asked on

uploading multiple image with php

I need to let my users to upload multiple images to my web site,

do you have the code for uploading multiple image with php?

I don't show error messages on my page for the security risk, they are off by default.

Julian Hansen

Images are uploaded in the $_FILES array.

Assuming you are uploading your files with standard HTML file inputs there are two approaches
Approach 1 - you name each file input

<input type="file" name="image1" />
<input type="file" name="image2" />

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This will result in a $_FILES array that looks like this

Array
(
    [image1] => Array
        (
            [name] => background5.jpg
            [type] => image/jpeg
            [tmp_name] => C:\Windows\Temp\php4C53.tmp
            [error] => 0
            [size] => 309187
        )

    [image2] => Array
        (
            [name] => eetest.jpg
            [type] => image/jpeg
            [tmp_name] => C:\Windows\Temp\php4C54.tmp
            [error] => 0
            [size] => 47336
        )
)

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Approach 2 - use the multiple attribute on the <input> control. This allows you to select multiple files and assign them to a single <input>

<input name="file[]" type="file" multiple />

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This will result in a $_FILES array that looks like this

Array
(
    [file] => Array
        (
            [name] => Array
                (
                    [0] => background2.jpg
                    [1] => background3.jpg
                )

            [type] => Array
                (
                    [0] => image/jpeg
                    [1] => image/jpeg
                )

            [tmp_name] => Array
                (
                    [0] => C:\Windows\Temp\php6B9E.tmp
                    [1] => C:\Windows\Temp\php6B9F.tmp
                )

            [error] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 0
                    [1] => 0
                )

            [size] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 8989
                    [1] => 6172
                )

        )
)

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Use the first approach when you want to request specific images for a specific purpose - the named inputs allows you to map the image to its purpose.
The second approach is if you are providing something like a gallery - there can be any number of images in any order.

Assuming you go with Approach 1. Then you would need PHP code that processes the first $_FILES array

foreach($_FILES as $file) {
   // Change path if you want to use a specific name
   $dest = "/path/to/images/" . $file['name'];
   uploadFile($file, $dest);
}

function uploadFile($file, $destination, $mimetypes=false, $size = 0) 
{
   // check that the file is within the required parameters
   // Check size, mimetype here
   if ($size > 0 && filesize($file['tmp_name']) > $size) {
      return false;
   }
   if (is_array($mimetypes)) {
      $exif = exif_imagetype($file['tmp_name'];
      $valid = false;
      foreach($mimetypes as $type) {
         if ($exif === $type) {
            $valid = true;
            break;
         }
      }
   }
   if (!$valid) {
      return false;
   }
   // file is valid
   return move_uploaded_file($file['tmp_name'], $destination);
}

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ASKER

Dear Julian,
thank you, As you guest, I prefer the first approach.

Do you have complete code or sample for this?

I need to let my users upload only jpeg and .gif files and I need to limit the file size.
do you have complete code for this?

ASKER

Let me try it please.
I will let you know after i try it. Thank you

SOLUTION

Julian Hansen

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Ray Paseur

This is my teaching example showing how to use HTML5 to send a multiple-file upload to your server.

<?php // demo/upload_multiple_html5_example.php
/**
 * This script demonstrates the HTML5 document that you need to use
 * for multiple file uploads.  The "action=" script would be in a
 * separate document.
 */
error_reporting(E_ALL);


/**
 * Activate these lines to see the request variables
 *
var_dump($_POST);
var_dump($_FILES);
 *
 */

// CREATE OUR WEB PAGE IN HTML5 FORMAT
$htm = <<<HTML5
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html dir="ltr" lang="en-US">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<meta name="robots" content="noindex, nofollow" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />

<style type="text/css">
/* STYLE SHEET HERE */
</style>

<script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-latest.min.js"></script>
<script>
$(document).ready(function(){
/* JQUERY CODE HERE */
});
</script>

<title>HTML5 Page With jQuery in UTF-8 Encoding</title>
</head>
<body>

<noscript>Your browsing experience will be much better with JavaScript enabled!</noscript>

<form enctype="multipart/form-data" method="post">
<input type="file" multiple name="my_files[]" />
<input type="submit" />
</form>

</body>
</html>
HTML5;


// RENDER THE WEB PAGE
echo $htm;

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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Ray Paseur

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ASKER

Dear Ray,
thank you very very much.

Dear Julian Hansen, I thank you too. Somehow, I couldn't upload files with your code. I'm sure it's my fault.

But Ray's code works, perfectly fine.

ASKER

Dear Ray Paseur,
I use your code, I can see what I uploaded on the page.

echo '<br/>See the file: <a target="_blank" href="' . $my_file_url . '">' . $my_file_url . '</a><br/>' . PHP_EOL;

Since it's more than one picture, how can I insert the link into my database?

I think I can insert the link into database inside the foreach loop that you use to print out the link on the page.

if I do this, would it work inside the foreach loop?

$sql = "INSERT INTO ilan (uid,imageurl) VALUES ('$uid','$my_file_url');"
but there is more than one image url? How can I do this?

Normally I insert all the data in one row whit where clause. ( Where uid='$uid'; )
Should I create a lookup table to insert the picture urls?

Julian Hansen

Did you try this link http://www.marcorpsa.com/ee/t1883.php

ASKER

Dear Julian,
Yes, I tried. Unfortunately, I couldn't make it work

Julian Hansen

That might be a bandwidth thing .

The sample requires that the first image is a JPEG and the second is a GIF
See screenshot below

Julian Hansen

Just checking in this post you said

thank you, As you guest, I prefer the first approach.

Ray's solution uses a single input with the multiple attribute - which was the second approach I suggested.

Which one are you wanting to use the first (individual inputs) or the second (single input with multiple attribute)?

ASKER

Dear Julian,
I somehow manage it. Ray's code is working and I do not have deep knowledge about programming. I'm sure yours is working too.
I will use Ray's code for now. But I have to work on it.

I inserted the link of the pictures to my database, so that everything seems fine now. I will split the points.

ASKER

thank you both.