Load file selected from file system (not submitted) and store it as a string or text using javascript

Question

Lets say, I have a simple HTML page with

<input id="input-file" type="file" />

this input field is NOT part of any form. User chooses a file from file system for this input.

How can I load contents of file chosen by user to a JavaScript variable (e.g. as a string or somehow compressed) when some BUTTON is pressed?

I can use only pure javascript or dojo/dojox.

If this is impossible or hard to do, the input can be part of a form. Nevertheless the goal still is to save the contents of a file to a javascript variable.

The solution should be well supported even by the browsers that are not the newest (2014).

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 12:12

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You could use the File API which is getting support in some of the newer browsers. Read more about it on this SO-thread which deals with the same problem you are describing: https://stackoverflow.com/a/754398/844932.

EDIT: According to this link, http://caniuse.com/#feat=filereader, the FileReader API is fairly well supported today (IE10+ and all other relevant browsers), so I think you'll probably be well off using it.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:12

Community

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answered Nov 20 '14 at 11:31

Maffelu

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I need something that is well supported. I will add it to the requirement. – Marcel Nov 20 '14 at 11:48

Load file selected from file system (not submitted) and store it as a string or text using javascript

1 Answers1