File updload in post form in VBS

Question

I want to automate via Visual Basic Script the uploading of files I have in an HTML form.

I am trying to make a post on an html form where I have to upload a file. I have managed to make the http call with this code:

    sFile = sFolder & "file.txt"
    sBoundary = "-ooo-"
    Set req = CreateObject("MSXML2.XMLHTTP")
    req.open "POST", SIGNurl, False
    req.setRequestHeader "Content-Type", "multipart/form-data; boundary=" + sBoundary 

    inByteArray = readBytes(sFile)
    base64Encoded = encodeBase64(inByteArray)

    request = request & sBoundary & vbCrLf
    request = request & "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=file; filename=" & sFile & vbCrLf
    request = request & "Content-Type: application/x-object" & vbCrLf
    request = request & base64Encoded & vbCrLf
    request = request & sBoundary & vbCrLf

    req.setRequestHeader "Content-Length", Len(request)
    req.send request
    WScript.Echo req.responseText
    Set req = Nothing

Private function readBytes(file)
  dim inStream
  ' ADODB stream object used
  set inStream = WScript.CreateObject("ADODB.Stream")
  ' open with no arguments makes the stream an empty container 
  inStream.Open
  inStream.type= 1
  inStream.LoadFromFile(file)
  readBytes = inStream.Read()
end function

Private function encodeBase64(bytes)
  dim DM, EL
  Set DM = CreateObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM")
  ' Create temporary node with Base64 data type
  Set EL = DM.createElement("tmp")
  EL.DataType = "bin.base64"
  ' Set bytes, get encoded String
  EL.NodeTypedValue = bytes
  encodeBase64 = EL.Text
end function

I am getting a 400 Server error saying "Missing file content in upload". I am not sure what i am missing but something there must be wrong.

Any help?

Answer 1

You are trying to upload binary file content as base64 encoded text, so it's necessary to specify the appropriate MIME header, here is the fixed snippet of your code:

    request = request & sBoundary & vbCrLf
    request = request & "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=file; filename=" & sFile & vbCrLf
    request = request & "Content-Type: application/x-object" & vbCrLf
    request = request & "Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf
    request = request & base64Encoded & vbCrLf
    request = request & sBoundary & vbCrLf

Also you can upload a binary content of the file, here is the simplest example:

strFilePath = "C:\Users\DELL\Desktop\gt.png"
UploadFile strFilePath, strUplStatus, strUplResponse
MsgBox strUplStatus & vbCrLf & strUplResponse

Sub UploadFile(strPath, strStatus, strResponse)

    Dim strFile, strExt, strContentType, strBoundary, bytData, bytPayLoad

    On Error Resume Next
    With CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
        If .FileExists(strPath) Then
            strFile = .GetFileName(strPath)
            strExt = .GetExtensionName(strPath)
        Else
            strStatus = "File not found"
            Exit Sub
        End IF
    End With
    With CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")
        .Add "php", "application/x-php"
        .Add "vbs", "application/x-vbs"
        .Add "jpe", "image/jpeg"
        .Add "jpg", "image/jpeg"
        .Add "jpeg", "image/jpeg"
        .Add "gif", "image/gif"
        .Add "png", "image/png"
        .Add "bmp", "image/bmp"
        .Add "ico", "image/x-icon"
        .Add "svg", "image/svg+xml"
        .Add "svgz", "image/svg+xml"
        .Add "tif", "image/tiff"
        .Add "tiff", "image/tiff"
        .Add "pct", "image/x-pict"
        .Add "psd", "image/vnd.adobe.photoshop"
        .Add "aac", "audio/x-aac"
        .Add "aif", "audio/x-aiff"
        .Add "flac", "audio/x-flac"
        .Add "m4a", "audio/x-m4a"
        .Add "m4b", "audio/x-m4b"
        .Add "mid", "audio/midi"
        .Add "midi", "audio/midi"
        .Add "mp3", "audio/mpeg"
        .Add "mpa", "audio/mpeg"
        .Add "mpc", "audio/x-musepack"
        .Add "oga", "audio/ogg"
        .Add "ogg", "audio/ogg"
        .Add "ra", "audio/vnd.rn-realaudio"
        .Add "ram", "audio/vnd.rn-realaudio"
        .Add "snd", "audio/x-snd"
        .Add "wav", "audio/x-wav"
        .Add "wma", "audio/x-ms-wma"
        .Add "avi", "video/x-msvideo"
        .Add "divx", "video/divx"
        .Add "flv", "video/x-flv"
        .Add "m4v", "video/mp4"
        .Add "mkv", "video/x-matroska"
        .Add "mov", "video/quicktime"
        .Add "mp4", "video/mp4"
        .Add "mpeg", "video/mpeg"
        .Add "mpg", "video/mpeg"
        .Add "ogm", "application/ogg"
        .Add "ogv", "video/ogg"
        .Add "rm", "application/vnd.rn-realmedia"
        .Add "rmvb", "application/vnd.rn-realmedia-vbr"
        .Add "smil", "application/x-smil"
        .Add "webm", "video/webm"
        .Add "wmv", "video/x-ms-wmv"
        .Add "xvid", "video/x-msvideo"
        .Add "js", "application/javascript"
        .Add "xml", "text/xml"
        .Add "html", "text/html"
        .Add "css", "text/css"
        .Add "txt", "text/plain"
        .Add "py", "text/x-python"
        .Add "pdf", "application/pdf"
        .Add "xhtml", "application/xhtml+xml"
        .Add "zip", "application/x-zip-compressed, application/zip"
        .Add "rar", "application/x-rar-compressed"
        .Add "cmd", "application/cmd"
        .Add "bat", "application/x-bat, application/x-msdos-program"
        .Add "exe", "application/exe, application/x-ms-dos-executable"
        .Add "msi", "application/x-msi"
        .Add "bin", "application/x-binary"
        .Add "crt", "application/x-x509-ca-cert"
        .Add "crl", "application/x-pkcs7-crl"
        .Add "pfx", "application/x-pkcs12"
        .Add "p12", "application/x-pkcs12"
        .Add "odc", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.chart"
        .Add "odf", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.formula"
        .Add "odb", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.database"
        .Add "odg", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.graphics"
        .Add "odi", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.image"
        .Add "odp", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.presentation"
        .Add "ods", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.spreadsheet"
        .Add "odt", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.tex"
        .Add "docx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document"
        .Add "dotx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.template"
        .Add "potx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.template"
        .Add "ppsx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.slideshow"
        .Add "pptx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation"
        .Add "xlsx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet"
        .Add "xltx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.template"
        .Add "ppam", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint.addin.macroEnabled.12"
        .Add "ppa", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint"
        .Add "potm", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint.template.macroEnabled.12"
        .Add "ppsm", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint.slideshow.macroEnabled.12"
        .Add "xlsm", "application/vnd.ms-excel.sheet.macroEnabled.12"
        .Add "pptm", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint.presentation.macroEnabled.12"
        .Add "dotm", "application/vnd.ms-word.template.macroEnabled.12"
        .Add "docm", "application/vnd.ms-word.document.macroEnabled.12"
        .Add "doc", "application/msword"
        .Add "dot", "application/msword"
        .Add "pps", "application/mspowerpoint"
        .Add "ppt", "application/mspowerpoint,application/powerpoint,application/vnd.ms-powerpoint,application/x-mspowerpoint"
        .Add "xls", "application/vnd.ms-excel"
        .Add "xlt", "application/vnd.ms-excel"

        strContentType = .Item(LCase(strExt))
    End With
    If strContentType = "" Then
        strStatus = "Invalid file type"
        Exit Sub
    End If
    With CreateObject("ADODB.Stream")
        .Type = 1
        .Mode = 3
        .Open
        .LoadFromFile strPath
        If Err.Number <> 0 Then
            strStatus = Err.Description & " (" & Err.Number & ")"
            Exit Sub
        End If
        bytData = .Read
    End With
    strBoundary = String(6, "-") & Replace(Mid(CreateObject("Scriptlet.TypeLib").Guid, 2, 36), "-", "")
    With CreateObject("ADODB.Stream")
        .Mode = 3
        .Charset = "Windows-1252"
        .Open
        .Type = 2
        .WriteText "--" & strBoundary & vbCrLf
        .WriteText "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""upload_file""; filename=""" & strFile & """" & vbCrLf
        .WriteText "Content-Type: """ & strContentType & """" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf
        .Position = 0
        .Type = 1
        .Position = .Size
        .Write bytData
        .Position = 0
        .Type = 2
        .Position = .Size
        .WriteText vbCrLf & "--" & strBoundary & "--"
        .Position = 0
        .Type = 1
        bytPayLoad = .Read
    End With
    With CreateObject("MSXML2.ServerXMLHTTP") 
        .SetTimeouts 0, 60000, 300000, 300000
        .Open "POST", "http://example.com/upload.php", False 
        .SetRequestHeader "Content-type", "multipart/form-data; boundary=" & strBoundary
        .Send bytPayLoad
        If Err.Number <> 0 Then
            strStatus = Err.Description & " (" & Err.Number & ")"
        Else
            strStatus = .StatusText & " (" & .Status & ")"
        End If
        If .Status = "200" Then strResponse = .ResponseText
    End With

End Sub

Answer 2

I know this is an old question, but I thought others might get some use out of my solution.

I needed to post multiple files as well as standard field data from vbscript and I couldn't find anything that did what I needed, so I took omegastripes answer and extended it to allow me to post arbitrary form data from vbscript.

' Class to post arbitrary File and Form data from vbscript using multipart/form-data
'
' Usage:
'
' Set oPost = new PostMultipartForm
' oPost.AddField "FIELDNAME", "FIELDVALUE"
' oPost.AddFile "FIELDNAME", "FILENAME", "FILEPATH"
' returnvalue = oPost.SendReq(URL)
' HTTPStatus = oPost.Status
'
'For example
' Set oPost = new PostMultipartForm
' oPost.AddField "testfield1", "testvalue1"
' oPost.AddField "testfield2", "testvalue2"
' oPost.AddFile "testwavfile", "testsound.wav", "C:\temp\MyTestSound.wav"
' oPost.AddFile "testpdffile", "testdoc.pdf", "C:\temp\MyTest.pdf"
' sReturn = oPost.SendReq("http://MyWebSite/MyPostHandler.asp")
' sHTTPStatus = oPost.Status


class PostMultipartForm

    Private MULTIPART_BOUNDARY_BASE
    Private MULTIPART_BOUNDARY

    Private oStream

    Public Status

'*********************************************************************************

    Private Sub Class_Initialize()

        MULTIPART_BOUNDARY_BASE = String(6, "-") & Replace(Mid(CreateObject("Scriptlet.TypeLib").Guid, 2, 36), "-", "")

        MULTIPART_BOUNDARY = "--" & MULTIPART_BOUNDARY_BASE

        ' TO combine Text and Binary file data, an ADODB Stream is used.
        Set oStream = CreateObject("ADODB.Stream")
        oStream.Mode = 3
        oStream.Charset = "Windows-1252"
        oStream.Open

    End Sub

'*********************************************************************************

    Sub AddField(sField, sValue)

        oStream.WriteText MULTIPART_BOUNDARY & vbCrLf _
            & "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""" & sField & """;" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf _
            & sValue & vbCrLf

    End Sub

'*********************************************************************************

    Sub AddFile(sFieldName, sFileName, sFilePath)
        Dim oByteArray

        ' ADODB stream object used to read binary file
        With CreateObject("ADODB.Stream")
            .Type = 1
            .Mode = 3
            .Open
            .LoadFromFile sFilePath
            oByteArray = .Read
        End With      

        'write binary data into output stream
        With oStream
            .WriteText MULTIPART_BOUNDARY & vbCrLf
            .WriteText "Content-Disposition: form-data; name=""" & sFieldName & """; filename=""" & sFileName & """" & vbCrLf
            .WriteText "Content-Type: """ & GetContentType(sFileName) & """" & vbCrLf & vbCrLf
            .Position = 0
            .Type = 1
            .Position = .Size
            .Write oByteArray
            .Position = 0
            .Type = 2
            .Position = .Size       
            .WriteText vbCrLf
        End With

    End Sub


'*********************************************************************************

    Function SendReq(sURL)
        dim oXmlHttp, bytData

        'Add end boundary and read as byte array
        oStream.WriteText MULTIPART_BOUNDARY & "--"
        oStream.Position = 0
        oStream.Type = 1
        bytData = oStream.Read

        On Error Resume Next

        set oXmlHttp = Createobject("MSXML2.ServerXMLHTTP")
        oXmlHttp.SetTimeouts 0, 60000, 300000, 300000
        oXmlHttp.Open "POST",sURL,false
        oXmlHttp.SetRequestHeader "Content-type", "multipart/form-data; boundary=" & MULTIPART_BOUNDARY_BASE

        oXmlHttp.Send bytData

        If Err.Number <> 0 Then
            Status = Err.Description & " (" & Err.Number & ")"
        Else
            Status = oXmlHttp.StatusText & " (" & oXmlHttp.Status & ")"
        End If
        If oXmlHttp.Status = "200" Then SendReq = oXmlHttp.ResponseText

        Set oXmlHttp = nothing

    End Function

'*********************************************************************************

    Private dContentTypes

    function GetContentType(sFileName)

        LoadContentTypesList()

        sContentType = dContentTypes.Item(LCase(strExt))

    end function

'*********************************************************************************

    function LoadContentTypesList()

        if TypeName(dContentTypes) = "Empty" Then

            set dContentTypes = CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")

            With dContentTypes
                .Add "php", "application/x-php"
                .Add "vbs", "application/x-vbs"
                .Add "jpe", "image/jpeg"
                .Add "jpg", "image/jpeg"
                .Add "jpeg", "image/jpeg"
                .Add "gif", "image/gif"
                .Add "png", "image/png"
                .Add "bmp", "image/bmp"
                .Add "ico", "image/x-icon"
                .Add "svg", "image/svg+xml"
                .Add "svgz", "image/svg+xml"
                .Add "tif", "image/tiff"
                .Add "tiff", "image/tiff"
                .Add "pct", "image/x-pict"
                .Add "psd", "image/vnd.adobe.photoshop"
                .Add "aac", "audio/x-aac"
                .Add "aif", "audio/x-aiff"
                .Add "flac", "audio/x-flac"
                .Add "m4a", "audio/x-m4a"
                .Add "m4b", "audio/x-m4b"
                .Add "mid", "audio/midi"
                .Add "midi", "audio/midi"
                .Add "mp3", "audio/mpeg"
                .Add "mpa", "audio/mpeg"
                .Add "mpc", "audio/x-musepack"
                .Add "oga", "audio/ogg"
                .Add "ogg", "audio/ogg"
                .Add "ra", "audio/vnd.rn-realaudio"
                .Add "ram", "audio/vnd.rn-realaudio"
                .Add "snd", "audio/x-snd"
                .Add "wav", "audio/x-wav"
                .Add "wma", "audio/x-ms-wma"
                .Add "avi", "video/x-msvideo"
                .Add "divx", "video/divx"
                .Add "flv", "video/x-flv"
                .Add "m4v", "video/mp4"
                .Add "mkv", "video/x-matroska"
                .Add "mov", "video/quicktime"
                .Add "mp4", "video/mp4"
                .Add "mpeg", "video/mpeg"
                .Add "mpg", "video/mpeg"
                .Add "ogm", "application/ogg"
                .Add "ogv", "video/ogg"
                .Add "rm", "application/vnd.rn-realmedia"
                .Add "rmvb", "application/vnd.rn-realmedia-vbr"
                .Add "smil", "application/x-smil"
                .Add "webm", "video/webm"
                .Add "wmv", "video/x-ms-wmv"
                .Add "xvid", "video/x-msvideo"
                .Add "js", "application/javascript"
                .Add "xml", "text/xml"
                .Add "html", "text/html"
                .Add "css", "text/css"
                .Add "txt", "text/plain"
                .Add "py", "text/x-python"
                .Add "pdf", "application/pdf"
                .Add "xhtml", "application/xhtml+xml"
                .Add "zip", "application/x-zip-compressed, application/zip"
                .Add "rar", "application/x-rar-compressed"
                .Add "cmd", "application/cmd"
                .Add "bat", "application/x-bat, application/x-msdos-program"
                .Add "exe", "application/exe, application/x-ms-dos-executable"
                .Add "msi", "application/x-msi"
                .Add "bin", "application/x-binary"
                .Add "crt", "application/x-x509-ca-cert"
                .Add "crl", "application/x-pkcs7-crl"
                .Add "pfx", "application/x-pkcs12"
                .Add "p12", "application/x-pkcs12"
                .Add "odc", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.chart"
                .Add "odf", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.formula"
                .Add "odb", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.database"
                .Add "odg", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.graphics"
                .Add "odi", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.image"
                .Add "odp", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.presentation"
                .Add "ods", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.spreadsheet"
                .Add "odt", "application/vnd.oasis.opendocument.tex"
                .Add "docx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document"
                .Add "dotx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.template"
                .Add "potx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.template"
                .Add "ppsx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.slideshow"
                .Add "pptx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.presentationml.presentation"
                .Add "xlsx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet"
                .Add "xltx", "application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.template"
                .Add "ppam", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint.addin.macroEnabled.12"
                .Add "ppa", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint"
                .Add "potm", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint.template.macroEnabled.12"
                .Add "ppsm", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint.slideshow.macroEnabled.12"
                .Add "xlsm", "application/vnd.ms-excel.sheet.macroEnabled.12"
                .Add "pptm", "application/vnd.ms-powerpoint.presentation.macroEnabled.12"
                .Add "dotm", "application/vnd.ms-word.template.macroEnabled.12"
                .Add "docm", "application/vnd.ms-word.document.macroEnabled.12"
                .Add "doc", "application/msword"
                .Add "dot", "application/msword"
                .Add "pps", "application/mspowerpoint"
                .Add "ppt", "application/mspowerpoint,application/powerpoint,application/vnd.ms-powerpoint,application/x-mspowerpoint"
                .Add "xls", "application/vnd.ms-excel"
                .Add "xlt", "application/vnd.ms-excel"

            End With
        End If

    end function

'*********************************************************************************

    Private Sub Class_Terminate

        oStream.Close

    End Sub


End Class