PHP Script to Store Uploaded Files in a Directory

Uploading files is a common function found across webpages and applications. Each day, countless images and files are uploaded on various platforms. Uploading content is an integral part of our internet usage.  After setting up file saving capabilities in PHP, the next step could be to integrate a Stripe payment gateway into your PHP application to handle transactions.

This guide offers a detailed tutorial on using PHP to upload files and store them in a web server directory.

Creating an HTML Form for File Upload

To begin, we need a basic HTML form with a single input field set to file type. The action attribute of the form must point to the PHP script file’s URL responsible for uploading the file. It’s equally crucial to add enctype=”multipart/form-data” property, which allows the form to handle file upload correctly. Failure to include this attribute will result in the files not being uploaded.

Here is an example of a simple HTML form for file uploading:

<form name="form" method="post" action="upload.php" enctype="multipart/form-data">
    <input type="file" name="my_file" /><br /><br />
    <input type="submit" name="submit" value="Upload"/>
</form>

Crafting a PHP Script for File Upload

Once the form is ready, we use PHP to handle the file upload. The PHP script first checks if a file has been uploaded; if it has, the script will upload the file to the specified directory. If the file already exists in the location, it prints an error message; otherwise, the file is successfully uploaded.

Here’s a simplified script to understand the basics of file upload with PHP:

if (($_FILES['my_file']['name']!="")){
// Where the file is going to be stored
	$target_dir = "upload/";
	$file = $_FILES['my_file']['name'];
	$path = pathinfo($file);
	$filename = $path['filename'];
	$ext = $path['extension'];
	$temp_name = $_FILES['my_file']['tmp_name'];
	$path_filename_ext = $target_dir.$filename.".".$ext;
 
// Check if file already exists
if (file_exists($path_filename_ext)) {
 echo "Sorry, file already exists.";
 }else{
 move_uploaded_file($temp_name,$path_filename_ext);
 echo "Congratulations! File Uploaded Successfully.";
 }
}

In the preceding example, variable names are chosen to mirror their functions, ensuring clarity in the understanding of the operations being executed. The script is structured to display an error message if the file exists already; if not, it continues with the file upload process.

Please note that this tutorial serves as an introductory guide for educational purposes. Should you wish to integrate this into your website, it’s advisable to employ additional validation measures prior to file upload for enhanced security and functionality.

//you can easily get the following information about file:
$_FILES['file_name']['name']
$_FILES['file_name']['tmp_name']
$_FILES['file_name']['size']
$_FILES['file_name']['type']

Conclusion 

Mastering file uploads in PHP opens doors to new functionalities for your websites and applications. From establishing a basic HTML form to crafting a PHP script for handling files, this guide walks you through the process of implementing a crucial feature in web development. As you apply this feature, remember the importance of validating files and securing the upload process.