Can someone please inform me as to how to populate a File form element with a value pulled from a database to be used during an edit. The usual <input name="addpiclink" type="file" id="addpiclink" value="<%=(NewsItem.Fields.Item("NewsPic").Value)% >"> doesn't work.

The value being pulled is the fulll file name of the file that I am going to display further down the page.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Glenn

The file input type creates a field through which users can upload files from their local computer or network. The VALUE attribute specifies the name of the initial file, but it is typically ignored by browsers as a security precaution.

So you cannot do it that way. Can you explain on why you wanted to setting value to the file type element?

Cheers!

_________________________
- Vijay G
Strive for Perfection

Thanks for your reply.

What I wanted to do was have one page where admins could submit a form to a database with a file attached. There is then another page that you can go in and edit the record, which is why I wanted the form fields populated.

If all of the fields are not populated and submit is pressed, then it will overwrite the record with empty values.

I hope this makes sense. I would prefer to be able to pull this data from the database (stored as text) and populate the file objects value.

Thanks again for your help.

Glenn

Hi

I've come across a similar problem, and a quick fix (only fix) is to display the value as plain text above the 'file' input type to show what is in the database, and have users (administrators) drill down again to select another file if thay have to.

Andy G

Thanks Andy.

Think I'm going to have to give up on this one. This option is still no good as I am not storing where the file came from in the first place, and even then there is no guarantee that it will be there.

There are going to be more than one admin too, so they may edit a record that they didn't create. I think the only workaround that I am going to have is to not be able to update the picture link part of the record and only edit the text, making sure that the update command excludes the picture link field.

Thank you all for your help.

Glenn

Hi Glenn,

You can try this to resolve that.

Use a hidden field, and once the File is browsed and selected, store that value from the FILETYPE control into hidden field. Use the value in hidden/text field always to write to database. (If that needs to be shown on the browser use text control, else use hidden field.) And in case of edit operation, show whatever is in database in to a normal text control that way you won't be losing the data when you update.

Here you go...
For Add -- Use FileType and Hidden Field, then Browse/select the file, set that on to HIDDEN field once selected, and use that HIDDEN field's value always to ADD to the database.

For Edit -- Use FileType and TEXT field, Display the data from database on to TEXT field, If needed to be browsed for a different file, then Browse/select the file, set that on to TEXT field once selected, and use that TEXT field's value always to update the database.

Hope that makes sense, and you don't have to give up on this at all;).
Cheers!

_________________________
- Vijay G
Strive for Perfection