Uploading and reading csv file in Python

Question

I've got a program that reads and sorts information from a CSV file but I can't find out how to upload a file and either read it directly (which I don't think is possible) or upload it to a server.

Everything I try to Google either doesn't work or seems too ambiguous.

Has anyone got any idea how to upload the file from an HTML form so that I can read it in the program?

To read the file I'm using the csv module:

readerCTR = csv.reader(open("/home/ctrdata.csv", "rb"))

I'm using a really basic html form:

<form action="test" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
Upload file: <input type="file" name="myfile" /> <br />
         <input type="submit" name="submit" value="Submit" />
</form>

and I've been trying to use the tutorial on CGI at docs.python

form = cgi.FieldStorage()
fileitem = form["myfile"]
if fileitem.file:
    linecount = 0
    while 1:
        line = fileitem.file.readline()
        if not line: break
        linecount = linecount + 1

but I just get key errors.

KeyError: 'myfile'

It seems like it isn't getting passed through at all. If I check the debugger:

>>> form
FieldStorage(None, None, [])

None of this makes ANY sense to me. I've never had to upload files before. I do have a server that I could save it to if I need to, but it would be ideal if I could just read it and temporarily save the data.

Do you think it could be that I'm using Firefox and Linux?

Silly question, but do you have a closing </form> tag? If not, perhaps the browser is closing it automatically, so that the file input isn't contained in the form itself? — Daniel Roseman
– Daniel Roseman, Commented Nov 23, 2011 at 17:39
Sorry, yes the form does have a closing tag I was just in a rush to post it. I cannot figure out why I am getting this key error — RonnyKnoxville
– RonnyKnoxville, Commented Nov 24, 2011 at 9:04

RonnyKnoxville · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-09 10:09:58Z

1

The problem with this was that I was using Pylons, so it was almost ignoring the CGI.

So instead I should have been using:

request.POST['myfile'].value

answered Dec 9, 2011 at 10:09

RonnyKnoxville

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Aaron Digulla · Accepted Answer · 2011-11-24 09:27:11Z

0

That you get the error means the upload works - sort of: Your CGI script is called but there is something wrong with the parameters. Steps to debug this:

Print the form.keys() to sys.stdout. That should give you a list of keys so you can check for typos.
Check the version of your cgi module. The documentation says

and the latest addition is support for file uploads from a form

(my emphasis). Maybe your version is too old.

answered Nov 24, 2011 at 9:27

Aaron Digulla

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2 Comments

RonnyKnoxville Over a year ago

Im using Python 2.6 so I think thats what version the cgi will be. If I try TypeError: sys.stdout(form.keys()) I just get 'file' object is not callable which doesnt make sense as it works fine with print. Although if I do print it it shows FieldStorage(None, None, [])

Aaron Digulla Over a year ago

Sorry. Try print form.keys() or sys.stdout.**write**() :-)

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