PHP $_FILES not working with JSON

Question

I created a jQuery script to do some form validation (i.e. register users, login users, create projects/albums etc.) it has been working just fine with the $_POST function in PHP. I'm trying to create an upload form to upload files to specific albums now and the jQuery is unresponsive. Here is the code:

The form:

<?PHP 
include 'init.php';
if (!isset ($_SESSION['user_id'])){
    header('Location: index.php');
    exit();       
}

if (!logged_in()){
    header('Location: ../index.php');
    exit();        
}

$shots = get_shots();

?>
<head>
    <title></title>
    <link href="css/style.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
    <script src="js/jquery_1_6_2.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
    <script src="js/jfunc.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
</head>

<div class="grid_1_head"> Upload File <span class="right_shots"><a id="close-panel" href="#"class="create_new_shot">Close this window</a></span></div>
<div class="hover_1_body"> 


<p> Select the file you would like to upload then click the Upload File Button. </p>    

    <div class="project_form_text">

<div class="hover_1_error">           
<div class="message_error"></div>
<div class="project_create_success"></div>  
</div>

        <div class="form_left">     
        <form id="upload_file" action="widgets/upload_file_process.php" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">  



     <p>
     <label for="selected_file">Choose a File:</label>
     <input id="selected_file" name="selected_file" type="file" class="field_boarder" value="" /> <br />

     Choose a shot:
     <select name="shot_id" class="select_style"> 

     <?php

     foreach ($shots as $shot){

         echo '<option value="', $shot['shot_id'], '">', $shot['shot_name'], ' </option>';        
     }
     ?>
     </select>

     </p> 



   <div class="login_button_container">
   <input name="upload_file" type="submit" class="login_button" value="Upload File"/>

    </div>

</form>

  </div> 

</div>

THIS IS THE PHP THAT PROCESS THE FORM:

<?php
include '../init.php';

if (!logged_in()){
    header('Location: ../index.php');
    exit();        
}


if (isset($_FILES['selected_file'], $_POST['shot_id'])){
    $file_name = $_FILES['selected_file']['name'];
    $file_size = $_FILES['selected_file']['size'];
    $file_temp = $_FILES['selected_file']['tmp_name'];  
    $allowed_ext = array('mov','r3d','avi','mp4','wmv','ogg','webm',                                            //Video Files
                         'mp3','aif','aiff','wav','ac3',                                                        //Audio Files
                         'gif','jpg','jpeg','png','pic','pict','psd','bmp','dpx','raw','jpf','pcx','tga',       // Still bitmap files and Sequences
                         'tif','tiff','hdr','exr', 'picio','rla','rpf','sgi','iff','cin','als',                
                         'ai','svg','svgz','eps',                                                               // Still Vector files
                         'fcp','color','edl','mxf','aaf','omf','xml',                                           // Interchange formats 
                         'pdf','xls','doc','txt','ppt','xlsx','docx','rtf');                                    // Documents

    $file_ext = strtolower(end(explode('.', $file_name)));
    $shot_id = $_POST['shot_id'];
    $errors = array();


    if (empty($file_name) || empty($shot_id)){

         $file_exists_check = 'invalid';

        }else {

          $file_exists_check = 'valid';
        }

    if (in_array($file_ext, $allowed_ext) === false){

            $file_type_check = 'invalid';        

        }else {

          $file_type_check = 'valid';
        }


    if ($file_size > 2097152000) {

          $file_size_check = 'invalid';

        }else {

          $file_size_check = 'valid';
        }

    if (shot_check($shot_id) === true){

          $shot_exists_check = 'invalid';

        }else {

          $shot_exists_check = 'valid';
        }



   $errors["file_exists_check"] = $file_exists_check;
   $errors["file_type_check"] = $file_type_check; 
   $errors["file_size_check"] = $file_size_check;
   $errors["shot_exists_check"] = $shot_exists_check;


       echo json_encode($errors);    

}


?>

THIS IS THE JQUERY FUNCTION THAT NEEDS TO ALERT USERS OF PROBLEMS AND THE FINISH THE FORM:

// UPLOAD FILE VALIDATION

$(function(){

    $("#upload_file").submit(function(e){

  // e.preventDefault();  

       $.post("widgets/upload_file_process.php", $("#upload_file").serialize(),


    function(data){


            if(data.file_exists_check == 'invalid'){

                    $('div.message_error').hide();
                    $('div.project_create_success').hide();
                    $('div.message_error').fadeIn();
                    $('div.message_error').html("<div>You need to select a file.</div>");

            } else if (data.file_type_check == 'invalid'){

                    $('div.message_error').hide();
                    $('div.project_create_success').hide();
                    $('div.message_error').fadeIn();
                    $('div.message_error').html("<div>File type not supported</div>");

            } else if (data.file_size_check == 'invalid'){

                    $('div.message_error').hide();
                    $('div.project_create_success').hide();
                    $('div.message_error').fadeIn();
                    $('div.message_error').html("<div>File must be less than 2GB</div>");

            }else if (data.shot_exists_check == 'invalid'){

                    $('div.message_error').hide();
                    $('div.project_create_success').hide();
                    $('div.message_error').fadeIn();
                    $('div.message_error').html("<div>That shot does not exist</div>");

            }else {


                $('div.message_error').hide();
                $('div.project_create_success').fadeIn();
                $('div.project_create_success').html("<div>File Uploading </div>");
                  $(function(){


                     $('#lightbox_content').delay(300).fadeOut(300 , function(){
                     $(this).remove();
                   });

                     $('#lightbox_bg').delay(300).fadeOut(300, function(){
                     $(this).remove();
                   window.location.replace("producer.php");

           });      
                });

            return false;

                }

        }, "json");

    });

});

THIS is almost identical to a function I have for registering users that works just fine. The only thing that is new (to me) is using the $_FILES to get the file info. is there a problem using that with jQuery?

Thank you in advance.

At what point does it become unresponsive? When you debug into it, is there a specific line on which the system hangs? What are the states of the objects on that line? — David
– David, Commented Sep 13, 2011 at 23:32
Its weird if I put an alert before the query function and comment out the prevent default the alert will trigger on clicking the submit button. If I put the path to the php processing page in the form action and comment out the prevent default the page will process and return valid JASON. If I put the alert inside the jquery function(data) it will not trigger. — Craig Russo
– Craig Russo, Commented Sep 13, 2011 at 23:41

Itay Moav -Malimovka · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-13 23:32:45Z

1

You can not upload files using xmlhttprequest.
Either use frames/iframes(prefered by me and google)/Flash/Java if you want to do it async

answered Sep 13, 2011 at 23:32

Itay Moav -Malimovka

53.8k68 gold badges198 silver badges292 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

Craig Russo Over a year ago

I don't understand. I'm following a tutorial to create the php upload and it works fine for them BUT they are not using java/jquery to validate the form which is what I want to do.

Herbert Over a year ago

@Craig: Can you provide a link to the tutorial you're referring to?

Craig Russo Over a year ago

www.phpacademy.org it's the image upload site tutorial. the file uploading section is 12 or 15 videos in.

Community · Accepted Answer · 2017-05-23 11:57:56Z

0

File uploads with AJAX is a complicated matter. You might find this informative: $(form).serialize() Workaround for File Fields. It suggests using jQuery Form Plugin.

That’s the best you’re likely to get. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.

Good luck to you.

edited May 23, 2017 at 11:57

CommunityBot

11 silver badge

answered Sep 14, 2011 at 1:20

Herbert

5,7983 gold badges28 silver badges34 bronze badges

Comments

iCezz · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-29 07:40:14Z

0

Why don't you try using jquery ajax, it is much simpler

function uploadDocument() {
        var formArray = new FormData($('#upload_file')[0]);
        $.ajax({
            url: "<?php echo Router::url('/uploadDocument'); ?>",
            data: formArray,
            type: "POST",
            dataType: "json",
            success: function(data){
            //do something upon success 
            }
        });
    }
$('#upload_file').live('submit',function(){
var file = $('#selected_file')[0].files[0];
//run validation   
uploadDocument();
return false;
})

in your uploadDocument.php, you can just print_r($_FILES); I have not try this but theoritically it should work.

answered Apr 29, 2013 at 7:40

iCezz

6441 gold badge7 silver badges14 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

PHP $_FILES not working with JSON

3 Answers 3

3 Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

3 Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related