How to upload a file using a model

If you are having problems with Updating a model with a file, where you want the file to be empty but get "File cannot be blank", adjust your rule accordingly:

array('file', 'file', 'types'=>'jpg', 'allowEmpty' => true),

If you only want this to be empty on update, you could use a scenerio.

Hi i've followed the guide and add the submit button to the view, but it does not submit, how do i submit this?

<? echo CHtml::activeFileField($model, 'image'); ?>
<?php echo CHtml::submitButton('Submit'); ?>

I can't validation ajax with field image. It error "Image cannot be blank".

A Question/Suggestion:

If you put this line: $model->image=CUploadedFile::getInstance($model,'image');

in your model under beforeSave() and the file handling in afterSave() you can leave the controller untouched. for me this is usefull beause if you add more file uploads or change something you can just change everything in the model.

The example above is great, but if you are working with a CRUD interface, then there is a need for a "UPDATE" action. If you update fields but dont upload any files the previous files will be "reset" (made empty) in the model. To prevent this you need to extend the code above.

This approach is based on the explanation from tri, see forum topic >>
http://www.yiiframework.com/forum/index.php?/topic/5419-optional-upload-file-when-update-a-record/page__view__findpost__p__27940

My example:

MODEL:

public function rules()
    {
        // NOTE: you should only define rules for those attributes that
        // will receive user inputs.
        return array(
...
            array('image', 'unsafe'),
...
}

By making the image unsafe the input values for the image field wont be set by $model->attributes=$_POST['Events'];

This allows us to use CUploadedFile data object to set the image data.

CONTROLLER:

/**
     * Updates a particular model.
     * If update is successful, the browser will be redirected to the 'view' page.
     * @param integer $id the ID of the model to be updated
     */
    public function actionUpdate($id)
    {
        $model=$this->loadModel($id);
 
        // Uncomment the following line if AJAX validation is needed
        // $this->performAjaxValidation($model);
 
        if(isset($_POST['Events']))
        {
            $model->attributes=$_POST['Events'];
 
            $file_image = CUploadedFile::getInstance($model,'image');
 
            if ( (is_object($file_flyer) && get_class($file_flyer)==='CUploadedFile'))
                $model->flyer = $file_flyer;
 
            if($model->save())
            {
                if (is_object($file_flyer))
                    $model->flyer->saveAs(Yii::app()->basePath.'/../files/flyers/'.$model->flyer);
 
 
                //$this->redirect(array('update','id'=>$model->id));
 
            }
        }
 
        $this->render('update',array(
            'model'=>$model,
        ));
    }

The first "if" check if the upload object is being loaded and filled with the uploaded file. If this is the case then the model->image gets an update otherwise the previous uploaded file remains.

The second "if" in the save will actually save the file on the webserver.

Hope this helps for those who are struggling with the file upload

If like me you decide to use the included "/projectname/images" folder to store your applications' images, you can change this line from the tutorial:

$model->image->saveAs('path/to/localFile');

To be this:

$model->image->saveAs(Yii::app()->basePath . '/../images/' . $model->image);
// As others have noted: $model->image at the end of the path is required,    // and is the filename of your image

The Yii::app()->basePath includes "/protected" at the end, and as the folder "images" is a sibling to "protected" so the /../ is necessary.

I'll also add that an easy way to display an uploaded image, would then be to open your view file, and use CHtml::image to generate tags for your Images with the necessary attributes, as follows:

<?php echo CHtml::image(Yii::app()->baseUrl . '/images/' . $data->image, 
$data->description,
   array("class" => "clickme", "title" => $data->title, "width"=>"300", "height"=>"220")); ?>

$data->description, and $data->title are from my Image.php model, and were perfect for the tags alt text and title, respectively.

To define the enctype using CActiveForm, use the htmlOptions property:

$form=$this->beginWidget('CActiveForm', array( 'id'=>'paper-form', 'enableAjaxValidation'=>false, 'htmlOptions'=>array('enctype'=>'multipart/form-data') ));

If you are interested in more config items, take a look at the code for the file (framework/validators/CFileValidator.php)

It gives you some small examples in the comments of how things can be used.

All of the public variables in the validator are options that can be set in the array.

Eg:

    public function rules()
    {
        return array(
            array('image', 'file',
                'types'=>'jpg, gif, png',
                'maxSize'=>1024 * 1024 * 50, // 50MB
                'tooLarge'=>'The file was larger than 50MB. Please upload a smaller file.',
            ),
        );
    }