Play framework - uploading file in mySql

Question

what is the simplest way to upload a file in mySql db in play 2.0 ?

Answer 1

Another way, you can store reference to photo in database.

In view:

<form action="@routes.Application.index" method="POST" enctype="multipart/form-data">
           Photo<input type="file" name="photo"> <br>
             <input type="submit" value="Submit">    
</form>

In controller:

MultipartFormData body = request().body().asMultipartFormData();
            FilePart photo = body.getFile("photo");
            if (photo != null) {
                String fileName = photo.getFilename();
                File file = photo.getFile();
                File newFile = new File(play.Play.application().path().toString() + "//public//uploads//"+ "_" + fileName);
                file.renameTo(newFile); //here you are moving photo to new directory          
                System.out.println(newFile.getPath()); //this path you can store in database
            }
}

Answer 2

Uploading files in the database or in a upload folder and then save a link in the database?

I would go for saving the reference in the database and uploading the image somewhere on your webserver. Or, if you persist on saving the image in the DB, save it as a thumb, this wil keep you database size maintainable and your db size acceptable. DBs are in my opinion for data and not assets like images.

Uploading files is documented: http://www.playframework.org/documentation/2.0/JavaFileUpload

How I did it:

View

In the view, make sure you have the correct enctype (this one is based on the twitter bootstrap)

@helper.form(controllers.orders.routes.Task.save, 'class -> "form-horizontal", 'enctype -> "multipart/form-data")

The file input:

@inputFile(taskForm("file1"), '_display -> "Attachment", '_label -> Messages("file"))

In your controller

// first i get the id of the task where I want to attach my files to
MultipartFormData body = request().body().asMultipartFormData();
List<FilePart> resourceFiles = body.getFiles();

Then iterate trough the attachments and upload them to the upload folder:

for (int i = 0; i < resourceFiles.size(); i++) {
    FilePart picture = body.getFile(resourceFiles.get(i).getKey());
    String fileName = picture.getFilename();
    File file = picture.getFile();

    File destinationFile = new File(play.Play.application().path().toString() + "//public//uploads//"
        + newTask.getCode() + "//" + i + "_" + fileName);
    System.out.println(play.Play.application().path());
    System.out.println(file.getAbsolutePath());

    try {
    FileUtils.copyFile(file, destinationFile);

    TaskDocument taskDocument = new TaskDocument(newTask.description, "/assets/uploads/"
        + newTask.getCode() + "/" + i + "_" + fileName, loggedInUsr, newTask);
    taskDocument.save();
    } catch (IOException e) {
    // TODO Auto-generated catch block
    e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

Result

The code above result in creating a folder and placing the files in that folder. Example:

Folder: T000345

• 0_orange.png
• 1_apple.png
• 2_pear.png

EDIT : 2012-06-23

If you receive the error about the commons package you have to include this in the file Build.scala:

val appDependencies = Seq(
// Add your project dependencies here,
"mysql" % "mysql-connector-java" % "5.1.18",
"org.specs2" %% "specs2" % "1.9" % "test",
"commons-io" % "commons-io" % "2.2") // at least this one must be present!