How to Attach File Upload with State Values in React

Learn how to effectively combine file uploads with your React state values using FormData and Axios for seamless data handling.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/62467371/ asked by the user 'Vinod Kumar' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/3273787/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/62467581/ provided by the user 'gdh' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/13207394/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to Attach File Upload with State Values in React

In modern web applications, handling file uploads alongside form data is a common requirement. If you are using React and want to integrate a file upload with your component's state values, you may find yourself wondering how to accomplish this effectively. Fortunately, we can achieve this by utilizing the FormData API, which allows us to easily combine file uploads with other form data, and the Axios library for making HTTP requests.

In this guide, we will discuss the problem of attaching file uploads with state values and walk through a practical solution step-by-step.

Understanding the Initial Setup

Here is a basic structure of your React component's state, which includes fields for an employee's name, ID, date of joining (DOJ), and resume file:

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Handling File Uploads

To handle file uploads, you need to set up an onChangeHandler to capture the uploaded file from an input element:

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When a file is selected, this function updates the employee_ResumeFile property in the state, which prepares us for sending this data to an API.

Making the API Call with Axios

Now, the question arises: how do we send this uploaded file along with the other state data to a backend API using Axios? The answer lies in using FormData, which allows us to construct a set of key/value pairs representing form fields and their values, including files.

Step-by-Step Solution

1. Initialize FormData
To begin, you'll need to create an instance of FormData and append your state values to it:

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2. Set the Axios Configuration
Next, you'll need to set up the correct headers for the request. Since we're handling file uploads, we should set the Content-Type to multipart/form-data:

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3. Make the Axios Request
Finally, you can send the FormData object using an Axios PUT request:

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Complete doSubmit Function

Your complete doSubmit function should look like this:

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Handling Multiple Fields Dynamically

If your form has numerous fields and you want to keep your code clean, you can dynamically append state values to the FormData object. Here’s how you can loop through the state data:

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This approach helps maintain clarity and reduces redundancy in your code.

Conclusion

In this post, we tackled the challenge of attaching file uploads with React state values through a well-structured approach utilizing FormData and Axios. By following these steps, you can seamlessly combine file uploads with your form data, helping create a more efficient user experience in your applications. With a solid understanding of managing state and API calls, you can elevate your React projects to the next level. Happy coding!