Why can't save image to database in this way? - database

Question

I want to save Image and some other information to databse in my asp.net mc3 project. I've saved Image to database before and it worked. my code in my controller was this:
public ActionResult savetodb()
{
if (Request.Files.Count > 0 && Request.Files[0] != null)
{
HttpPostedFileBase file = Request.Files[0];
var path = Path.Combine(Server.MapPath("~/Content/Image"), file.FileName);
file.SaveAs(path);
byte[] buffer = System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes(path);
myAd.AdImage = buffer;
StoreDb.AddToAds(myAd);
StoreDb.SaveChanges();
}
return View();
}
}
Now I changed the table and want to save other information more than Image to database. Now my code is like this:
public ActionResult savetodb(AdvertiseView model)
{
if (Request.Files.Count > 0 && Request.Files[0] != null)
{
HttpPostedFileBase file = Request.Files[0];
var path = Path.Combine(Server.MapPath("~/Content/Image"), file.FileName);
file.SaveAs(path);
byte[] buffer = System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes(path);
myAd.AdImage = buffer;
}
myAd.AdTitle = model.AdTitle;
myAd.AdContext = model.context;
myAd.AdScope = model.Scope;
storedb.AddToAds(myAd);
storedb.SaveChanges();
return View();
}
there isn't any problem with other infos but image cant be saved. I understand that
Request.Files.Count
return 0. I don't know what should I do now. Can anybody help me please? Thanks alot.

Answer 1

I'd use a view model.
Let's suppose that you have a domain model first:
public class MyDomainModel
{
public byte[] AdImage { get; set; }
public string Description { get; set; }
}
then define a view model:
public class MyViewModel
{
[Required]
public HttpPostedFileBase File { get; set; }
[DataType(DataType.MultilineText)]
public string Description { get; set; }
}
a controller:
public class HomeController : Controller
{
public ActionResult Index()
{
return View(new MyViewModel());
}
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Index(MyViewModel model)
{
if (!ModelState.IsValid)
{
return View(model);
}
// TODO: move this mapping logic into a
// mapping layer to avoid polluting the controller
// I would recommend AutoMapper for this purpose
// http://automapper.org/
using (var stream = new MemoryStream())
{
model.File.InputStream.CopyTo(stream);
var image = stream.ToArray();
var domainModel = new MyDomainModel
{
AdImage = image,
Description = model.Description
};
// TODO: persist the domain model by passing it to a method
// on your DAL layer
}
return Content("Thanks for submitting");
}
}
and once the recommended refactoring is complete:
public class HomeController : Controller
{
public ActionResult Index()
{
return View(new MyViewModel());
}
[HttpPost]
public ActionResult Index(MyViewModel model)
{
if (!ModelState.IsValid)
{
return View(model);
}
MyDomainModel domainModel = Mapper.Map<MyViewModel, MyDomainModel>(model);
// TODO: persist the domain model by passing it to a method
// on your DAL layer
return Content("Thanks for submitting");
}
}
and finally a view to allow the user upload the file:
#using (Html.BeginForm(null, null, FormMethod.Post, new { enctype = "multipart/form-data" }))
{
<div>
#Html.LabelFor(x => x.Description)
#Html.EditorFor(x => x.Description)
</div>
<div>
#Html.LabelFor(x => x.File)
#Html.TextBoxFor(x => x.File, new { type = "file" })
#Html.ValidationMessageFor(x => x.File)
</div>
<button type="submit">OK</button>
}

Answer 2

Use HttpPostedFileBase as a parameter on the action.
Use this if you are sending only one file. If you are allowing multiple then you have to use IEnumerable<HttpPostedFileBase> files as the param.
public ActionResult savetodb(HttpPostedFileBase file)
{
if(file != null)
{
var path = Path.Combine(Server.MapPath("~/Content/Image"), file.FileName);
file.SaveAs(path);
byte[] buffer = System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes(path);
myAd.AdImage = buffer;
StoreDb.AddToAds(myAd);
StoreDb.SaveChanges();
}
return View();
}
You must also make sure your Form is properly built in your View
#using (Html.BeginForm("ActionName", "ControllerName", FormMethod.Post, new { enctype = "multipart/form-data" })) {
....
}
Also be aware that by default, the browser filesize upload limit is 4MB, if you want to upload anything larger than that you will need to configure your settings in the web.config file

Answer 3

Add a property to your view model to get this file:
public class AdvertiseView
{
...
public HttpPostedFileBase NameOfFileInput;
....
}
So you can grab the file as a property of the model:
if (myAd.NameOfFileInput != null)
{
var path = Path.Combine(Server.MapPath("~/Content/Image"), myAd.NameOfFileInput.FileName);
myAd.NameOfFileInput.SaveAs(path);
byte[] buffer = System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes(path);
myAd.AdImage = buffer;
}
Of course you can use the same property AdImage and just save it to the right place, without copying the buffer if its of the same type.