1.1.2 Optimize your Firefly process using Microsoft Azure and presigned URLs

Learn how to optimize your Firefly process using Microsoft Azure and pre-signed URLs.

1.1.2.1 What are pre-signed URLs?

A presigned URL is a URL that grants you temporary access to a specific object in a storage location. Using the URL, a user can for instance either READ the object or WRITE an object (or update an existing object). The URL contains specific parameters which are set by your application.

In the context of creating content supply chain automation, there often are multiple file operations that need to happen for a specific use case. As an example, the background of a file may need to be changed, the text of various layers may have to be changed, etc. It isn’t always possible to do all the file operations at the same time which creates the need for a multi-step approach. After every intermediate step, the output then is a temporary file that is needed for the next step to be executed. Once that next step is executed, the temporary file quickly loses value and is often no longer needed so it should be deleted.

Adobe Firefly Services currently supports these domains:

The reason why often cloud storage solutions are used, is that the intermediate assets that are being created lose value quickly. The problem that is solved by pre-signed URLs is often best solved with a commodity storage solution, which is typically one of the above cloud services.

Within the Adobe ecosystem there also are storage solutions, such as Frame.io, Workfront Fusion and Adobe Experience Manager assets. These solutions also suppport pre-signed URLs so it often becomes a choice that needs to be made during the implementation. The choice is then often based on a combination of already available applications, and storage cost.

As such, pre-signed URLs are used in combination with Adobe Firefly Services operations because:

A pre-signed URL uses three parameters to limit the access to the user:

Example:

1.1.2.2 Create an Azure Subscription

Go to https://portal.azure.com and login with your Azure account. If you don’t have one, please use your personal email address to create your Azure account.

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After successful login you should see the following screen:

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On the left menu select All Resources, the Azure subscription screen appears if you are not yet subscribed.

If you are not subscribed, select Start with an Azure free Trial.

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Fill in the Azure subscription form and provide your mobile phone and credit card for activation (you will have a free tier for 30 days and you will not be charged, unless you upgrade).

When the subscription process is finished you are good to go.

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1.1.2.3 Create Azure Storage Account

Search for storage account and then select Storage accounts.

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Select + Create.

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Select your Subscription and select (or create) a Resource group.

Under Storage account name use --aepUserLdap--.

Select Review + create.

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Select Create.

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After confirmation select Go to resource.

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Your Azure Storage Account is now ready to be used.

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Select Data Storage, and then go to Containers. Select + Container.

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Use --aepUserLdap-- for the name and select Create.

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Your container is now ready to be used.

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1.1.2.4 Install Azure Storage Explorer

Download Microsoft Azure Storage Explorer to manage your files. Select the correct version for your specific OS, download and install it.

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Open the application and select Sign in with Azure.

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Select Subscription.

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Select Azure and then Next.

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Select your Microsoft Azure account and complete the authentication process.

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After authentication, this message appears.

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Back in the Microsoft Azure Storage Explorer app, select your subscription and choose Open Explorer.

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Your storage account appears under Storage Accounts.

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Open Blob Containers and then select the container you created in the previous exercise.

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1.1.2.5 Manual file upload and using an image file as style reference

Upload a image file of your choice or this file into the container.

Once uploaded, you can see it in your container:

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Right-click on gradient.jpg and then select Get Shared Access Signature.

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Under Permissions, only Read is required. Select Create.

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Copy your presigned URL for this image file for the next API request to Firefly.

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Back in Postman open the request POST - Firefly - T2I (styleref) V3.
This appears in Body.

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Replace the placeholder URL with the presigned URL for your image file and select Send.

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Open the response Firefly Services new image in your browser.

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Another image appears with horses in a field, but this time the style is similar to the image file that you provided as style reference.

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1.1.2.6 Programmatic file upload

In order to use programmatic file upload with Azure Storage Accounts, you need to create a new Shared Access Signature (SAS) token with permissions that allow you to write a file.

In Azure Storage Explorer, right-click your container, and select Get Shared Access Signature.

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Under Permissions, select the following required permissions:

Select Create.

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After receiving your Shared Access Signature, select Copy to copy the URL.

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Use the SAS-token URL to upload a file into your Azure Storage Account.

Back in Postman, select the folder FF - Firefly Services Tech Insiders, then select … on the Firefly folder, and then select Add request.

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Change the name of the empty request to Upload file to Azure Storage Account, change the Request Type to PUT and paste the SAS-token URL in the URL section, then select Body.

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Next, select a file from your local machine or use another image file located here.

In Body, select binary then Select file, then select + New file from local machine.

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Select your file of choice and select Open.

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Next specify the file name to be used in your Azure Storage Account by placing your cursor in front of the question mark ? in the URL like this:

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The URL currently looks like this, but needs to be changed.

https://vangeluw.blob.core.windows.net/vangeluw?sv=2023-01-03...

Change the file name to gradient2-p.jpg, and change the URL to include the filename like this:

https://vangeluw.blob.core.windows.net/vangeluw/gradient2-p.jpg?sv=2023-01-03...

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Next, go to Headers to add a new header manually like this:

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Go to Authorization and set the Auth Type to No Auth, and select Send.

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Next, this empty response appears in Postman, which means that your file upload is fine.

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Back in Azure Storage Explorer refresh the content of your folder, and the newly uploaded file appears.

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1.1.2.7 Programmatic file usage

To programmatically read files from Azure Storage Accounts in the long term, you need to create a new Shared Access Signature (SAS) token, with permissions that allow you to read a file. Technically you could use the SAS-token created in the previous exercise, but it’s best practice to have a separate token with only Read permissions and separate token with only Write permissions.

Long-term Read SAS token

Go back to Azure Storage Explorer, right-click your container and then select Get Shared Access Signature.

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Under Permissions, select the following required permissions:

Set Expiry Time to 1 year from now.

Select Create.

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Copy the URL and write it down in a file on your computer to get your long-term SAS-token with Read permissions.

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Your URL should look like this:

https://vangeluw.blob.core.windows.net/vangeluw?sv=2023-01-03&st=2025-01-13T07%3A36%3A35Z&se=2026-01-14T07%3A36%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=rl&sig=4r%2FcSJLlt%2BSt9HdFdN0VzWURxRK6UqhB8TEvbWkmAag%3D

You can derive a couple of values out of the above URL:

Long-term Write SAS token

Go back to Azure Storage Explorer, right-click your container and select Get Shared Access Signature.

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Under Permissions, select the following required permissions:

Set the Expiry Time to 1 year from now.

Select Create.

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Copy the URL and write it down in a file on your computer to get your long-term SAS-token with Read/Write permissions.

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Your URL should look like this:

https://vangeluw.blob.core.windows.net/vangeluw?sv=2023-01-03&st=2025-01-13T07%3A38%3A59Z&se=2026-01-14T07%3A38%3A00Z&sr=c&sp=acw&sig=lR9%2FMUfyYLcBK7W9Kv7YJdYz5HEEEovExAdOCOCUdMk%3D

You can derive a couple of values out of the above URL:

Variables in Postman

As you can see in the above section, there are some common variables in both the Read and the Write token.

Next you need to create variables in Postman that store the various elements of the above SAS-tokens. There are some values that are the same in both URLs:

For future API interactions, the main thing that changes is the asset name, while the above variables remain the same. In that case, it makes sense to create variables in Postman so that you don’t need to specify them manually every time.

In Postman, select Environments, open All variables and select Environment.

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Create these 4 variables in the table that is shown and for the columns Initial value and Current value, enter your specific personal values.

Select Save.

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Variables in PostBuster

As you can see in the above section, there are some common variables in both the Read and the Write token.

Next you need to create variables in PostBuster that store the various elements of the above SAS-tokens. There are some values that are the same in both URLs:

Open PostBuster. Select Base Environment and then click the edit icon to open the Base Environment.

You’ll then see 4 empty variables. Enter your Azure Storage Account details here.

Your Base Environment file should now look like this. Click Close.

Test your configuration

In one of the previous exercises, the Body of your the request Firefly - T2I (styleref) V3 looked like this:

"url": "https://vangeluw.blob.core.windows.net/vangeluw/gradient.jpg?sv=2023-01-03&st=2025-01-13T07%3A16%3A52Z&se=2026-01-14T07%3A16%3A00Z&sr=b&sp=r&sig=x4B1XZuAx%2F6yUfhb28hF0wppCOMeH7Ip2iBjNK5A%2BFw%3D"

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Change the URL to:

"url": "{{AZURE_STORAGE_URL}}/{{AZURE_STORAGE_CONTAINER}}/gradient.jpg{{AZURE_STORAGE_SAS_READ}}"

Select Send to test the changes you made.

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If the variables were configured correctly, an image URL is returned.

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Open the image URL to verify your image.

Next Steps

Go to Working with Photoshop APIs

Go back to Overview of Adobe Firefly Services

Go back to All Modules