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Working on a project where we're using an XML of a user's iTunes tracks and play lists to integrate into other services. On Mac, this file is stored in the default location at /Users/username/Music/iTunes/iTunes Library.xml . Since we need users to be able to upload their own XML file, is there a way to write a script that pulls the file from that location as soon as they click an upload button (saving them from having to search and find it each time)? If so, is this something that can be done through Javascript (or through Rails, since we're using that as well)?

Thanks!

dace
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If you mean on a browser, no, you can't. The user has to select the file, you can't pre-select it for them. It's a security measure. If a web page could pre-select the file in an input type="file", it would be trivial to auto-submit that form, or hide the input and trick the user into submitting the form, or read the file via the File API and send it to a server — in all cases, stealing a file from the user's machine without their knowledge or consent.

T.J. Crowder
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