Question

I’m using jQuery and Ajax for my forms to submit data and files but I’m not sure how to send both data and files in one form.

I currently do almost the same with both methods but the way in which the data is gathered into an array is different. The data uses .serialize(); but the files use = new FormData($(this)[0]);.

Is it possible to combine both methods to be able to upload files and data in one form through Ajax?

Data jQuery, Ajax and html

$("form#data").submit(function(){
    
    var formData = $(this).serialize();

    $.ajax({
        url: window.location.pathname,
        type: 'POST',
        data: formData,
        async: false,
        success: function (data) {
            alert(data)
        },
        cache: false,
        contentType: false,
        processData: false
    });
    
    return false;
});

<form id="data" method="post">
    <input type="text" name="first" value="Bob" />
    <input type="text" name="middle" value="James" />
    <input type="text" name="last" value="Smith" />
    <button>Submit</button>
</form>

Files jQuery, Ajax and html

$("form#files").submit(function(){
    
    var formData = new FormData($(this)[0]);

    $.ajax({
        url: window.location.pathname,
        type: 'POST',
        data: formData,
        async: false,
        success: function (data) {
            alert(data)
        },
        cache: false,
        contentType: false,
        processData: false
    });
    
    return false;
});

<form id="files" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
    <input name="image" type="file" />
    <button>Submit</button>
</form>

How can I combine the above so that I can send data and files in one form via Ajax?

My aim is to be able to send all of this form in one post with Ajax, is it possible?

<form id="datafiles" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
    <input type="text" name="first" value="Bob" />
    <input type="text" name="middle" value="James" />
    <input type="text" name="last" value="Smith" />
    <input name="image" type="file" />
    <button>Submit</button>
</form>

Answer 1

The problem I had was using the wrong jQuery identifier.

You can upload data and files with one form using ajax.

PHP + HTML

<?php

print_r($_POST);
print_r($_FILES);
?>

<form id="data" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
    <input type="text" name="first" value="Bob" />
    <input type="text" name="middle" value="James" />
    <input type="text" name="last" value="Smith" />
    <input name="image" type="file" />
    <button>Submit</button>
</form>

jQuery + Ajax

$("form#data").submit(function(e) {
    e.preventDefault();    
    var formData = new FormData(this);

    $.ajax({
        url: window.location.pathname,
        type: 'POST',
        data: formData,
        success: function (data) {
            alert(data)
        },
        cache: false,
        contentType: false,
        processData: false
    });
});

Short Version

$("form#data").submit(function(e) {
    e.preventDefault();
    var formData = new FormData(this);    

    $.post($(this).attr("action"), formData, function(data) {
        alert(data);
    });
});