$_FILES

$HTTP_POST_FILES [已弃用]

$_FILES -- $HTTP_POST_FILES [已弃用]HTTP 文件上传变量

说明

通过 HTTP POST 方式上传到当前脚本的项目的数组。 此数组的概况在 POST 方法上传 章节中有描述。

$HTTP_POST_FILES 包含相同的信息,但它不是一个超全局变量。 (注意 $HTTP_POST_FILES$_FILES 是不同的变量,PHP 处理它们的方式不同)

更新日志

版本 说明
4.1.0 引入 $_FILES,弃用 $HTTP_POST_FILES

注释

Note:

"Superglobal"也称为自动化的全局变量。这就表示其在脚本的所有作用域中都是可用的。不需要在函数或方法中用 global $variable; 来访问它。

参见

User Contributed Notes

dariusakafest at gmail dot com 27-Nov-2019 12:30
Good normalized the $_FILES array so

function getRequestFiles()
 {
        $result = array();

        if (is_array($_FILES)) {
            foreach($_FILES as $name => $fileArray) {
                $row = array();
                foreach ($fileArray as $key => &$data) {
                    findNoArrayElementAndReplace($data, $key);
                    $row = array_merge_recursive($row, $data);
                }
                $result[$name] = $row;
            }
        }

        return $result;
}

function findNoArrayElementAndReplace(&$array, $key)
 {
        if (is_array($array)) {
            foreach ($array as &$item) {
                findNoArrayElementAndReplace($item, $key);
            }
        } else {
            $array = array(
                $key => $array
            );
        }
}
poppy gloria 09-Jun-2019 05:11
For uploading only one file,  my version, that checks if the file is uploaded.

function processForm($messages) {
        if ($_FILES['file']["error"] == UPLOAD_ERR_OK ) {
    if($_FILES['file']['type'] != "text/csv" && $_FILES['file']['type'] != "application/vnd.ms-excel") {
                $messages->add_error('Wrong format.');
                return false;
    }
elseif ( !move_uploaded_file( $_FILES['file']["tmp_name"], "files/" .
basename( $_FILES['file']["name"] ) ) ) {
                $messages->add_error('Upload failed');
                return false;
                }
        }
       else {
    $messages->add_error("Something went wrong.");
    return false;
       }
    return true;
}

if (isset($_POST['btnUpload'])) {
    if(is_uploaded_file($_FILES['file']['tmp_name'])) {
         if (processForm($messages)) {
                $fileName = "files/" . basename($_FILES['file']['name']);
                parseAndInsert($fileName, $db);
                $messages->add_message("Success");
            }
            }
    else {
        $messages->add_error('File did not upload');
    }
}

function parseAndInsert($fileName, $db) {
        $file = fopen($fileName, "r");
        while($line = fgetcsv($file, 1000, ";")) {
            $db->addGrade(intval($line[0]), intval($line[1]), intval($line[2]));
        }
    fclose($file);
    }
tuomas dot piispanen at gmail dot com 07-Sep-2017 10:36
Here's a function that I have used to get a nice simple array of all incoming files from a page. It basically just flattens the $FILES array. This function works on many file inputs on the page and also if the inputs are '<input type="file[]" multiple>'. Note that this function loses the file input names (I usually process the files just by type).

<?php

function incoming_files() {
   
$files = $_FILES;
   
$files2 = [];
    foreach (
$files as $input => $infoArr) {
       
$filesByInput = [];
        foreach (
$infoArr as $key => $valueArr) {
            if (
is_array($valueArr)) { // file input "multiple"
               
foreach($valueArr as $i=>$value) {
                   
$filesByInput[$i][$key] = $value;
                }
            }
            else {
// -> string, normal file input
               
$filesByInput[] = $infoArr;
                break;
            }
        }
       
$files2 = array_merge($files2,$filesByInput);
    }
   
$files3 = [];
    foreach(
$files2 as $file) { // let's filter empty & errors
       
if (!$file['error']) $files3[] = $file;
    }
    return
$files3;
}

$tmpFiles = incoming_files();

?>

will transform this:

Array
(
    [files1] => Array
        (
            [name] => facepalm.jpg
            [type] => image/jpeg
            [tmp_name] => /tmp/php3zU3t5
            [error] => 0
            [size] => 31059
        )

    [files2] => Array
        (
            [name] => Array
                (
                    [0] => facepalm2.jpg
                    [1] => facepalm3.jpg
                )

            [type] => Array
                (
                    [0] => image/jpeg
                    [1] => image/jpeg
                )

            [tmp_name] => Array
                (
                    [0] => /tmp/phpJutmOS
                    [1] => /tmp/php9bNI8F
                )

            [error] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 0
                    [1] => 0
                )

            [size] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 78085
                    [1] => 61429
                )

        )

)

into this:

Array
(
    [0] => Array
        (
            [name] => facepalm.jpg
            [type] => image/jpeg
            [tmp_name] => /tmp/php3zU3t5
            [error] => 0
            [size] => 31059
        )

    [1] => Array
        (
            [name] => facepalm2.jpg
            [type] => image/jpeg
            [tmp_name] => /tmp/phpJutmOS
            [error] => 0
            [size] => 78085
        )

    [2] => Array
        (
            [name] => facepalm3.jpg
            [type] => image/jpeg
            [tmp_name] => /tmp/php9bNI8F
            [error] => 0
            [size] => 61429
        )

)
mike dot reiche at tyclipso dot net 09-Aug-2017 12:43
I normalized the $_FILES array to

[doc] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [name] => testfile.txt
                    [type] => application/octet-stream
                    [tmp_name] => /tmp/php6wHXmC
                    [error] => 0
                    [size] => 4
                )

            [affe] => Array
                (
                    [name] => testfile.txt
                    [type] => application/octet-stream
                    [tmp_name] => /tmp/phpfiHK2e
                    [error] => 0
                    [size] => 4
                )

        )

<?php
function getFiles() {
   
$result = array();
    foreach(
$_FILES as $name => $fileArray) {
        if (
is_array($fileArray['name'])) {
            foreach (
$fileArray as $attrib => $list) {
                foreach (
$list as $index => $value) {
                   
$result[$name][$index][$attrib]=$value;
                }
            }
        } else {
           
$result[$name][] = $fileArray;
        }
    }
    return
$result;
}
?>

So yo have always the same structure, even if you post one ore more files:

<?php
//single file
$request->addFileFromLocalFilePath('doc','testfile.txt');

// multiple files
$request->addFileFromLocalFilePath('doc[0]','testfile.txt');
$request->addFileFromLocalFilePath('doc[affe]','testfile.txt');

foreach (
$request->getFiles() as $fieldName => $files) {
    foreach (
$files as $index => $fileArray) {
        echo
$fileArray['tmp_name'];
    }
}

?>
Jack Sleight 10-Nov-2015 12:05
I've written this function to restructure deeply nested $_FILES arrays, so that the parameters for each file are grouped together.

function restructure_files(array $input)
{
    $output = [];
    foreach ($input as $name => $array) {
        foreach ($array as $field => $value) {
            $pointer = &$output[$name];
            if (!is_array($value)) {
                $pointer[$field] = $value;
                continue;
            }
            $stack = [&$pointer];
            $iterator = new \RecursiveIteratorIterator(
                new \RecursiveArrayIterator($value),
                \RecursiveIteratorIterator::SELF_FIRST
            );
            foreach ($iterator as $key => $value) {
                array_splice($stack, $iterator->getDepth() + 1);
                $pointer = &$stack[count($stack) - 1];
                $pointer = &$pointer[$key];
                $stack[] = &$pointer;
                if (!$iterator->hasChildren()) {
                    $pointer[$field] = $value;                               
                }
            }
        }
    }
    return $output;
}

Turns this:

array (size=2)
  'one' =>
    array (size=5)
      'name' =>
        array (size=1)
          'inner' =>
            array (size=2)
              11 => string 'DM4C2738.jpg' (length=12)
              5 => string 'DM4C2760.jpg' (length=12)
      'type' =>
        array (size=1)
          'inner' =>
            array (size=2)
              11 => string 'image/jpeg' (length=10)
              5 => string 'image/jpeg' (length=10)
      'tmp_name' =>
        array (size=1)
          'inner' =>
            array (size=2)
              11 => string '/private/var/tmp/phploOZRb' (length=26)
              5 => string '/private/var/tmp/phpsFkmIh' (length=26)
      'error' =>
        array (size=1)
          'inner' =>
            array (size=2)
              11 => int 0
              5 => int 0
      'size' =>
        array (size=1)
          'inner' =>
            array (size=2)
              11 => int 1031601
              5 => int 674697
  'two' =>
    array (size=5)
      'name' => string '9ncYySC.jpg' (length=11)
      'type' => string 'image/jpeg' (length=10)
      'tmp_name' => string '/private/var/tmp/phpuG99X9' (length=26)
      'error' => int 0
      'size' => int 882422

Into this:

array (size=2)
  'one' =>
    array (size=1)
      'inner' =>
        array (size=2)
          11 =>
            array (size=5)
              'name' => string 'DM4C2738.jpg' (length=12)
              'type' => string 'image/jpeg' (length=10)
              'tmp_name' => string '/private/var/tmp/phploOZRb' (length=26)
              'error' => int 0
              'size' => int 1031601
          5 =>
            array (size=5)
              'name' => string 'DM4C2760.jpg' (length=12)
              'type' => string 'image/jpeg' (length=10)
              'tmp_name' => string '/private/var/tmp/phpsFkmIh' (length=26)
              'error' => int 0
              'size' => int 674697
  'two' =>
    array (size=5)
      'name' => string '9ncYySC.jpg' (length=11)
      'type' => string 'image/jpeg' (length=10)
      'tmp_name' => string '/private/var/tmp/phpuG99X9' (length=26)
      'error' => int 0
      'size' => int 882422
kennyp33 at gmail dot com 14-Jul-2015 12:46
If you are getting NULL values and want to see what error is being returned you can add ' 2>&1' to the end of your command. On a linux server this will redirect the stderr to stdout (so the string error will be output). This probably saved me a ton of time.
Jmanuel_castillo_exe at yahoo dot com 06-Jun-2014 04:18
I spent 3 hours trying to find out why when I upload multiples file $_FILES  return empty, I did noticed it was only when I select files that exceed 3m so I thought it was something related to the MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE that for my surprice came as default as 20m which was very confusing. Later I discovery the problem was in the POST_MAX_SIZE been 3m, so it happen that not only MAX_UPLOAD_SIZE is responsible and that is why I'd like to know there is no error message that shows the cause.
brian at diamondsea dot com 16-Mar-2014 06:11
If you are looking for the $_FILES['error'] code explanations, be sure to read:

Handling File Uploads - Error Messages Explained
http://www.php.net/manual/en/features.file-upload.errors.php
delete dot this dot and dot dots dot gt at kani dot hu 10-Mar-2014 04:29
Here is my version of $_FILES rearrange. Unlike other codes here, this working well on any depth of $_FILES.
<?php
if (!empty($_FILES)) {
    function
rearrange_files_array(array $array) {
        foreach (
$array as &$value) {
           
$_array = array();
            foreach (
$value as $prop => $propval) {
                if (
is_array($propval)) {
                   
array_walk_recursive($propval, function(&$item, $key, $value) use($prop) {
                       
$item = array($prop => $item);
                    },
$value);
                   
$_array = array_replace_recursive($_array, $propval);
                } else {
                   
$_array[$prop] = $propval;
                }
            }
           
$value = $_array;
        }
        return
$array;
    }
    echo
'<pre>'.print_r(rearrange_files_array($_FILES), true).'</pre>';
}
?>
<form method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data" style="clear: both;">
    <h3>upload1</h3>
    <div><label>new0</label><input type="file" name="upload1[new][]" /></div>
    <div><label>new1</label><input type="file" name="upload1[new][]" /></div>
    <div><label>update.id11</label><input type="file" name="upload1[update][id11]" /></div>
    <div><label>update.id12</label><input type="file" name="upload1[update][id12]" /></div>
    <hr />
    <h3>upload2</h3>
    <div><label>new0</label><input type="file" name="upload2[]" /></div>
    <div><label>new1</label><input type="file" name="upload2[]" /></div>
    <div><label>update.id21</label><input type="file" name="upload2[id21]" /></div>
    <div><label>update.id22</label><input type="file" name="upload2[id22]" /></div>
    <hr />
    <div><label>upload3</label><input type="file" name="upload3" /></div>
    <input type="submit" value="go" />
</form>

The output after empty form is posted:
Array
(
    [upload1] => Array
        (
            [new] => Array
                (
                    [0] => Array
                        (
                            [name] =>
                            [type] =>
                            [tmp_name] =>
                            [error] => 4
                            [size] => 0
                        )
                    [1] => Array
                        (
                            [name] =>
                            [type] =>
                            [tmp_name] =>
                            [error] => 4
                            [size] => 0
                        )
                )
            [update] => Array
                (
                    [id11] => Array
                        (
                            [name] =>
                            [type] =>
                            [tmp_name] =>
                            [error] => 4
                            [size] => 0
                        )
                    [id12] => Array
                        (
                            [name] =>
                            [type] =>
                            [tmp_name] =>
                            [error] => 4
                            [size] => 0
                        )
                )
        )
    [upload2] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [name] =>
                    [type] =>
                    [tmp_name] =>
                    [error] => 4
                    [size] => 0
                )
            [1] => Array
                (
                    [name] =>
                    [type] =>
                    [tmp_name] =>
                    [error] => 4
                    [size] => 0
                )
            [id21] => Array
                (
                    [name] =>
                    [type] =>
                    [tmp_name] =>
                    [error] => 4
                    [size] => 0
                )
            [id22] => Array
                (
                    [name] =>
                    [type] =>
                    [tmp_name] =>
                    [error] => 4
                    [size] => 0
                )
        )
    [upload3] => Array
        (
            [name] =>
            [type] =>
            [tmp_name] =>
            [error] => 4
            [size] => 0
        )
)
badandyomega at gmail dot com 10-Jan-2014 01:27
Others have posted about how the $_FILES array organizes data differently depending on whether the HTML input is a single or multiple type, so it seems to be a common enough problem.  If for some reason you need to mix-and-match the types, or you're not sure which how many files you'll be expecting from a multiple input, this is a very useful way to reorganize the $_FILES array.  Also, unlike some of the earlier posts, the formatting of the new array (i.e. the number of keys and values) is consistent.

<?php
// Reorganize $_FILES array information
$files = Array ();
$i = 0;

// Start with all inputs in $_FILES array
foreach ($_FILES as $input)
{
   
$j = 0;
   
    foreach (
$input as $property => $value)
    {
        if (
is_array($value))
        {
           
$j = count($value); // Number of iterations
           
           
for ($k = 0; $k < $j; ++$k)
            {
               
$files[$i + $k][$property] = $value[$k];
            }
        }
        else
        {
           
$j = 1;
           
           
$files[$i][$property] = $value;
        }
    }
   
   
$i += $j;
}
?>

The results will look something like this:
$files = Array (
   [0] => Array (
      [name] => ''
      [type] => ''
      [tmp_name] => ''
      [error] => 0
      [size] => 0
   )
)
phazei at gmail dot com 09-Oct-2013 12:51
I realize there are a number of posts here for reformating the php $_FILES array, but they don't handle all cases.  This handles the single case, the multiple file case, and even submitting multiple file arrays.  This way no matter what, before ever touching the files array I call this regardless of what it might be:

<?php
   
/**
     * This is to fix the odd files array PHP creates when a file input has a name that's php array:
     * eg: <file name="model[column]" value='file1'> <file name="model[column2][]" value='file2'>
     * becomes:  $_FILES['model']['name'][column] = file1_name.xxx
     *           $_FILES['model']['name'][column2][0] = file2_name.xxx
     *
     * this changes it to:
     *           $files['model'][column]['name'] = file1_name.xxx
     *           $files['model'][column2][0]['name'] = file2_name.xxx
     *
     * This way the file data is grouped together as expected and as it does with a non-array type name attribute
     */
   
static public function multi_file_fix($files = null)
    {

        if (
$files == null) {
           
$files = (is_array($_FILES)) ? $_FILES : array();
        }

       
//make there there is a file, and see if the first item is also an array
       
$new_files = array();
        foreach (
$files as $name => $attributes) {
            if (
is_array(reset($attributes))) { //check first item
               
foreach ($attributes as $attribute => $item) { //array file submit, eg name="model[file]"
                   
foreach ($item as $key => $value) {
                        if (
is_array($value)) {
                            foreach (
$value as $key2 => $sub_val) { // multi-array file submit, eg name="model[file][]"
                               
$new_files[$name][$key][$key2][$attribute] = $sub_val;
                            }
                        } else {
                           
$new_files[$name][$key][$attribute] = $value;
                        }
                    }
                }
            } else {
// regular file submit, eg name="file"
               
$new_files[$name] = $attributes;
            }
        }

        return
$new_files;
    }

//Usage:

$files = multi_file_fix($_FILES);

?>
sergio_ag at terra dot com dot br 05-Sep-2012 08:09
A nice trick to reorder the $_FILES array when you use a input name as array is:

<?php
function diverse_array($vector) {
   
$result = array();
    foreach(
$vector as $key1 => $value1)
        foreach(
$value1 as $key2 => $value2)
           
$result[$key2][$key1] = $value2;
    return
$result;
}
?>

will transform this:

array(1) {
    ["upload"]=>array(2) {
        ["name"]=>array(2) {
            [0]=>string(9)"file0.txt"
            [1]=>string(9)"file1.txt"
        }
        ["type"]=>array(2) {
            [0]=>string(10)"text/plain"
            [1]=>string(10)"text/html"
        }
    }
}

into:

array(1) {
    ["upload"]=>array(2) {
        [0]=>array(2) {
            ["name"]=>string(9)"file0.txt"
            ["type"]=>string(10)"text/plain"
        },
        [1]=>array(2) {
            ["name"]=>string(9)"file1.txt"
            ["type"]=>string(10)"text/html"
        }
    }
}

just do:

<?php $upload = diverse_array($_FILES["upload"]); ?>
sparticvs at popebp dot com 01-Sep-2012 08:59
A note of security: Don't ever trust $_FILES["image"]["type"]. It takes whatever is sent from the browser, so don't trust this for the image type.  I recommend using finfo_open (http://www.php.net/manual/en/function.finfo-open.php) to verify the MIME type of a file. It will parse the MAGIC in the file and return it's type...this can be trusted (you can also use the "file" program on Unix, but I would refrain from ever making a System call with your PHP code...that's just asking for problems).
tjbp 04-Aug-2012 09:46
For quick debugging (eg. var_dump($_FILES);), these are the values of the error constants. Obviously don't use these for comparison in real code.

UPLOAD_ERR_OK: 0
UPLOAD_ERR_INI_SIZE: 1
UPLOAD_ERR_FORM_SIZE: 2
UPLOAD_ERR_NO_TMP_DIR: 6
UPLOAD_ERR_CANT_WRITE: 7
UPLOAD_ERR_EXTENSION: 8
UPLOAD_ERR_PARTIAL: 3
seifert at alesak dot net 02-Jul-2012 02:02
I just spent long time debugging strange behavior of one of our application on new webhosting. We have 30 file inputs on one page for upload to server. Problem was that only 20 was actually uploaded.

Now I found there is an option max_file_uploads in php.ini limiting maximum size of $_FILES to 20 by default.

When you have suhosin extension installed it has own option limiting same thing to 25 (suhosin.upload.max_uploads in php.ini)
Alexandre Teles 20-May-2012 04:31
You can check error index this way:

<?php

$errorIndex
= $_FILES["file"]["error"];

if (
$errorIndex > 0) {
    die(
'We have a error. Try Again.');
}

processFile();

?>
yuriy dot nayda at gmail dot com 15-Mar-2012 04:49
THis is an solution to convert Cyrillic and umlaut characters as file name when uplaoding files into needed encoding. Was searching for it but could not find. Thus posting this. Just like this:

$value = mb_convert_encoding($value, "UTF-8");
BigShark666 at gmail dot com 21-Nov-2011 10:51
Nontypicall array comes in php after the submission.I wrote a small function to restate it to the familiar look.
<?php
function multiple(array $_files, $top = TRUE)
{
   
$files = array();
    foreach(
$_files as $name=>$file){
        if(
$top) $sub_name = $file['name'];
        else   
$sub_name = $name;
       
        if(
is_array($sub_name)){
            foreach(
array_keys($sub_name) as $key){
               
$files[$name][$key] = array(
                   
'name'     => $file['name'][$key],
                   
'type'     => $file['type'][$key],
                   
'tmp_name' => $file['tmp_name'][$key],
                   
'error'    => $file['error'][$key],
                   
'size'     => $file['size'][$key],
                );
               
$files[$name] = multiple($files[$name], FALSE);
            }
        }else{
           
$files[$name] = $file;
        }
    }
    return
$files;
}

print_r($_FILES);
/*
Array
(
    [image] => Array
        (
            [name] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 400.png
                )
            [type] => Array
                (
                    [0] => image/png
                )
            [tmp_name] => Array
                (
                    [0] => /tmp/php5Wx0aJ
                )
            [error] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 0
                )
            [size] => Array
                (
                    [0] => 15726
                )
        )
)
*/
$files = multiple($_FILES);
print_r($files);
/*
Array
(
    [image] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [name] => 400.png
                    [type] => image/png
                    [tmp_name] => /tmp/php5Wx0aJ
                    [error] => 0
                    [size] => 15726
                )
        )
)
*/
?>
kbolyshev at gmail dot com 18-Nov-2011 04:39
For situation download[file1], download[file2], ..., download[fileN], try it:

<?php

/**
 *
 * @param array     $arrayForFill
 * @param string    $currentKey
 * @param mixed     $currentMixedValue
 * @param string    $fileDescriptionParam (name, type, tmp_name, error или size)
 * @return void
 */
function rRestructuringFilesArray(&$arrayForFill, $currentKey, $currentMixedValue, $fileDescriptionParam)
{
    if (
is_array($currentMixedValue)) {
        foreach (
$currentMixedValue as $nameKey => $mixedValue) {
           
rRestructuringFilesArray($arrayForFill[$currentKey],
                                    
$nameKey,
                                    
$mixedValue,
                                    
$fileDescriptionParam);
        }
    } else {
       
$arrayForFill[$currentKey][$fileDescriptionParam] = $currentMixedValue;
    }
}

$arrayForFill = array();
foreach (
$_FILES as $firstNameKey => $arFileDescriptions) {
    foreach (
$arFileDescriptions as $fileDescriptionParam => $mixedValue) {
       
rRestructuringFilesArray($arrayForFill,
                                
$firstNameKey,
                                
$_FILES[$firstNameKey][$fileDescriptionParam],
                                
$fileDescriptionParam);
    }
}
$_FILES = $arrayForFill;
?>
unca dot alby at gmail dot com 02-Sep-2011 01:31
In checking the error code, you probably ought to check for code 4.  I believe Code 4 means no file was uploaded, and there are many instances where that's perfectly OK.

Such as when you have a form with multiple data items, including file and image uploads, plus whatever else.  The user might not be adding a new upload for whatever reason, such as there may already be a file in the system from an earlier update, and the user is satisfied with that.
Sbastien 13-Jun-2011 07:36
If you're uploading multiple files and you name your file inputs "upload[]" the $_FILES array will look different than the var_dump posted below. I figured I'd post what it looks like since it caused me (and still causes me) headaches!

array(1) {
    ["upload"]=>array(5) {
        ["name"]=>array(3) {
            [0]=>string(9)"file0.txt"
            [1]=>string(9)"file1.txt"
            [2]=>string(9)"file2.txt"
        }
        ["type"]=>array(3) {
            [0]=>string(10)"text/plain"
            [1]=>string(10)"text/plain"
            [2]=>string(10)"text/plain"
        }
        ["tmp_name"]=>array(3) {
            [0]=>string(14)"/tmp/blablabla"
            [1]=>string(14)"/tmp/phpyzZxta"
            [2]=>string(14)"/tmp/phpn3nopO"
        }
        ["error"]=>array(3) {
            [0]=>int(0)
            [1]=>int(0)
            [2]=>int(0)
        }
        ["size"]=>array(3) {
            [0]=>int(0)
            [1]=>int(0)
            [2]=>int(0)
        }
    }
}

(I thought the array would have looked like upload[index][name] which is not the case.)
Anonymous 26-Apr-2011 02:48
Having url rewrite patterns in .htaccess file which modify your urls can affect $_FILES sometimes. Even though the php page loads and works fine, this variable may not work because of it. Therefore if you rewrite 'www.example.com' to 'example.com', make sure you use the latter one when sending POST to the php page. I'm still not sure why this happens, but its worth noting here so others don't spend time chasing ghosts.
Anonymous 18-Apr-2011 06:23
As mentioned , you should check the error index of the upload.

Example below suggests you have a file field named 'image'.

<?php

       
if($_FILES['image']['error'] == 0){
           
// success - move uploaded file and process stuff here

       
}else{
           
// 'there was an error uploading file' stuff here....   
       
}
?>
John 03-Feb-2011 06:14
In the past you could unconditionally call $_FILES['profile_pic'] without ever having to worry about PHP spitting an "Undefined index: profile_pic" error (so long as the page posting had a file input on it (e.g. <input type="file" name="profile_pic" />)). This was the case regardless of whether or not the end user actually uploaded a file. These days, with so many people browsing the web via iPads, you have to explicitly check to see if the input isset($_FILES['profile_pic']) before calling into it, else you'll get the aforementioned error message. This is because iOS devices running Safari disable file inputs thereby causing them to be treated as if they don't exist. Time to update your scripts!

-john
mwgamera at gmail dot com 13-Aug-2009 05:40
To determine whether upload was successful you should check for error being UPLOAD_ERR_OK instead of checking the file size. When nothing is chosen to be uploaded, the key in $_FILES will still be there, but it should have error equal UPLOAD_ERR_NO_FILE.
calurion at gmail dot com 29-Jun-2009 04:51
For some reason when I tried to check if $_FILES['myVarName'] was empty() or !isset() or array_key_exists(), it always came back that the file was indeed in the superglobal, even when nothing was uploaded.

I wonder if this is a result of enctype="multipart/form-data".

Anyways, I solved my issue by checking to make sure that $_FILES['myVarName']['size'] > 0
dewi at dewimorgan dot com 18-Mar-2009 10:35
The format of this array is (assuming your form has two input type=file fields named "file1", "file2", etc):

Array
(
    [file1] => Array
        (
            [name] => MyFile.txt (comes from the browser, so treat as tainted)
            [type] => text/plain  (not sure where it gets this from - assume the browser, so treat as tainted)
            [tmp_name] => /tmp/php/php1h4j1o (could be anywhere on your system, depending on your config settings, but the user has no control, so this isn't tainted)
            [error] => UPLOAD_ERR_OK  (= 0)
            [size] => 123   (the size in bytes)
        )

    [file2] => Array
        (
            [name] => MyFile.jpg
            [type] => image/jpeg
            [tmp_name] => /tmp/php/php6hst32
            [error] => UPLOAD_ERR_OK
            [size] => 98174
        )
)

Last I checked (a while ago now admittedly), if you use array parameters in your forms (that is, form names ending in square brackets, like several file fields called "download[file1]", "download[file2]" etc), then the array format becomes... interesting.

Array
(
    [download] => Array
        (
            [name] => Array
                (
                    [file1] => MyFile.txt
                    [file2] => MyFile.jpg
                )

            [type] => Array
                (
                    [file1] => text/plain
                    [file2] => image/jpeg
                )

            [tmp_name] => Array
                (
                    [file1] => /tmp/php/php1h4j1o
                    [file2] => /tmp/php/php6hst32
                )

            [error] => Array
                (
                    [file1] => UPLOAD_ERR_OK
                    [file2] => UPLOAD_ERR_OK
                )

            [size] => Array
                (
                    [file1] => 123
                    [file2] => 98174
                )
        )
)

So you'd need to access the error param of file1 as, eg $_Files['download']['error']['file1']
andrewpunch at bigfoot dot com 17-Jan-2009 12:16
If $_FILES is empty, even when uploading, try adding enctype="multipart/form-data" to the form tag and make sure you have file uploads turned on.