Reading local files from file path in javascript

Question

I have been struggling with reading local files from the file path in javascript. I have tried XMLHttpRequest to no avail.

function readFile(file) {
  var rawFile = new XMLHttpRequest();
  rawFile.open("GET", file, false);
  rawFile.onreadystatechange = function() {
    if (rawFile.readyState === 4) {
      if (rawFile.status === 200 || rawFile.status == 0) {
        var text = rawFile.responseText;
        document.write(text);
      }
    }
  }
  rawFile.send(null);
}

window.onload = function() {
  readFile("text.txt");
}

I have also tried FileReader but the way I understand it is that it doesn't read files from a string file path; or how can I create a File object to use in FileReader. I also don't want to use node fs module. Could anyone help out on the best and surest way to read local files from the file path? THANKS

Quentin · Accepted Answer · 2017-01-08 21:31:13Z

4

Security restrictions in most browsers make this impossible.

Webpages are not allowed to select files from the user's computer to make accessible to JavaScript. Only the user (e.g. via a file <input>) can do that.

answered Jan 8, 2017 at 21:31

Quentin

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7 Comments

CMM Over a year ago

ok thanks... is there a way I can create a File object or something of the sort without accessing local files to use in FileReader?

Quentin Over a year ago

If you don't want to access local files with it … what do you want to access with it?

CMM Over a year ago

I could let's say test FileReader using jasmine

Quentin Over a year ago

You'd probably need to mock the FileReader object entirely to do that.

CMM Over a year ago

how would I do that?

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