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Hajipur, Bihar, 844101
PHP
PHP Basics
PHP Data
Control Flow
PHP Functions
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PHP Forms
PHP Advanced
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PHP Date and Time
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PHP Include
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PHP File Handling
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PHP File Open/Read
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PHP File Create/Write
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PHP File Upload
Cookies & Sessions
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PHP Destructor
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MySQL with PHP
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MySQL Database
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MySQL Connect
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MySQL Create DB
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MySQL Create Table
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MySQL Insert Data
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MySQL Get Last ID
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MySQL Insert Multiple
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MySQL Prepared
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MySQL Select Data
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PHP and XML
AJAX with PHP
PHP File Upload
Uploading files is a common requirement in web applications. Whether you are allowing users to upload profile pictures, documents, or media files, PHP provides a robust and secure way to handle file uploads.
This tutorial explains how to create a file upload form, process uploaded files, validate them, and store them on the server safely.
How File Uploads Work in PHP
When a user submits a file through an HTML form:
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The file is sent to the server via HTTP POST.
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PHP stores it temporarily in a temporary directory.
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You can move it to a permanent location using
move_uploaded_file().
PHP uses the $_FILES superglobal array to access uploaded files. This array contains information like:
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name– original filename -
type– MIME type of the file -
tmp_name– temporary file path -
error– error code -
size– file size in bytes
Creating a File Upload Form
First, you need an HTML form with enctype="multipart/form-data".
<form action="upload.php" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
Select file to upload:
<input type="file" name="profile_pic"><br><br>
<input type="submit" value="Upload File" name="submit">
</form>
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The
enctypeattribute is required for file uploads. -
The
nameattribute of the input is used to access the file in PHP.
Handling File Upload in PHP
In upload.php, you can process the uploaded file.
<?php
if(isset($_POST['submit'])) {
$fileName = $_FILES['profile_pic']['name'];
$fileTmp = $_FILES['profile_pic']['tmp_name'];
$uploadDir = "uploads/";
if(move_uploaded_file($fileTmp, $uploadDir . $fileName)) {
echo "File uploaded successfully: " . $fileName;
} else {
echo "Failed to upload file.";
}
}
?>
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move_uploaded_file()moves the file from the temporary directory to a permanent location. -
Vrinda can now upload her profile picture and store it in the
uploadsfolder.
Validating Uploaded Files
It is important to validate files to prevent security risks.
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Check file size
if($_FILES['profile_pic']['size'] > 1048576) { // 1 MB
die("File is too large!");
}
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Check file type
$allowedTypes = ['image/jpeg', 'image/png'];
if(!in_array($_FILES['profile_pic']['type'], $allowedTypes)) {
die("Only JPEG or PNG files are allowed.");
}
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Rename files to avoid conflicts
$newName = time() . "_" . $_FILES['profile_pic']['name'];
move_uploaded_file($_FILES['profile_pic']['tmp_name'], "uploads/" . $newName);
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Using
time()ensures that each file has a unique name. -
Ananya can now upload multiple files without overwriting previous ones.
Creating the Upload Directory
Make sure the uploads directory exists and has proper permissions.
<?php
if(!is_dir("uploads")) {
mkdir("uploads", 0755, true);
}
?>
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0755gives read/write/execute permissions to the owner and read/execute permissions to others. -
This ensures Riya’s uploads are stored safely.
Handling Upload Errors
PHP provides error codes in $_FILES['profile_pic']['error'].
| Error Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 0 | No error, file uploaded successfully |
| 1 | File exceeds upload_max_filesize in php.ini |
| 2 | File exceeds MAX_FILE_SIZE in HTML form |
| 3 | File partially uploaded |
| 4 | No file was uploaded |
| 6 | Missing temporary folder |
| 7 | Failed to write file to disk |
| 8 | File upload stopped by PHP extension |
Example:
<?php
if($_FILES['profile_pic']['error'] !== 0) {
die("Error uploading file. Error code: " . $_FILES['profile_pic']['error']);
}
?>
Example: Multiple File Uploads
You can allow multiple files by using multiple in the form and looping through $_FILES.
<form action="upload_multiple.php" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
Select files to upload:
<input type="file" name="files[]" multiple><br><br>
<input type="submit" value="Upload Files">
</form>
<?php
if(isset($_FILES['files'])) {
foreach($_FILES['files']['tmp_name'] as $key => $tmpName) {
$fileName = $_FILES['files']['name'][$key];
move_uploaded_file($tmpName, "uploads/" . $fileName);
echo "Uploaded: " . $fileName . "<br>";
}
}
?>
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Vrinda can now upload several images at once.
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Each file is moved to the
uploadsdirectory safely.
Best Practices for File Uploads
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Validate file type and size to prevent malicious uploads.
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Rename uploaded files to avoid conflicts and security issues.
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Store files outside the web root if they are sensitive.
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Set correct permissions on upload directories.
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Check PHP configuration (
upload_max_filesizeandpost_max_size) to allow larger files. -
Handle errors gracefully to provide user-friendly messages.
Summary of the Tutorial
PHP makes file uploading straightforward and flexible. You learned how to:
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Create an HTML form for file uploads
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Access uploaded files via
$_FILES -
Move files from temporary to permanent directories using
move_uploaded_file() -
Validate file size and type
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Rename files to prevent overwriting
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Handle upload errors
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Upload multiple files safely
Using these techniques, Vrinda, Ananya, and Riya can create dynamic applications like profile uploads, content management systems, and media galleries, while keeping the server secure.
Practice Questions
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Create an HTML form to upload a single file and process it in PHP, saving it in an
uploadsfolder. -
Validate the uploaded file to allow only JPEG and PNG images.
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Limit the uploaded file size to 1 MB and display an error if exceeded.
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Rename the uploaded file using
time()to avoid overwriting existing files. -
Check if the
uploadsdirectory exists and create it if it doesn’t. -
Handle file upload errors using
$_FILES['file']['error']and display appropriate messages. -
Create a form that allows uploading multiple files and save each file in the
uploadsfolder. -
Display a confirmation message listing all successfully uploaded files.
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Restrict users from uploading executable files for security purposes.
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Log each uploaded file’s name and upload time into a text file named
upload_log.txt.
PHP
PHP Basics
PHP Data
Control Flow
PHP Functions
PHP Arrays
PHP Forms
PHP Advanced
-
PHP Date and Time
-
PHP Include
-
PHP File Handling
-
PHP File Open/Read
-
PHP File Create/Write
-
PHP File Upload
Cookies & Sessions
Filters & JSON
PHP Exceptions
PHP OOP
-
PHP OOPs
-
PHP Classes/Objects
-
PHP Constructor
-
PHP Destructor
-
PHP Access Modifiers
-
PHP Inheritance
-
PHP Constants
-
PHP Abstract Classes
-
PHP Interfaces
-
PHP Traits
-
PHP Static Methods
-
PHP Static Properties
-
PHP Namespaces
-
PHP Iterables
MySQL with PHP
-
MySQL Database
-
MySQL Connect
-
MySQL Create DB
-
MySQL Create Table
-
MySQL Insert Data
-
MySQL Get Last ID
-
MySQL Insert Multiple
-
MySQL Prepared
-
MySQL Select Data
-
MySQL Where
-
MySQL Order By
-
MySQL Update Data
-
MySQL Delete Data
-
MySQL Limit Data
PHP and XML
AJAX with PHP
