File Uploader in ASP.NET and ASP.NET MVC

• Download Uploader Class
• Download Uploader Sample In ASP.NET
• Download Uploader Sample In ASP.NET MVC

This is a class to upload files in ASP.NET and ASP.NET MVC.

Introduction

Uploading files is a common scenario and an essential part of many web applications. Here, I have created a class which can be used to upload files easily. The uploader class automatically validates all the necessities, i.e., validation of upload directory, file extensions, etc.

Background

There are plenty of resources on uploading a file in ASP.NET. But I have felt the need to have a class which would be easier and customizable as well as can perform validation, add prefix and/or suffix to file, encrypt filename, allow choice to overwrite existing file or not and so on. You have to just set the necessary properties you need. You can use it in your ASP.NET as well as ASP.NET MVC application.

Using this Class

Here, I am giving an example to use this class.

Uploader uploader = new Uploader();

uploader.UploadPath     = Server.MapPath("~\Content\Uploads");
uploader.IsLowerName    = true;
uploader.IsEncryptName  = false;

uploader.Prefix = "Hello_";
uploader.Suffix = "_Boom";

uploader.AllowedExtensions.Add(".jpg");
uploader.AllowedExtensions.Add(".jpeg");
uploader.AllowedExtensions.Add(".gif");
uploader.AllowedExtensions.Add(".png");

bool success = uploader.DoUpload("MyFile");

if (success)
{
    //TODO: Code to handle success
}
else
{
    //TODO: Code to handle failure
}

Here, MyFile is the name of file input type.

 <!-- In Html -->
<input type="file" name="MyFile" id="MyFile" />

<%--In tradition ASP.NET --%>
<asp:FileUpload ID="MyFile" runat="server" />

There is an overload of DoUpload() method. You can either pass the name of the file input as above or HttpPostedFile file object as follows:

HttpPostedFile postedFile = HttpContext.Current.Request.Files["MyFile"] as HttpPostedFile;
uploader.DoUpload(postedFile);

There is also a method by which you can get the HttpPostedFile object by supplying the name of the file input.

HttpPostedFile postedFile = uploader.GetHttpPostedFile("MyFile");
uploader.DoUpload(postedFile);

Configuration Settings

General Settings
UploadPath	Full path where file should be uploaded exculding the filename (Mandatory)
UploadName	The name which should be used to save the uploaded file with extension (Optional)
Prefix	The prefix to the filename (Optional)
Suffix	The suffix to the filename (Optional)
Conditional Settings
MinSize	The minimum size of the file in bytes
MaxSize	The maximum size of the file in bytes
IsOverwrite	Whether a file is to overwrite or not
IsEncryptName	Whether a file name is to encrypt or not
IsLowerName	Whether a file name is to lower or not
IsRemoveSpace	Whether space is to be removed from a file name or not
AllowedExtensions	The allowed file extensions with period
IsRemoveSpace	The allowed mime types

 

Object Properties
UploadError	The object of UploadError class. This class holds error code and error message.
PostedFile	The object of PostedFile class. This class holds different information of posted file.
UploadedFile	The object of UploadedFile class. This class holds different information of uploaded file.

 

Properties of UploadError Class
Code	The error code
Message	The error message
Properties of PostedFile and UploadedFile Class
FileName	The file name with extension
RawName	The file name excluding extension
FileExtension	The file extension with period
MimeType	The file MIME type
FullPath	The absolute path including the file name
FilePath	The absolute path to the file excluding the file name
FileSize	The size of the file in bytes
IsImage	Whether the file is image or not

If your upload is not succeeded, then you can get the error code and message by UploadError property. For example:

string erroCode    = uploader.UploadError.Code;
string errorMessage = uploader.UploadError.Message;

Remember, here error code is not the actual http error number. I have used numbers from 1 to 10 so that the corresponding message can be customized.

On the other hand, if your upload attempt is succeeded, then you can use information related to the posted file as well as uploaded file by PostedFile and UploadedFile. For example:

string previousFilename = uploader.PostedFile.FileName;
string previousFilePath = uploader.PostedFile.FilePath;

string uploadedFilename = uploader.UploadedFile.FileName;
string uploadedFilePath = uploader.UploadedFile.FilePath;

Enjoy this!