symfony + AJAX how to upload files embedded in javascript JSON objects? - ajax

Question

I have a client uploading files embedded in JSON objects because each one of these files has attached metadata.
The problem is that I do not know how many files they will upload so I need something dynamic
at the moment I have a fileList javascript object that contains sub objects that looks like this:
{
file1: null
meta1: null,
meta2: null,
etc...
}
{
file2: null
meta1: null,
meta2: null,
etc...
}
I upload it like this:
formData.append('files', this.fileList);
but in symfony, I do not know how to process this particular situation
If I look in the profiler I get something like this :
files "[object Object],[object Object]"
and $files = $request->files->get('files'); gives null
Is there another way to decode the data? it is there but I can't read it :(

Answer 1

If you have a file to upload, one per metadata row, I'd send the file separately when it's selected in the form (I like BlueImp for this, but there are others) with Ajax and pend it to a directory (with a cleanup script that deletes them when 24hr old, S3 does this nicely). Then return that path to the form, put that in your JSON-ified body you submit, then you have your metadata, which happens to include it's pending filepath. Move that pending file on submit and keep that new reference when you save the row or whatever. Voila.
So:
files[][filename].onchange: [/* Upload file to pending, return pending path */]
With return path, pending/ad32sY3KJ.png, submit
"files": [
["file":"`pending/ad32sY3KJ.png`","meta1":"Root Beer"],
["file":"`pending/34dks3DWf.png`","meta1":"Cat"]
]
Then your router handler has an array, so Content-type: application/json works as expected, although you'd use:
$body = \json_decode($request->getContent(), true);
Instead.