uploading files in ASP.NET MVC

Question

When I select a file and submit the file for upload, I can't get the value of the File path in my Model. In the Controller it shows as null. What am I doing wrong?

View

<form method="post" action="/Account/Profile" enctype="multipart/form-data">
 <label>Load photo: </label>
 <input type="file" name="filePath" id="file" />
 <input type="submit" value="submit" />
</form>

Controller

public ActionResult Profile(ProfileModel model, FormCollection form)
{
 string path = Convert.ToString(model.FilePath);
 return View();
}

Model

public HttpPostedFileBase FilePath
{
 get
 {
 return _filePath;
 }
 set
 {
 _filePath = value;
 }
}
public bool UploadFile()
{
 if (FilePath != null)
 {
 var filename = Path.GetFileName(FilePath.FileName);
 FilePath.SaveAs(@"C:\" + filename);
 return true;
 }
 return false;
}

• OlafW: Is it really possible to have data-binding for an file-upload-element? Currently I would say no...

Answer 1

I don't think model binding works with HttpPostedFileBase...

It should work if you take it out of your ViewModel and do it like this:

public ActionResult Profile(HttpPostedFileBase filePath)
{
 string path = Convert.ToString(filePath);
 return View();
}

HTHs,
Charles

Ps. This post could help explain things: ASP.NET MVC posted file model binding when parameter is Model

Answer 2

I don't have VS to simulate your problem. So im not sure bout the answer.

Try this, might work

<input type="file" name="model.FilePath" id="file" />

If not work then, Try look it on your formcollection & HttpContext.Request.Files

It should be there.

• Petrick Lim: then maybe you can't bind file upload element on a model paramater as commented by Olaf. I tried to look on my previous project code & i used HttpContext.Request.Files instead of binding it to model.

Answer 3

Instead of using HttpPostedFileBase I would use IFormFile

public class ModelFile
{
 .....
 public string Path{ get; set; }
 public ICollection<IFormFile> Upload { get; set; }
}
public async Task<IActionResult> Index([Bind("Upload,Path")] ModelFile modelfile)
{
 ...
 msg = await storeFilesInServer(modelfile.Upload,modelfile.Path);
}
private async Task<Message> storeFilesInServer(ICollection<IFormFile> upload, string path)
 {
 Message msg = new Message();
 msg.Status = "OK";
 msg.Code = 100;
 msg.Text = "File uploaded successfully";
 msg.Error = "";
 string tempFileName = "";
 try
 {
 foreach (var file in upload)
 {
 if (file.Length > 0)
 {
 string tempPath = path + @"\";
 if (Request.Host.Value.Contains("localhost"))
 tempPath = path + @"\"; 
 using (var fileStream = new FileStream(tempPath + file.FileName, FileMode.Create))
 {
 await file.CopyToAsync(fileStream);
 tempFileName = file.FileName;
 }
 }
 msg.Text = tempFileName;
 }
 }
 catch (Exception ex)
 {
 msg.Error = ex.Message;
 msg.Status = "ERROR";
 msg.Code = 301;
 msg.Text = "There was an error storing the files, please contact support team";
 }
 return msg;
 }