PHP Multiple File Upload using Several Multiple File Inputs

Question

I have a basic script that allows a user to bulk upload products to a database. The first step is uploading a CSV file. Once the file is uploaded, the script displays a page that enables the user to review each product and add one or multiple photos to upload for each of the products.

I am using HTML similar to the following:

<input type="file" class="form-control" name="photos[]" id="photos" multiple>

This HTML input is displayed once per product, all within one HTML form.

When I receive the submission on the server side, it is consolidating all the product photos from all the HTML inputs into one array. The problem is, I do not know which photos belong to which products.

Is there any way to resolve this issue so that I can distinguish between the photos? Each product may have multiple photos, and I'd like to upload each set from its own select box.

user1864610 · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-17 00:19:47Z

4

Use a multidimensional array in your <input> names:

<input type="file" class="form-control" name="photos[productid][]" id="photos" multiple>

Where productid is the product ID for each product.

answered May 17, 2015 at 0:19

user1864610

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1 Comment

aequalsb Over a year ago

upvoted this as it was first answered. for additional details see my answer below showing an example of the resulting $_FILES array, note: "photos[id][]" works the same as "photos_*ID*[]" except you can extract the "productid" easier with "photos[id][]" simply by using the index key.

Elomar Adam · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-17 01:00:47Z

0

Like what they said above, use a multidimensional array.
The array will contain 2 arrays: [the ids][the images].
In HTML it will be something like this:

the loop you have {
<input type="file" name="photos[<?php echo $id ?>][<?php echo $i ?>]" class="form-control">
}

And this is how to receive the array:

<?php 
foreach ($_POST["photos"] as $id) {
    foreach ($id as $photo) {
        $sql[$id][$photo] = "INSERT INTO tableName (Photo, IDProduct) VALUES($photo, $id)";
    }
}
?>

This is only an example, there might be some mistakes in this sample but You have to do this with a multidimensional array and then use the foreach loop to get the data.
Good luck

answered May 17, 2015 at 1:00

Elomar Adam

2511 silver badge15 bronze badges

2 Comments

Isaac Y Over a year ago

Hi Elomar, this would work for a single file select but what about a multiple file select, multiple times throughout the form?

Elomar Adam Over a year ago

So you have products and for each product you can upload more than one image?

aequalsb · Accepted Answer · 2015-05-17 04:59:23Z

i am presuming your PHP script is generating the form based on the CSV entries.

by outputting some sort of unique identifier in the photos[] form array, you will be able to connect the photos to the relevant entry.

arbirtrary example:

<?php
$csv_entries = array( 'one', 'two', 'three' );
foreach( $csv_entries as $csv_unique_identifier ) : ?>
<input type="file" class="form-control" name="photos_<?php echo $csv_unique_identifier; ?>[]" id="photos" multiple>
<?php endforeach; ?>

EDIT: changed name="photos[$csv_unique_identifier]" to photos_$csv_unique_identifier[]"

if you print_r( $__FILES__ ) from your submitted form, you will get something like this (make sure to scroll all the way down to see the example completely):

Array
(
    [photos_one] => Array
        (
            [name] => Array
                (
                    [0] => one-2.txt
                    [1] => one-1.txt
                )

            [type] => Array
                (
                    [0] => text/plain
                    [1] => text/plain
                )

            [tmp_name] => Array
                (
                    [0] => /tmp/phpsXiiL3
                    [1] => /tmp/phpFW4ki3
                )

            [error] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 0
                    [1] => 0
                )

            [size] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 4
                    [1] => 4
                )

        )

    [photos_two] => Array
        (
            [name] => Array
                (
                    [0] => two-2.txt
                    [1] => two-1.txt
                )

            [type] => Array
                (
                    [0] => text/plain
                    [1] => text/plain
                )

            [tmp_name] => Array
                (
                    [0] => /tmp/phpgouoP2
                    [1] => /tmp/phpRfNsm2
                )

            [error] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 0
                    [1] => 0
                )

            [size] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 4
                    [1] => 4
                )

        )

    [photos_three] => Array
        (
            [name] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 
                )

            [type] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 
                )

            [tmp_name] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 
                )

            [error] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 4
                )

            [size] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 0
                )
        )
)

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