"Undefined index" when trying uploading file using PHP

Question

This is suppose to be pretty straight forward and is driving me mad!

I'm trying to upload a file in PHP and writing the file to MySQL as a blob.

Problem is that the site throws a "Undefined index" all the time when I'm trying to use the

$_FILES['file']['tmp_name'] property.

Here is my code :

<head>
    <title>Upload Worksheet</title>
</head>
<body>
    <form action="index.php" method="POST" enctype="multipart/form-data">
        <input type="hidden" name="MAX_FILE_SIZE" value="2000" />
        File : 
        <input type="file" name"file" id="file"><input type="submit" value="Upload">
    </form>


    <?php

        //connect to db
        mysql_connect("localhost","root","") or die(mysql_error());
        mysql_select_db("autoedi") or die(mysql_error());

        //file properties
        $file = $_FILES['file']['tmp_name'];

        if(!isset($file))
        echo "Please choose a file.";
        else {
            $uploadfile = addslashes(file_get_contents( $_FILES['file']['name']));
            $uploadfilename = addslashes($_FILES['file']['tmp_name']);  
        }


    ?>


</body>

This is what the error message looks like :

Error Message

I haven't even gotten to the database side, as I can't get past this stage.

I'm a PHP noob, so any help would be greatly appreciated!

Ashwini Agarwal · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-07 07:03:47Z

3

You recieve that error message because the form is not sent, yet. When you hit the upload button, the form is sent to your server and PHP populates the $_POST and $_FILES array with data. However, the arrays are empty until that point. It is therefore good practice to check whether or not your data is set, like so:

if (isset ($_POST['upload']))
{
    // upload logic here

    if(!isset($_FILES['file']) || ($_FILES['file']['tmp_name'] == ''))
        echo "Please choose a file.";
    else {
        $uploadfile = addslashes(file_get_contents( $_FILES['file']['name']));
        $uploadfilename = addslashes($_FILES['file']['tmp_name']);  
    }
}

This assumes you have a submit button named "upload".

edited Aug 7, 2012 at 7:03

Ashwini Agarwal

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answered Aug 7, 2012 at 6:47

DavidS

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4 Comments

Pierre Pretorius Over a year ago

Ok, so I've added this in and the error messages are gone, but it still comes back as empty. I've added this to the top of my logic - if (!isset ($_POST['upload'])) echo "Please select a file." - but after I select a file and click on "upload", it still gives me this message, which means that it is still not set, but I don't understand why?

DavidS Over a year ago

Have you a button named "upload"? <input type="submit" value="Upload" name="upload">

Pierre Pretorius Over a year ago

Sorry DavidS, didn't add the "name" property. That part is sorted out. It still says that the file is not set. Don't understand why not?

Pierre Pretorius Over a year ago

Thanks for the help DavidS...+1 for patience!

Sumit Neema · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-07 07:23:25Z

The Above answer is perfect because you should check the for post values in order to run any code on those values but you can also try the following

<?php

        //connect to db
        mysql_connect("localhost","root","") or die(mysql_error());
        mysql_select_db("autoedi") or die(mysql_error());

        //file properties
      if(isset($_POST))
    {

      if(array_key_exists('file',$_FILES))
    {   

     $file = $_FILES['file']['tmp_name'];

        if(!isset($file))
        echo "Please choose a file.";
        else {
            $uploadfile = addslashes(file_get_contents( $_FILES['file']['name']));
            $uploadfilename = addslashes($_FILES['file']['tmp_name']);  
        }

}


    ?>

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