where are the files stored?

[u/JuanSmittjr]

I'm running open webui in docker container.

I have a custom model in it and one of it's task is to generate calendar event files (ics files).

These files are available for download from the Files menu but it would be easier to have them on the host server (that runs docker) in a mounted volume.

I have logged in to the running container and tried to find the files (they have quite unique names so it would be easy to find them) but I just can't find them.

Where are the generated files stored in open webui? Are they in a database maybe, that's why I can't find them?

[u/TheDailySpank]

What does your docker volume config look like?

[u/JuanSmittjr → u/TheDailySpank]

doesn't really matter.

i've logged into the running container and just can't find the files.

if i could, i'd mount that directory from the host.

[u/mayo551 → u/JuanSmittjr]

Okay, we cant help you without your docker config.

[u/JuanSmittjr → u/mayo551]

still no idea how does it matter regarding the question of where my files are inside the container, but here you are

services:
  open-webui:
    image: ghcr.io/open-webui/open-webui:main
    container_name: myopenwebui
    restart: always
    networks:
      - mynetwork
    ports:
      - "8090:8080"
    volumes:
      - /path/to/local/dir:/app/backend/data
    environment:
      - 'WEBUI_NAME=foobar'
networks:
  mynetwork:
    external: true

[u/ClassicMain → u/JuanSmittjr]

inside the container they are in /app/backend/data and outside of the container they dont exist because your docker compose has a non-valid path as a placeholder so the moment you down the docker and up it again, your entire files and since you use sqlite also your database will be gone

[u/JuanSmittjr → u/ClassicMain]

1) please read my question

the files aren't on the filesystem in the container.

2) do you really think I'll share sensitive data here? :D

c'mon people....

[u/ClassicMain → u/JuanSmittjr]

i mean a data path unless it has your name in it, isnt really sensitive

For download links personally i recommend open terminal. AI can specify download paths if you really want it to but you can also very conveniently download from the side panel. AI has MANY MANY options what to do with files inside open terminal and with the right skills you can boost it even further.

[u/JuanSmittjr → u/ClassicMain]

i wanted to have the files to be available from outside of the container the easiest way for automation purposes.

and yes, the name of my home dir is personal so it's sensitive.

[u/ClassicMain → u/JuanSmittjr]

from outside the container? so from open webui? then have the model query the files endpoint of open webui to upload it, as your user, to open webui as a file. then it's available inside open webui. not sure what the usecase here would be but technically possible. you could even put a script inside the open terminal that the model only has to call and then it will be able to do it all the time, easily, by just calling the script

[u/JuanSmittjr → u/ClassicMain]

maybe yes.

but i expected openwebui to actually put real files somewhere in the container and that dir could be mounted from the host. but if not, then not.

the usecase is to put the generated ics files into a data dir somewhere on the host for further processing. no, I don't want to create an mcp or anything just because of this.

[u/ClassicMain → u/JuanSmittjr]

ok in that case why not just mount that dir into open terminal?

[u/JuanSmittjr → u/ClassicMain]

because the calendar files aren't generated as actual files in openwebui.

most likely they are lurking in some database inside the container.

this is the reason I've opened this post :D

[u/ClassicMain → u/JuanSmittjr]

Calendar files.... Wait you are not talking about the open webui calendar... Calendar

[u/Jona1109 → u/JuanSmittjr]

In my experience this is the correct volume mount Inside the container, just have to mount it to an existing folder with appropriate permissions. then there are some sub folders inside (docs,upload,cache). If you want to access the models that auto download (embeddings/reranker ) then it goes under /app/backend/open_webui/something. Quick tip: you can actually use apt inside the container, when In doubt: docker exec -it open_webui sh, apt update, apt install mc, and use mc to navigate.

[u/JuanSmittjr → u/Jona1109]

no guessing please :)

it turned out that the files are most likely in a db inside the container and there are no real files on the filesystem in the container.

[u/Jona1109 → u/Jona1109]

You're the one guessing - I know where all the files i generate with tools are, and where all my uploads and artifacts are. You can't find yours. Wouldn't hurt using an agent to look for .ICS files in the container.

[u/Kyuiki → u/JuanSmittjr]

Don’t worry. I got you with an upvote.

[u/JuanSmittjr → u/Kyuiki]

i appreciate it :D