File Uploading

NeoGeo

I'm trying to get the copy($file, $filepath) function working but am having some problems.

1.) I have a form with ENCTYPE="multipart/form-data" and within it a file field with name="file". This form calls add_file_db.php

2.) add_file_db.php cannot upload the file because it says the directory does not exist. After trying all sorts of things and directories I was certain that the file path was correct and it was giving a valid destination for the file.

3.) I thought maybe it was a problem with the file itself. When you upload and go echo $file doesn't it output something wierd like php-324 or something like that? And you have to use $file_name to get the real name (C:/files/file_to_upload.file for example) as well as $file_size, $file_type for other stats.

This code here:

echo "File: $file<br>File_name: $file_name<br>File_size: $file_size<br>File_type: $file_type<br>";

outputs this:

File: C:\WINDOWS\Desktop\projects\deercrest\site\design_guidelines.doc
File_name:
File_size:
File_type:

Does anyone have any idea why it is not uploading as a file, and instead like a text variable? Remember I am using the correct ENCTYPE.

Thanks - I will GREATLY appreciate ANY feedback I can get on this,
Ben

jeremuck

what is the maxfile size allowed to be uploaded? and how large is the file?

NeoGeo

I don't have a max size set as far as I know... but the particular file I'm trying to upload right now is 414KB.

Ben

NeoGeo

I actually got this script working. The first problem was either that I can't use the variable $file, or that the the file field's ID="file" but once I changed those two properties I could get the appropriate $TheFile_name, $TheFile_size, etc.

One wierd thing though, is that if I pass the file to a function:

UploadFile($TheFile);

Then inside that function I can't use the $TheFile_name, $TheFile_size, etc. It's like once I pass it to a function it ceases to be a file variable and is now a text variable. However, I don't think that can be the case since within the function I use the copy($TheFile, $FilePath) function and it works... Therefore if I want the size for instance I have to send it as a separate variable:

Upload($TheFile, $TheFile_name);

If you have any thoughts on that or want to clear up some of my confusion that would be great.

Thanks,
Ben

jeremuck

yeah,
$TheFile and $TheFile_name are two different variables!
You passed in $TheFile, but never passed $TheFile_name in...
you can use a global statement to bring it into the scope of the function, or you can access it through the globals array.
I think it also resides in the $SERVER array... use print_r($SERVER) to find out.

NeoGeo

I see what your saying and it does make some sense. However, when I pass a file-type variable (not numeric, boolean, text) it automatically creates the $TheFile_name, $TheFile_size, $TheFile_type, etc. without me ever defining them.

So I guess my confusion is that when you pass the file-type variables from a form to another .php page you don't have to define these variables or pass them - they are associated with $TheFile. Therefore I though by passing the file-type variable to a function it would still retain these variables - it is, afterall, still a file-type variable, not a text variable...

In any case I'm wrong you can't still use those name, size etc in functions, I just am not too clear on why.

Thanks for the help,
Ben

jeremuck

try print_r($GLOBALS) , maybe that will help you figure it out...

the thing is there is no "file-type" variable.
if you use a global statement like:
global $TheFile_name; then you will able to access it.

If you look in the $GLOBALS array, you will probably find all of that information in another array called $_SERVER or something. You might consider doing a global statement on the array that contains all of that information.

PHP makes all kinds of variables without you defining them, but they are their own variables... $TheFile and $TheFile_name are two different variables. Just because you pass $TheFile, $TheFile_name is not passed. However, all of them are probably kept in an array that PHP makes, and if you pass the array, or do a global statement on it, you will have no problem.