Multiple File Uploads Gmail Style using JQuery and ASPNet

This has been asked several times in ASP.Net forums about how to upload multiple files AJAX style along with progress bar similar to the Google’s GMAIL

And the answer is Uploadify plugin for JQuery which does the same in few simple steps. In this article I’ll explain the same.

Step 1

Download the Uploadify JQuery plugin and the JQuery Library using the links below.

Download JQuery

Download Uploadify

Once downloaded you’ll need to place the below four files

1. jquery-1.3.2.min.js

2. jquery.uploadify.js

3. uploader.fla

4. uploader.swf

in a folder called scripts in the root folder of your ASP.Net website application

Step 2

Start Visual Studio, create a new website and do as done below

Inherit the following files you downloaded earlier in the head section of the aspx or the master page

Add an ASP.Net FileUpload Control to the form tag

<asp:FileUpload ID="FileUpload1" runat="server" />

</div>

</form>

Place the following script in the head section or the ContentPlaceHolder in case you are using Master Pages

$(window).load(

function() {

$("#<%=FileUpload1.ClientID %>").fileUpload({

'uploader': 'scripts/uploader.swf',

'cancelImg': 'images/cancel.png',

'buttonText': 'Browse Files',

'script': 'Upload.ashx',

'folder': 'uploads',

'fileDesc': 'Image Files',

'fileExt': '*.jpg;*.jpeg;*.gif;*.png',

'multi': true,

'auto': true

});

}

);

</script>

As you can see we need to specify some settings along with the FileUpload control. The complete list of settings and their description is available here

Important setting to point out is 'script': 'Upload.ashx' which will handle the FileUpload and save the uploaded files on to the disk.

Below is the code for the Upload.ashx file

<%@ WebHandler Language="C#" Class="Upload" %>

using System;

using System.Web;

using System.IO;

public class Upload : IHttpHandler {

public void ProcessRequest (HttpContext context) {

context.Response.ContentType = "text/plain";

context.Response.Expires = -1;

try

{

HttpPostedFile postedFile = context.Request.Files["Filedata"];

string savepath = "";

string tempPath = "";

tempPath = System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["FolderPath"];

savepath = context.Server.MapPath(tempPath);

string filename = postedFile.FileName;

if (!Directory.Exists(savepath))

Directory.CreateDirectory(savepath);

postedFile.SaveAs(savepath + @"\" + filename);

context.Response.Write(tempPath + "/" + filename);

context.Response.StatusCode = 200;

}

catch (Exception ex)

{

context.Response.Write("Error: " + ex.Message);

}

public bool IsReusable {

get {

return false;

}

VB.Net

<%@ WebHandler Language="VB" Class="UploadVB" %>

Imports System

Imports System.Web

Imports System.IO

Public Class UploadVB : Implements IHttpHandler

Public Sub ProcessRequest(ByVal context As HttpContext) Implements IHttpHandler.ProcessRequest

Dim postedFile As HttpPostedFile = context.Request.Files("Filedata")

Dim savepath As String = ""

Dim tempPath As String = ""

tempPath = System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings("FolderPath")

savepath = context.Server.MapPath(tempPath)

Dim filename As String = postedFile.FileName

If Not Directory.Exists(savepath) Then

Directory.CreateDirectory(savepath)

End If

postedFile.SaveAs((savepath & "\") + filename)

context.Response.Write((tempPath & "/") + filename)

context.Response.StatusCode = 200

End Sub

Public ReadOnly Property IsReusable() As Boolean Implements IHttpHandler.IsReusable

Get

Return False

End Get

End Property

End Class

As you will notice that the handler simply accepts the posted files and saves the file in folder called uploads inside the website root directory whose path is placed in an AppSettings key in the Web.Config file Refer below

</appSettings >

That’s all you need to do now run the application and you’ll notice your website running

Browsing the File

Uploading Multiple Files like GMAIL in ASP.Net with AJAX and progressbar

Selecting Multiple Files Simultaneously

Selecting Multiple files in single browse ASP.Net

Uploading Multiple Files with upload progress

You might have noticed that the files are auto uploaded once browsed if you do not want this feature you can simply set the 'auto' settings to false. But in that case you’ll need to provide a trigger the uploading of files on user interaction by placing an Upload button

First you’ll need to set the Auto Upload setting to false refer the bold part

$(window).load(

function() {

$("#<%=FileUpload1.ClientID%>").fileUpload({

'uploader': 'scripts/uploader.swf',

'cancelImg': 'images/cancel.png',

'buttonText': 'Browse Files',

'script': 'Upload.ashx',

'folder': 'uploads',

'fileDesc': 'Image Files',

'fileExt': '*.jpg;*.jpeg;*.gif;*.png',

'multi': true,

'auto': false

});

}

);

</script>

Then add the following link that will trigger the upload

<a href="javascript:$('#<%=FileUpload1.ClientID%>').fileUploadStart()">Start Upload</a>

That’s it now until user clicks the above link uploading of files won’t take place. Now since the upload is triggered by user it would be great to give him an additional link to clear the browsed files in one go

<a href="javascript:$('#<%=FileUpload1.ClientID%>').fileUploadClearQueue()">Clear</a>

The above code has been tested in the following browsers

Internet Explorer FireFox Chrome Safari Opera