File field update form

In a update form I have a file field, (in the insert form this is to add an image to the record). How do I set the initial value so that if I choose not change the image file, the original one is not over written by a blank value?

Nick,

Are you using Digital File Pro as well to do this?

Yes, I tried adding value="<?php echo(str_replace('"', '&quot;', $row_WADAimages['title'])); ?>" to the field definition but that didn't work. I have not tried using a "show if" based on the recordset.

Hi Nick,

The best way to do this is:

Inside your form with the update file field, create a hidden field beside it and store the name of the original file from the recordset in the hidden field.

Then in digital file pro, for the default file name, hit the lightning bolt and set it to the hidden form element.

Then, open the DataAssist server update behavior... be sure to set the column that holds your image name to the Digital File Pro server file name. Now, if you have a new file, it will use that... if no new file is added, it will revert to what you specified as default.

I typically use a naming convention like "image" for the hidden field and "imagefile" for the new file field.

Let me know if you have any issues,

Brian

Great, I'll try this. If I build my initial files with DATAASSIST I don't have the option of setting the fields type to: file. What is the best practice for converting the text field to a file field prior to applying DigitalFile?

Nick

Nick,

At first just leave it as a text input... then go in to your code and change the original to "hidden" and then add the file field beside it and name the new file field accordingly (such as use the same file name as your original and add "file" onto it).

Nick,

Another thing you may want to do when you have the update process complete, you can add a delete file behavior that is triggered when a new upload is successful... so you could delete the old file upon the success of a new file being uploaded. I like to do this so that I don't have a bunch of images "floating" around on the server unnecessarily.

Regards,

Brian

OK, thanks. Now the other fiels I created using DataAssist are OK so I probably need to redo the update file, is it best to start from scratch, use the Dataassist wizard of another behavior to re-create the update form?

Nick