Question

I am trying to use the html file input to get the path and name of a file. I do not want to upload the file however, and seeing as the files can be quite large, I do not want to pass the file data back to the server either just to get the filename.

Is there a way to bind the file input value to a property in my model, or at least pass just the filename back to the server?

Here is my code:

@using (Html.BeginForm("Upload", "Management", FormMethod.Post , new {enctype="multipart/form-data"})) {
    <div>
        Upload New Pricing Workbook: <input type="file" name="browse" id="browse" />
    </div>

    <div>Was Won: @Html.EditorFor(file => file.WasWon)</div>

    <div>
        <input type="submit" name="upload" id="upload" value="Upload" />
    </div>
}

Answer 1

Is there a way to bind the file input value to a property in my model, or at least pass just the filename back to the server?

You will need javascript for this. You could include a hidden field to your form, and then subscribe for the submit handler of the form and inside this handler set the value of the hidden field from the value of the file input field and clear the value of the file field. Also if you are not interested in uploading the file you don’t need the enctype attribute on the form

$('form').submit(function() {
    $('#someHiddenField').val($('#browse').val());
    $('#browse').val(''); 
});

All this being said, for security reasons you cannot get the entire path to the file on the client computer using javascript. You will get only the filename using $('#browse').val() and that’s the best you could hope.

If you want to get paths you could include a standard input field and let the user type it in. This way you will get on the server only what you need (a path to some file).