drag drop files into standard html file input

Question

These days we can drag & drop files into a special container and upload them with XHR 2. Many at a time. With live progress bars etc. Very cool stuff. Example here.

But sometimes we don't want that much coolness. What I'd like is to drag & drop files -- many at a time -- into a standard HTML file input: <input type=file multiple>.

Is that possible? Is there some way to 'fill' the file input with the right filenames (?) from the file drop? (Full filepaths aren't available for file system security reasons.)

Why? Because I'd like to submit a normal form. For all browsers and all devices. The drag & drop is just progressive enhancement to enhance & simplify UX. The standard form with standard file input (+ multiple attribute) will be there. I'd like to add the HTML5 enhancement.

edit
I know in some browsers you can sometimes (almost always) drop files into the file input itself. I know Chrome usually does this, but sometimes it fails and then loads the file in the current page (a big fail if you're filling out a form). I want to fool- & browserproof it.

Prepare for some pain if you want to include mac/safari in your compatibilities. — Shark8, Commented Nov 10, 2011 at 19:37
@Shark8 actually Safari/Mac is one of the few browsers already supporting this. — Ricardo Tomasi, Commented Nov 14, 2011 at 7:28
Actually, none of the browsers support this. The file input field is read-only (for security) and that's the problem. Stupid security! — Rudie, Commented Nov 15, 2011 at 13:21
By this i meant "drag & drop files -- many at a time -- into a standard HTML file input". — Ricardo Tomasi, Commented Nov 15, 2011 at 22:01
drag/drop multiple files to input type="file" multiple works fine in Safari — Lloyd, Commented Nov 28, 2011 at 12:03

Jacob van Lingen · Accepted Answer · 2020-03-12 10:24:32Z

178

The following works in Chrome and FF, but i've yet to find a solution that covers IE10+ as well:

// dragover and dragenter events need to have 'preventDefault' called
// in order for the 'drop' event to register. 
// See: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/Guide/HTML/Drag_operations#droptargets
dropContainer.ondragover = dropContainer.ondragenter = function(evt) {
  evt.preventDefault();
};

dropContainer.ondrop = function(evt) {
  // pretty simple -- but not for IE :(
  fileInput.files = evt.dataTransfer.files;

  // If you want to use some of the dropped files
  const dT = new DataTransfer();
  dT.items.add(evt.dataTransfer.files[0]);
  dT.items.add(evt.dataTransfer.files[3]);
  fileInput.files = dT.files;

  evt.preventDefault();
};

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<div id="dropContainer" style="border:1px solid black;height:100px;">
   Drop Here
</div>
  Should update here:
  <input type="file" id="fileInput" />
</body>
</html>

You'll probably want to use addEventListener or jQuery (etc.) to register your evt handlers - this is just for brevity's sake.

edited Mar 12, 2020 at 10:24

Jacob van Lingen

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answered Aug 16, 2016 at 7:29

jlb

20k8 gold badges38 silver badges66 bronze badges

6

Waaaaaaaat! That works!? That's exactly what I was looking for. Didn't work 2 years ago. Awesome! Of course it doesn't work in IE =) The important question: is there reliable feature detection?, so you can hide the dropzone in IE, bc it won't work.
– Rudie
Commented Aug 17, 2016 at 9:57
2

This example doesn't work on firefox 45 on linux, but it works for me on chrome. I don't get any console errors, it simply doesn't show that any file was dropped.
– Bryan Oakley
Commented Feb 1, 2017 at 15:19
2

Thanks, works! I've created working link jsfiddle.net/abratashov/n42ohkr3/2
– Oleksandr Bratashov
Commented Jun 23, 2021 at 11:30
3

@SashaB. no, the fiddle doesn't work in Firefox 91.0.2, Win10. Opens the image instead in the tab.
– Fanky
Commented Sep 1, 2021 at 13:22
2

It throw an Error: { "message": "Uncaught TypeError: Failed to execute 'add' on 'DataTransferItemList': parameter 1 is not of type 'File'.", "filename": "stacksnippets.net/js", "lineno": 35, "colno": 12 }
– Caleb Liu
Commented Jul 6, 2022 at 12:12

| Show 9 more comments

Richard Parnaby-King · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-01 08:52:36Z

I made a solution for this.

$(function () {
    var dropZoneId = "drop-zone";
    var buttonId = "clickHere";
    var mouseOverClass = "mouse-over";

    var dropZone = $("#" + dropZoneId);
    var ooleft = dropZone.offset().left;
    var ooright = dropZone.outerWidth() + ooleft;
    var ootop = dropZone.offset().top;
    var oobottom = dropZone.outerHeight() + ootop;
    var inputFile = dropZone.find("input");
    document.getElementById(dropZoneId).addEventListener("dragover", function (e) {
        e.preventDefault();
        e.stopPropagation();
        dropZone.addClass(mouseOverClass);
        var x = e.pageX;
        var y = e.pageY;

        if (!(x < ooleft || x > ooright || y < ootop || y > oobottom)) {
            inputFile.offset({ top: y - 15, left: x - 100 });
        } else {
            inputFile.offset({ top: -400, left: -400 });
        }

    }, true);

    if (buttonId != "") {
        var clickZone = $("#" + buttonId);

        var oleft = clickZone.offset().left;
        var oright = clickZone.outerWidth() + oleft;
        var otop = clickZone.offset().top;
        var obottom = clickZone.outerHeight() + otop;

        $("#" + buttonId).mousemove(function (e) {
            var x = e.pageX;
            var y = e.pageY;
            if (!(x < oleft || x > oright || y < otop || y > obottom)) {
                inputFile.offset({ top: y - 15, left: x - 160 });
            } else {
                inputFile.offset({ top: -400, left: -400 });
            }
        });
    }

    document.getElementById(dropZoneId).addEventListener("drop", function (e) {
        $("#" + dropZoneId).removeClass(mouseOverClass);
    }, true);

})

#drop-zone {
    /*Sort of important*/
    width: 300px;
    /*Sort of important*/
    height: 200px;
    position:absolute;
    left:50%;
    top:100px;
    margin-left:-150px;
    border: 2px dashed rgba(0,0,0,.3);
    border-radius: 20px;
    font-family: Arial;
    text-align: center;
    position: relative;
    line-height: 180px;
    font-size: 20px;
    color: rgba(0,0,0,.3);
}

    #drop-zone input {
        /*Important*/
        position: absolute;
        /*Important*/
        cursor: pointer;
        left: 0px;
        top: 0px;
        /*Important This is only comment out for demonstration purposes.
        opacity:0; */
    }

    /*Important*/
    #drop-zone.mouse-over {
        border: 2px dashed rgba(0,0,0,.5);
        color: rgba(0,0,0,.5);
    }


/*If you dont want the button*/
#clickHere {
    position: absolute;
    cursor: pointer;
    left: 50%;
    top: 50%;
    margin-left: -50px;
    margin-top: 20px;
    line-height: 26px;
    color: white;
    font-size: 12px;
    width: 100px;
    height: 26px;
    border-radius: 4px;
    background-color: #3b85c3;

}

    #clickHere:hover {
        background-color: #4499DD;

    }

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<div id="drop-zone">
    Drop files here...
    <div id="clickHere">
        or click here..
        <input type="file" name="file" id="file" />
    </div>
</div>

The Drag and Drop functionality for this method only works with Chrome, Firefox and Safari. (Don't know if it works with IE10), but for other browsers, the "Or click here" button works fine.

The input field simply follow your mouse when dragging a file over an area, and I've added a button as well..

Uncomment opacity:0; the file input is only visible so you can see what's going on.

That's why i added a button aswell^^ But yah your'e right. I wouln't use it eather... Or would i !? — BjarkeCK, Commented Oct 3, 2012 at 18:23
I wish I knew how that is supposed to work... it seems all the drag/drop functions have to deal with adding the hover effect... but I really can't tell. Looks good in the fiddle, but I don't think I can use it since I need to support Internet Explorer — nmz787, Commented Apr 2, 2015 at 0:13
@PiotrKowalski I think that would potentially trigger a recursive call until the call stack overflows — John, Commented Sep 28, 2016 at 12:08
I ended up using the style only. Making the input 100% width and height worked better than moving it around. — Eddie, Commented Mar 28, 2017 at 4:35
Is there a way to get rid of the "no file chosen" which keeps hovering along with our mouse pointer? @BjarkeCK — Abhishek Singh, Commented Dec 24, 2018 at 16:15

connexo · Accepted Answer · 2024-11-05 13:41:16Z

39

For a native solution without any JS:

.file-area {
  width: 100%;
  position: relative;
  font-size: 18px;
}

.file-area input[type=file] {
  position: absolute;
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  top: 0;
  left: 0;
  right: 0;
  bottom: 0;
  opacity: 0;
  cursor: pointer;
}

.file-area .file-dummy {
  width: 100%;
  padding: 50px 30px;
  border: 2px dashed #ccc;
  background-color: #fff;
  text-align: center;
  transition: background 0.3s ease-in-out;
}

.file-area .file-dummy .success {
  display: none;
}

.file-area:hover .file-dummy {
  border: 2px dashed #1abc9c;
}

.file-area input[type=file]:valid+.file-dummy {
  border-color: #1abc9c;
}

.file-area input[type=file]:valid+.file-dummy .success {
  display: inline-block;
}

.file-area input[type=file]:valid+.file-dummy .default {
  display: none;
}

<div class="file-area">
  <input type="file">
  <div class="file-dummy">
    <span class="default">Click to select a file, or drag it here</span>
    <span class="success">Great, your file is selected</span>
  </div>
</div>

Adapted from https://codepen.io/Scribblerockerz/pen/qdWzJw

edited Nov 5, 2024 at 13:41

connexo

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answered Jul 22, 2017 at 0:28

Jonathan

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2

For me, this is the coolest solution, No JS. Thanks for adding it here. I never knew the <input type="file"> support this drag option natively!
– Wajahath
Commented May 23, 2021 at 5:59
2

Cool, only it seems input is :valid even when no file selected (FF)
– Fanky
Commented Sep 1, 2021 at 13:33
2

Oh it works when the input has required attribute. But I don't want the input required :)
– Fanky
Commented Sep 2, 2021 at 7:44
1

Finaly replacing with .file-area input[type=file]:not([value=""]) + ... but adding jQuery( 'input[type=file]' ).change( function( e ) { this.defaultValue = this.value;} ); because DOM value attribute doesn't update otherwise. So not pure-css anymore.
– Fanky
Commented Sep 2, 2021 at 8:16
Doesn't work in Safari / MacOS.
– connexo
Commented Nov 5, 2024 at 13:41

Add a comment |

William Entriken · Accepted Answer · 2017-11-28 23:11:40Z

35

This is the "DTHML" HTML5 way to do it. Normal form input (which IS read only as Ricardo Tomasi pointed out). Then if a file is dragged in, it is attached to the form. This WILL require modification to the action page to accept the file uploaded this way.

function readfiles(files) {
  for (var i = 0; i < files.length; i++) {
    document.getElementById('fileDragName').value = files[i].name
    document.getElementById('fileDragSize').value = files[i].size
    document.getElementById('fileDragType').value = files[i].type
    reader = new FileReader();
    reader.onload = function(event) {
      document.getElementById('fileDragData').value = event.target.result;}
    reader.readAsDataURL(files[i]);
  }
}
var holder = document.getElementById('holder');
holder.ondragover = function () { this.className = 'hover'; return false; };
holder.ondragend = function () { this.className = ''; return false; };
holder.ondrop = function (e) {
  this.className = '';
  e.preventDefault();
  readfiles(e.dataTransfer.files);
}

#holder.hover { border: 10px dashed #0c0 !important; }

<form method="post" action="http://example.com/">
  <input type="file"><input id="fileDragName"><input id="fileDragSize"><input id="fileDragType"><input id="fileDragData">
  <div id="holder" style="width:200px; height:200px; border: 10px dashed #ccc"></div>
</form>

It is even more boss if you can make the whole window a drop zone, see How do I detect a HTML5 drag event entering and leaving the window, like Gmail does?

edited Nov 28, 2017 at 23:11

answered Apr 8, 2013 at 13:46

William Entriken

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2

Good solution yet it does not work on IE < 10 because IE 9 and less does not support HTML5 files API :(
– Develoger
Commented Dec 8, 2013 at 2:04
1

This line: document.getElementById('fileDragData').value = files[i].slice(); is not needed, because it is superseded in the reader.onload function
– kurdtpage
Commented Feb 15, 2016 at 0:30
Here is another cute drag and drop application that does NOT involve file uploads. Linking just in case somebody wants to study more. codepen.io/anon/pen/MOPvZK?editors=1010
– William Entriken
Commented Nov 29, 2017 at 0:05
1

The IE 10 solution is to degrade and only show the input type=file
– William Entriken
Commented Nov 29, 2017 at 0:07
Am I missing something, or do you just constantly overwrite the .value property with the most recent file, every time you iterate through the fore loop?
– Kevin Burke
Commented Jan 4, 2018 at 4:28

| Show 2 more comments

Dipak · Accepted Answer · 2019-11-19 12:48:08Z

//----------App.js---------------------//
$(document).ready(function() {
    var holder = document.getElementById('holder');
    holder.ondragover = function () { this.className = 'hover'; return false; };
    holder.ondrop = function (e) {
      this.className = 'hidden';
      e.preventDefault();
      var file = e.dataTransfer.files[0];
      var reader = new FileReader();
      reader.onload = function (event) {
          document.getElementById('image_droped').className='visible'
          $('#image_droped').attr('src', event.target.result);
      }
      reader.readAsDataURL(file);
    };
});

.holder_default {
    width:500px; 
    height:150px; 
    border: 3px dashed #ccc;
}

#holder.hover { 
    width:400px; 
    height:150px; 
    border: 3px dashed #0c0 !important; 
}

.hidden {
    visibility: hidden;
}

.visible {
    visibility: visible;
}

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>
    <head>
        <title> HTML 5 </title>
        <script type="text/javascript" src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.6.4/jquery.js"></script>
    </head>
    <body>
      <form method="post" action="http://example.com/">
        <div id="holder" style="" id="holder" class="holder_default">
          <img src="" id="image_droped" width="200" style="border: 3px dashed #7A97FC;" class=" hidden"/>
        </div>
      </form>
    </body>
</html>

What does it show the user? Can you make a fiddle or online example? — Rudie, Commented Jul 1, 2014 at 22:08
@Rudie please click run code snippet and drag-n-drop one image to view, it will show the preview of image dropped. — Dipak, Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 14:22

Lionel Yeo · Accepted Answer · 2019-01-26 05:27:41Z

This is what I came out with.

Using Jquery and Html. This will add it to the insert files.

var dropzone = $('#dropzone')


dropzone.on('drag dragstart dragend dragover dragenter dragleave drop', function(e) {
    e.preventDefault();
    e.stopPropagation();
  })

dropzone.on('dragover dragenter', function() {
    $(this).addClass('is-dragover');
  })
dropzone.on('dragleave dragend drop', function() {
    $(this).removeClass('is-dragover');
  })  
  
dropzone.on('drop',function(e) {
	var files = e.originalEvent.dataTransfer.files;
	// Now select your file upload field 
	// $('input_field_file').prop('files',files)
  });

input {	margin: 15px 10px !important;}

.dropzone {
	padding: 50px;
	border: 2px dashed #060;
}

.dropzone.is-dragover {
  background-color: #e6ecef;
}

.dragover {
	bg-color: red;
}

<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.12.4/jquery.min.js"></script>
<div class="" draggable='true' style='padding: 20px'>
	<div id='dropzone' class='dropzone'>
		Drop Your File Here
	</div>
	</div>

GIA · Accepted Answer · 2022-04-05 18:21:17Z

Easy and simple. You don't need create a new FormData or do an Ajax to send image. You can put dragged files in your input field.

osx users: maybe in osx you need unmaximize your browser to drag files. why? idk.

$dropzone.ondrop = function (e) {
    e.preventDefault();
    input.files = e.dataTransfer.files;
}

var $dropzone = document.querySelector('.dropzone');
var input = document.getElementById('file-upload');

$dropzone.ondragover = function (e) { 
  e.preventDefault(); 
  this.classList.add('dragover');
};
$dropzone.ondragleave = function (e) { 
    e.preventDefault();
    this.classList.remove('dragover');
};
$dropzone.ondrop = function (e) {
    e.preventDefault();
    this.classList.remove('dragover');
    input.files = e.dataTransfer.files;
}

.dropzone {
  padding: 10px;
  border: 1px dashed black;
}
.dropzone.dragover {
  background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, .3);
}

<div class="dropzone">Drop here</div>
<input type="file" id="file-upload" style="display:none;">

Ricardo Tomasi · Accepted Answer · 2011-11-14 07:26:35Z

6

In theory, you could add an element overlaying the <input/>, and then use it's drop event to capture the files (using the File API) and pass them to input files array.

Except that a file input is read-only. This is an old problem.

You can however, bypass the form control completely and upload via XHR (not sure about the support for that):

You could also use an element in the surrounding area to cancel the drop event in Chrome, and prevent the default behaviour of loading the file.

Dropping multiple files over the input already works in Safari and Firefox.

edited Nov 14, 2011 at 7:26

answered Nov 14, 2011 at 7:15

Ricardo Tomasi

35.3k2 gold badges57 silver badges66 bronze badges

6

Like I said in the question: I know XHR2 and I don't want to use it. I guess the iportant part: "the file input is read-only". That sucks... Cancelling the drop event isn't a bad idea! Not as good as I'd hoped, but probably the best. Dropping multiple files works in Chrome too btw. Chrome now also allows uploading directories. All very kewl and not helping my case =(
– Rudie
Commented Nov 15, 2011 at 13:02

Add a comment |

Mike Doe · Accepted Answer · 2019-06-19 08:16:06Z

5

I know some trick works in Chrome:

When dropping files into drop zone you get a dataTransfer.files object, that is a FileList type of object, that contains all the files you dragged. Meanwhile, <input type="file" /> element has the property files, that is the same FileList type object.

So, you can simply assign the dataTransfer.files object to the input.files property.

edited Jun 19, 2019 at 8:16

Mike Doe

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answered Feb 17, 2017 at 7:13

Timur Gilauri

9048 silver badges14 bronze badges

3

Yes, it does these days. Not a trick. Very intentional. Also very intentionally very restricted. You can't add files to the list, or mutate the list at all. Dragging and dropping can remember files, and add onto them, but input.files can't =(
– Rudie
Commented Feb 18, 2017 at 11:24

Add a comment |

Michael · Accepted Answer · 2018-07-08 18:38:27Z

For anyone who's looking to do this in 2018, I've got a much better and simpler solution then all the old stuff posted here. You can make a nice looking drag & drop box with just vanilla HTML, JavaScript and CSS.

(Only works in Chrome so far)

Let's start with the HTML.

<div>
<input type="file" name="file" id="file" class="file">
<span id="value"></span>
</div>

Then we'll get to the styling.

    .file {
        width: 400px;
        height: 50px;
        background: #171717;
        padding: 4px;
        border: 1px dashed #333;
        position: relative;
        cursor: pointer;
    }

    .file::before {
        content: '';
        position: absolute;
        background: #171717;
        font-size: 20px;
        top: 50%;
        left: 50%;
        transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
        width: 100%;
        height: 100%;
    }

    .file::after {
        content: 'Drag & Drop';
        position: absolute;
        color: #808080;
        font-size: 20px;
        top: 50%;
        left: 50%;
        transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
    }

After you've done this it already looks fine. But I imagine you'd like to see what file you actaully uploaded, so we're going to do some JavaScript. Remember that pfp-value span? That's where we'll print out the file name.

let file = document.getElementById('file');
file.addEventListener('change', function() {
    if(file && file.value) {
        let val = file.files[0].name;
        document.getElementById('value').innerHTML = "Selected" + val;
    }
});

And that's it.

I get a Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'addEventListener' of null when i use this code - under Chrome - does it not work in latest versions of Chrome? — Fight Fire With Fire, Commented Jul 16, 2018 at 22:08
It works fine for me in the latest version of Chrome. Make sure you use the right ID's — Michael, Commented Aug 1, 2018 at 0:45

Joel Hernandez · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-08 10:32:50Z

2

Few years later, I've built this library to do drop files into any HTML element.

You can use it like

const Droppable = require('droppable');

const droppable = new Droppable({
    element: document.querySelector('#my-droppable-element')
})

droppable.onFilesDropped((files) => {
    console.log('Files were dropped:', files);
});

// Clean up when you're done!
droppable.destroy();

answered Apr 8, 2018 at 10:32

Joel Hernandez

1,8874 gold badges18 silver badges27 bronze badges

1

how does one fetch the selected file later on when submitting the form?
– Nikhil VJ
Commented Jun 14, 2020 at 10:00

Add a comment |

Magnus · Accepted Answer · 2020-08-03 21:20:50Z

This is an improvement, bugfix, and modification of the example that William Entriken gave here. There were some issues with it. For example the normal button from <input type="file" /> didn't do anything (in case the user wanted to upload the file that way).

Notice: I am making a webapp that only I use, so this is only tested (and refined) for Firefox. I am sure though that this code is of value even if you develop for the crossbrowser situation.

function readFile(e) {
  var files;
  if (e.target.files) {
    files=e.target.files
  } else {
    files=e.dataTransfer.files
  }
  if (files.length==0) {
    alert('What you dropped is not a file.');
    return;
  }
  var file=files[0];
  document.getElementById('fileDragName').value = file.name
  document.getElementById('fileDragSize').value = file.size
  document.getElementById('fileDragType').value = file.type
  reader = new FileReader();
  reader.onload = function(e) {
    document.getElementById('fileDragData').value = e.target.result;
  }
  reader.readAsDataURL(file);
}
function getTheFile(e) {
  e.target.style.borderColor='#ccc';
  readFile(e);
}

<input type="file" onchange="readFile(event)">
<input id="fileDragName">
<input id="fileDragSize">
<input id="fileDragType">
<input id="fileDragData">
<div style="width:200px; height:200px; border: 10px dashed #ccc"
     ondragover="this.style.borderColor='#0c0';return false;"       
     ondragleave="this.style.borderColor='#ccc'"       
     ondrop="getTheFile(event); return false;"       
></div>

Mr_Green · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-29 06:52:01Z

Awesome work by @BjarkeCK. I made some modifications to his work, to use it as method in jquery:

$.fn.dropZone = function() {
  var buttonId = "clickHere";
  var mouseOverClass = "mouse-over";

  var dropZone = this[0];
  var $dropZone = $(dropZone);
  var ooleft = $dropZone.offset().left;
  var ooright = $dropZone.outerWidth() + ooleft;
  var ootop = $dropZone.offset().top;
  var oobottom = $dropZone.outerHeight() + ootop;
  var inputFile = $dropZone.find("input[type='file']");
  dropZone.addEventListener("dragleave", function() {
    this.classList.remove(mouseOverClass);
  });
  dropZone.addEventListener("dragover", function(e) {
    console.dir(e);
    e.preventDefault();
    e.stopPropagation();
    this.classList.add(mouseOverClass);
    var x = e.pageX;
    var y = e.pageY;

    if (!(x < ooleft || x > ooright || y < ootop || y > oobottom)) {
      inputFile.offset({
        top: y - 15,
        left: x - 100
      });
    } else {
      inputFile.offset({
        top: -400,
        left: -400
      });
    }

  }, true);
  dropZone.addEventListener("drop", function(e) {
    this.classList.remove(mouseOverClass);
  }, true);
}

$('#drop-zone').dropZone();

Working Fiddle

FYI: Fiddle link is broken.
– jimiayler
Commented Dec 20, 2018 at 21:37 — jimiayler, Commented Dec 20, 2018 at 21:37

Saeid · Accepted Answer · 2022-07-27 17:42:03Z

Just use it.(Html - Css ) ;)

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">    
<style>
    .upload-container {
        position: relative;
    }
    .upload-container input {
        border: 1px solid #92b0b3;
        background: #f1f1f1;
        outline: 2px dashed #92b0b3;
        outline-offset: -10px;
        padding: 100px 0px 100px 250px;
        text-align: center !important;
        width: 500px;
    }
    .upload-container input:hover {
        background: #ddd;
    }   
    .upload-container:before {
        position: absolute;
        bottom: 50px;
        left: 245px;
        content: " (or) Drag and Drop files here. ";
        color: #3f8188;
        font-weight: 900;
    }   
    .upload-btn {
        margin-left: 300px;
        padding: 7px 20px;
    }        
</style>
<script>
             
    function uploadFiles() {
        var files = document.getElementById('file_upload').files;
        if(files.length==0){
            alert("Please first choose or drop any file(s)...");
            return;
        }
        var filenames="";
        for(var i=0;i<files.length;i++){
            filenames+=files[i].name+"\n";
        }
    }
            
</script>
</head>
<body>
    <div class="upload-container">
        <input type="file" id="file_upload" multiple />
    </div>
    <br>
    <button class="upload-btn" onclick="uploadFiles()">Submit</button>  
</body>
</html>

Shark8 · Accepted Answer · 2011-11-11 02:09:40Z

-1

What you could do, is display a file-input and overlay it with your transparent drop-area, being careful to use a name like file[1]. {Be sure to have the enctype="multipart/form-data" inside your FORM tag.}

Then have the drop-area handle the extra files by dynamically creating more file inputs for files 2..number_of_files, be sure to use the same base name, populating the value-attribute appropriately.

Lastly (front-end) submit the form.

All that's required to handle this method is to alter your procedure to handle an array of files.

answered Nov 11, 2011 at 2:09

Shark8

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1

The file input has a multiple attribute these days. No need for more than 1 file input. That's not the issue though. How do I get the File objects into the file input? I'm thinking this requires some code example...
– Rudie
Commented Nov 11, 2011 at 22:44
1

@Rudie you can't, that's the problem.
– Ricardo Tomasi
Commented Nov 14, 2011 at 7:17
1

Can't what? Multiple? Yes, you can. I just said that. The multiple isn't the problem. The getting the files from a (dragged) File object into a file input, that's the problem.
– Rudie
Commented Nov 15, 2011 at 12:54
@Rudie getting dragged file(s) into a file input is possible with Chrome/FF (using the files property), but i haven't managed in IE - have you had any luck?
– jlb
Commented Aug 15, 2016 at 11:03
1

@jlb What do you mean "using the files property"? Could you make an answer with relevant code? What I was looking for doesn't work/exist in any browser.
– Rudie
Commented Aug 15, 2016 at 17:09

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