Uploading file with ajax and java servlet

Question

I am trying to upload a csv file inside from a jsp page using a servlet that extends HttpServlet. Inside the jsp page I am using an ajax that should call the servlet.

This is the ajax part:

    $(function() {
    $(".upldBtn").click(function() {

        alert("Upload button pushed");

        $.ajax({
            type: "POST",
            url: contextPath + servletPath,
            data: "action=get&custIdList=" + $('#custIdList').val(),
            async: false,
            dataType: "text/csv; charset=utf-8", 
            success: function(data){
                  alert("success");
              }
        });
    });

The contextPath and servletPath are also declared, I didn't specified them here.

In the jsp page, I have this form inside a table :

<form method="post" action="CSRUploadListServlet" enctype="multipart/form-data">
<input type="file" name="custIdList" id="custIdList" />
<input type="submit" value="Upload" class="upldBtn" />
</form>

Inside the servlet, I want to use this doPost method:

protected void doPost(HttpServletRequest request,
        HttpServletResponse response) throws ServletException, IOException {

    String methodName = "doPost";

    logger.debug("[{}] call", methodName);

    // checks if the request actually contains upload file
    if (!ServletFileUpload.isMultipartContent(request)) {
        PrintWriter writer = response.getWriter();
        writer.println("Request does not contain upload data");
        logger.debug("[{}] Request does not contain upload data",
                methodName);
        writer.flush();
        return;
    }

    // configures upload settings
    DiskFileItemFactory factory = new DiskFileItemFactory();
    factory.setSizeThreshold(THRESHOLD_SIZE);
    factory.setRepository(new File(System.getProperty("java.io.tmpdir")));
    logger.debug("[{}] factory= {} ", methodName, factory);

    ServletFileUpload upload = new ServletFileUpload(factory);
    upload.setFileSizeMax(MAX_FILE_SIZE);
    upload.setSizeMax(MAX_REQUEST_SIZE);
    logger.debug("[{}] upload= {} ", methodName, upload);

    // constructs the directory path to store upload file
    String uploadPath = getServletContext().getRealPath("")
            + File.separator + UPLOAD_DIRECTORY;
    // creates the directory if it does not exist
    File uploadDir = new File(uploadPath);
    if (!uploadDir.exists()) {
        uploadDir.mkdir();
        logger.debug("[{}] upload directory = {} ", methodName,
                uploadDir.mkdir());
    }

    try {
        // parses the request's content to extract file data
        List formItems = upload.parseRequest(request);
        Iterator iter = formItems.iterator();

        // iterates over form's fields
        while (iter.hasNext()) {
            FileItem item = (FileItem) iter.next();
            // processes only fields that are not form fields
            if (!item.isFormField()) {
                String fileName = new File(item.getName()).getName();
                String filePath = uploadPath + File.separator + fileName;
                File storeFile = new File(filePath);

                // saves the file on disk
                item.write(storeFile);
            }
        }
        request.setAttribute("message",
                "Upload has been done successfully!");
        logger.debug("[{}] Upload has been done successfully! ", methodName);
    } catch (Exception ex) {
        request.setAttribute("message",
                "There was an error: " + ex.getMessage());
        logger.debug("[{}] There was an error: {} ", methodName, ex);
    }
    getServletContext().getRequestDispatcher(
            "/WEB-INF/web/csrCustomerLists/message.jsp").forward(request,
            response);
}

All this gets stuck at if (!ServletFileUpload.isMultipartContent(request)), returning that: 'Request does not contain upload data'.

I am sure that I am not writing the ajax correctly, but I can't seem to find out where I am doing it wrong.

Thanks.

when you are pressing submit button then `CSRUploadListServlet` and `contextPath + servletPath` are called,May I know why? — , Nov 18 '13 at 16:22
yes, in order to use the servlet when i push the upload submit button. — Razvan N, Nov 18 '13 at 16:56
You can't upload a file via Ajax like this. You are treating the file like a normal parameter. That won't work. See http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1686099/file-upload-via-ajax-within-jquery — developerwjk, Nov 18 '13 at 21:32
Okay, I can see that now, thank you. But if I avoid using Ajax the form is not being accessed through the servlet — Razvan N, Nov 19 '13 at 08:47

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 31 '14 at 08:27

Hei! Try to put your html code differently, and then call the servlet from ajax, just the way you did there. I think the problem may be in the form you are using, that is rewriting some attributes or something like that.

I suggest an option with an iframe, loaded from the js code.The html code can be like this:

<button id="upldBtn" title="Upload" >Do the upload</button>

<div id="textarea" style="display: none;"></div>

<input type="file" class="file" id="file" name="file" title="Please upload"/>

And the javascript code:

    $(function() { 

    $('#upldBtn').click(function() {
        var contextPath = 'your path string';
        var servletName = 'your servlet name string';
        var iframe = $('<iframe name="postiframe" id="postiframe" style="display: none" />');
        $("body").append(iframe);

         $("form#yourform").attr('action', contextPath+servletName);
         $("form#yourform").attr('enctype', "multipart/form-data");
         $("form#yourform").attr("target", "postiframe");
         $("form#yourform").attr("file", $('#file').val());

        $('yourform').submit(); //upload button 
             $("#postiframe").load(function () {
                    iframeContents = $("#postiframe")[0].contentWindow.document.body.innerHTML;
                    $("#textarea").html(iframeContents);
                            $.ajax({
                                    type: "GET",
                                    url: contextPath+servletName,
                                    data: "action=download",
                                    async: false,
                                    dataType: "text",
                                    success: function(result) {
                                        //do something
                                    }
                                });
                } });
            }); 
});

Tell me if it is ok for you. :) Cheers

Uploading file with ajax and java servlet

1 Answers1