind: Kind, val finalName: String, val tree: Uri?)
+
+    private val resolver: ContentResolver get() = context.contentResolver
+    private val sinks = ConcurrentHashMap<Long, Sink>()
+    private val completed = ConcurrentHashMap<Long, Pair<Uri, String>>()
+    private val ids = AtomicLong()
+
+    // ── Where downloads go ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    private val configuredTree: Uri? get() = prefs.getString(KEY_TREE, null)?.let(Uri::parse)
+
+    /** The chosen folder, if it is still there and still ours to write. */
+    private fun usableTree(): Uri? {
+        val tree = configuredTree ?: return null
+        val held = resolver.persistedUriPermissions.any { it.uri == tree && it.isWritePermission }
+        return if (held && displayName(treeDocument(tree)) != null) tree else null
+    }
+
+    private fun treeDocument(tree: Uri) =
+        DocumentsContract.buildDocumentUriUsingTree(tree, DocumentsContract.getTreeDocumentId(tree))
+
+    private fun displayName(uri: Uri): String? = try {
+        resolver.query(uri, arrayOf(DocumentsContract.Document.COLUMN_DISPLAY_NAME), null, null, null)?.use {
+            if (it.moveToFirst()) it.getString(0) else null
+        }
+    } catch (e: Exception) { null }
+
+    fun chooseFolder(): String? {
+        val result = pickers.run(Intent(Intent.ACTION_OPEN_DOCUMENT_TREE)) ?: return null
+        val tree = result.data ?: return null
+        resolver.takePersistableUriPermission(tree,
+            Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION or Intent.FLAG_GRANT_WRITE_URI_PERMISSION)
+        configuredTree?.takeIf { it != tree }?.let { release(it) }
+        prefs.edit().putString(KEY_TREE, tree.toString()).apply()
+        return displayName(treeDocument(tree)) ?: "folder"
+    }
+
+    /** `{name, isDefault}`, which the Settings row renders; a name, never a URI. */
+    fun getFolder(): JSONObject {
+        val tree = usableTree()
+        val name = tree?.let { displayName(treeDocument(it)) }
+        return JSONObject().put("name", name ?: DEFAULT_NAME).put("isDefault", name == null)
+    }
+
+    fun forgetFolder(): Boolean {
+        configuredTree?.let { release(it) }
+        prefs.edit().remove(KEY_TREE).apply()
+        return true
+    }
+
+    private fun release(tree: Uri) {
+        try {
+            resolver.releasePersistableUriPermission(tree,
+                Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION or Intent.FLAG_GRANT_WRITE_URI_PERMISSION)
+        } catch (e: SecurityException) { /* already gone */ }
+    }
+
+    // ── Writing ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    fun begin(suggestedName: String?, auto: Boolean): JSONObject? {
+        val wanted = SaveNames.sanitize(suggestedName)
+        val type = SaveNames.storedType(wanted)
+        val tree = usableTree()
+        var target: Pair<Uri, Kind>? = null
+
+        if (auto && !(configuredTree != null && tree == null)) {
+            target = try {
+                when {
+                    tree != null -> DocumentsContract.createDocument(resolver, treeDocument(tree),
+                        "application/octet-stream", "$wanted.part")?.let { it to Kind.TREE_PART }
+                    Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 29 -> resolver.insert(MediaStore.Downloads.EXTERNAL_CONTENT_URI,
+                        ContentValues().apply {
+                            put(MediaStore.MediaColumns.DISPLAY_NAME, wanted)
+                            put(MediaStore.MediaColumns.MIME_TYPE, type)
+                            put(MediaStore.MediaColumns.IS_PENDING, 1)
+                        })?.let { it to Kind.MEDIASTORE }
+                    else -> null
+                }
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                Log.w(TAG, "automatic save target failed", e); null
+            }
+        }
+        if (target == null) {
+            val ask = Intent(Intent.ACTION_CREATE_DOCUMENT).addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_OPENABLE)
+                .setType(type).putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_TITLE, wanted)
+            tree?.let { ask.putExtra(DocumentsContract.EXTRA_INITIAL_URI, treeDocument(it)) }
+            val uri = pickers.run(ask)?.data ?: return null   // dismissed: not an error
+            target = uri to Kind.PICKED
+        }
+
+        val (uri, kind) = target
+        val out = resolver.openOutputStream(uri, "wt") ?: throw Refused("Could not write the file")
+        val id = ids.incrementAndGet()
+        val shown = if (kind == Kind.TREE_PART) wanted else (displayName(uri) ?: wanted)
+        sinks[id] = Sink(uri, out, kind, wanted, tree)
+        rememberPending(uri, true)
+        return JSONObject().put("id", id).put("name", shown)
+            .put("openable", SaveNames.openableType(shown) != null)
+    }
+
+    /** Returns once the bytes are written: the await is the backpressure. */
+    fun write(id: Long, bytes: ByteArray, offset: Int, length: Int): Boolean {
+        val sink = sinks[id] ?: throw Refused("No such download")
+        synchronized(sink) { sink.out.write(bytes, offset, length) }
+        return true
+    }
+
+    fun end(id: Long): Boolean {
+        val sink = sinks.remove(id) ?: return false
+        synchronized(sink) { sink.out.flush(); sink.out.close() }
+        // Publishing the file is what makes it complete — only after the stream
+        // has flushed, or the final name would be on a short file.
+        val published: Uri = try {
+            when (sink.kind) {
+                Kind.MEDIASTORE -> {
+                    resolver.update(sink.uri, ContentValues().apply { put(MediaStore.MediaColumns.IS_PENDING, 0) }, null, null)
+                    sink.uri
+                }
+                Kind.TREE_PART -> renameFree(sink.uri, sink.finalName)
+                Kind.PICKED -> sink.uri
+            }
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            Log.e(TAG, "could not finalise a download", e)
+            return false
+        }
+        rememberPending(sink.uri, false)
+        completed[id] = published to (displayName(published) ?: sink.finalName)
+        return true
+    }
+
+    private fun renameFree(uri: Uri, name: String): Uri {
+        var candidate = name
+        for (n in 2 until 1000) {
+            try {
+                return DocumentsContract.renameDocument(resolver, uri, candidate) ?: uri
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                // Most providers refuse a name that exists; try the next one.
+                candidate = SaveNames.numbered(name, n)
+            }
+        }
+        throw IllegalStateException("No free name for $name")
+    }
+
+    fun abort(id: Long): Boolean {
+        val sink = sinks.remove(id) ?: return false
+        synchronized(sink) { try { sink.out.close() } catch (e: Exception) { /* already closed */ } }
+        // A cancelled download leaves nothing: a truncated file looks like a
+        // complete one to whoever opens it next.
+        delete(sink.uri)
+        rememberPending(sink.uri, false)
+        return true
+    }
+
+    /** Hand a finished file to the app that opens its type — only a type that runs nothing. */
+    fun open(id: Long): Boolean {
+        val (uri, name) = completed[id] ?: return false
+        val type = SaveNames.openableType(name) ?: throw Refused("This kind of file is not opened from here")
+        startActivity(Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW).setDataAndType(uri, type)
+            .addFlags(Intent.FLAG_GRANT_READ_URI_PERMISSION or Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK))
+        return true
+    }
+
+    // ── What a killed process left behind ───────────────────────────────────
+
+    private fun rememberPending(uri: Uri, add: Boolean) = synchronized(prefs) {
+        val set = HashSet(prefs.getStringSet(KEY_PENDING, emptySet()) ?: emptySet())
+        if (add) set.add(uri.toString()) else set.remove(uri.toString())
+        prefs.edit().putStringSet(KEY_PENDING, set).commit()
+    }
+
+    fun cleanUpAfterAKilledProcess() {
+        val pending = prefs.getStringSet(KEY_PENDING, emptySet()) ?: emptySet()
+        for (u in pending) delete(Uri.parse(u))
+        prefs.edit().remove(KEY_PENDING).apply()
+    }
+
+    private fun delete(uri: Uri) {
+        try {
+            if (DocumentsContract.isDocumentUri(context, uri)) DocumentsContract.deleteDocument(resolver, uri)
+            else resolver.delete(uri, null, null)
+        } catch (e: Exception) { Log.w(TAG, "could not remove an unfinished download", e) }
+    }
+
+    companion object {
+        private const val TAG = "MeshBay"
+        private const val KEY_TREE = "downloadTree"
+        private const val KEY_PENDING = "pendingDownloads"
+        const val DEFAULT_NAME = "Downloads"
+    }
+}
diff --git a/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/shell/Pickers.kt b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/shell/Pickers.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f54ef87
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/meshbay-android/app/src/main/kotlin/org/meshbay/client/shell/Pickers.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package org.meshbay.client.shell
+
+import android.app.Activity
+import android.content.Intent
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap
+import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger
+
+/**
+ * A system picker (folder, save-as, open) started from a bridge worker and
+ * waited on there — the bridge never blocks the UI thread, and the page gets
+ * its answer as the reply to the call that asked.
+ */
+class Pickers(private val activity: Activity) {
+    private class Waiting { val done = CountDownLatch(1); @Volatile var result: Intent? = null }
+
+    private val waiting = ConcurrentHashMap<Int, Waiting>()
+    private val codes = AtomicInteger(4000)
+
+    /** The result intent, or null when the person dismissed the picker. */
+    fun run(intent: Intent): Intent? {
+        val code = codes.incrementAndGet()
+        val w = Waiting()
+        waiting[code] = w
+        activity.runOnUiThread {
+            try { activity.startActivityForResult(intent, code) }
+            catch (e: android.content.ActivityNotFoundException) { waiting.remove(code); w.done.countDown() }
+        }
+        w.done.await()
+        return w.result
+    }
+
+    /** From Activity.onActivityResult; true when the code was one of ours. */
+    fun deliver(requestCode: Int, resultCode: Int, data: Intent?): Boolean {
+        val w = waiting.remove(requestCode) ?: return false
+        w.result = if (resultCode == Activity.RESULT_OK) data ?: Intent() else null
+        w.done.countDown()
+        return true
+    }
+}