Introduction
Uploading files to a folder on the web server is made easy
with ASP.NET 2.0. In this step-by-step article, you will learn how to achieve
this task with the help of code samples in C# and Visual Basic .NET.
Requirements
Windows XP Professional SP2 or Windows Server 2003, Visual
Studio 2005
Steps
1. Start Visual Studio 2005.
2. Drag and drop a FileUpload control from the Toolbox onto
the design area. I didn't modify its ID property, but you can do so if you wish.
3. Drag and drop a Button control and supply the following
properties.
ID: btnUpload
Text: Upload
4. Drag and drop a Label control and modify its ID property
(Example: lblStatus).
You have to delete the default text by erasing the value of the
Text property. You should also modify its ForeColor, as the default color is white.
Note: You can also double-click a
control from the Toolbox.
5. Double click the Button control and paste the following
code.
Visual C# .NET
if (FileUpload1.HasFile)
{
try
{
lblStatus.Text = "Uploading File " + FileUpload1.FileName;
FileUpload1.SaveAs("C:\\Files\\" +FileUpload1.FileName);
lblStatus.Text = "File Successfully Uploaded";
}
catch
{
lblStatus.Text = "Unable to save the file";
}
}
else
{
lblStatus.Text = "You have to select a file to upload";
}
Visual Basic .NET
If FileUpload1.HasFile Then
Try
lblStatus.Text = "Uploading File " + FileUpload1.FileName
FileUpload1.SaveAs("C:\\Files\\" + FileUpload1.FileName)
lblStatus.Text = "File Successfully Uploaded"
Catch
lblStatus.Text = "Unable to save the file"
End Try
Else
lblStatus.Text = "You have to select a file to upload"
End If
Make sure that you have created a folder named Files on the
C drive before attempting to run this program. Otherwise, the catch block will
be executed. If there are no files to upload, then the application will execute
the else block.
6. Run the application, browse for a file from your local
hard drive, and click on the Upload button. If everything works out fine, then
you should be able to view the uploaded file inside the Files directory.
Note:
(1) Visual Studio 2005 is not compulsory for working with
the above example. Just download the code files from the links given below, copy
them to Inetpub\wwwroot folder, and execute. You need to install .NET Framework
2.0 before running the code.
(2) Sometimes, you will have to give write permission for
the folder to which you are attempting to upload the files. If your application
is using default accounts, then ASPNET user account needs write permission to
the folder to which you are trying to upload the file. If you don't have the
access to the web server, then contact your hosting service provider.
(3) You will have to employ a suitable method of
authentication before allowing users to upload files. This will prevent
unauthorized uploads, which can ultimately harm your server.
(4) The default maximum size of a file to be uploaded to the
web server using the FileUpload control is around 4MB. In case if you wanted to
upload the file bigger than 4MB, you have to alter maxRequestLength parameter
either in web.config or machine.config. For more information, reference the <httpRuntime>
Element on msdn.
[Code Download -
Visual C# .NET]
[Code Download -
Visual Basic .NET]
Summary
In this article, you have learned, with the help of an
example, how to upload files with the help of FileUpload control using ASP.NET
2.0.