How can I update a file upload in Laravel 4?

Question

I've built something that I would expect to work. It should upload the file and replace the 'attachment' entry for the record with the new file's path. Here is the method:

public function update($id)
{
    $article = Article::find($id);
    $article->username = Session::get('username');
    $article->body = Input::get('body');
    $article->title = Input::get('title');
    if(Input::hasFile('attachment'))
    {
        $file = Input::file('attachment');
        $name = time() . '-' . $file->getClientOriginalName();
        $file = $file->move(public_path() . '/documents/articles/', $name);
        $article->attachment = $name;;
    }
    $article->save();//Commit this edit to the database
    return Redirect::route('articles.index');
}

And the form:

<div class="form-general">
    {{ Form::model($article, array('route' => array('articles.update', $article->id, 'files' => true), 'method' => 'PUT')) }}
    <div>
        {{ Form::label('title', 'Title:') }}
        {{ Form::text('title', null, array('class' => 'form-control' )) }}
    </div>
    <br />
    <div>
        @if(! empty($article->attachment))
        {{ Form::label('attachment', 'Attachment:') }} <br />
        <div class="attachment-replace" style="display:none;">

        {{ Form::file('attachment', null, array('class' => 'form-control' )) }}

        </div>
        <a class="current-attachment" href="/documents/articles/{{ $article->attachment }}">{{ $article->attachment }}</a>&nbsp;<a href="#" class="current-attachment"><span class="glyphicon glyphicon-remove-circle remove-attachment"></span></a>
        @else
        {{ Form::label('attachment', 'Attachment:') }}
        {{ Form::file('attachment', null, array('class' => 'form-control' )) }}
        @endif
    </div>
    <br />
    <div>
        {{ Form::label('body', 'Body:') }}
        {{ Form::textarea('body', null, array('class' => 'form-control' )) }}
    </div>
    <br />
    <div>{{ Form::submit('Edit Post', array('class' => 'btn btn-default')) }}</div>
    {{ Form::close() }}
</div>

Currently, nothing happens. The method gets executed and the other fields update fine, but the attachment does not. It seems that the File input "attachment" never even gets set. How can I properly update a file path and upload its replacement document at once?

Answer 1

Your files parameter is part of the wrong array. You have this line, which opens your form :

{{ Form::model($article, array('route' => array('articles.update', $article->id, 'files' => true), 'method' => 'PUT')) }}

If you look closely, you will find that the files => true option is part of your route array, however it should be outside of it. Like so :

{{ Form::model($article, array('route' => array('articles.update', $article->id), 'files' => true, 'method' => 'PUT')) }}

As they say, the devil is in the details ;)