Multiple image upload with preview and delete option using jQuery

Question

I have created a multiple image uploader. Please check my FIDDLE . I am currently able to attach the image, preview them and then also successfully upload them. And also the individual images can be deleted. The problem is when I delete the images, currently my script is only able to delete the image preview but not deleting the files to be uploaded.

To be clear, say if I uploaded 5 images, then all 5 images are previewed. But then If I delete one of the image using the cross that I have on top of every image then it just deletes the preview. So, now if I click on submit then it uploads all 5 images but it should upload only 4.

So, if any one can help me with the script here to delete the files being uploaded and not just the preview.

HTML:

<div id="formdiv">
   <div id="filediv">
     <input type="file" id="file" name="files[]" multiple="multiple" accept="image/*" title="Select Images To Be Uploaded">
        <br>
   </div>
</div>

jQuery

  $('#add_more').click(function() {
          "use strict";
          $(this).before($("<div/>", {
            id: 'filediv'
          }).fadeIn('slow').append(
            $("<input/>", {
              name: 'file[]',
              type: 'file',
              id: 'file',
              multiple: 'multiple',
              accept: 'image/*'
            })
          ));
        });

        $('#upload').click(function(e) {
          "use strict";
          e.preventDefault();

          if (window.filesToUpload.length === 0 || typeof window.filesToUpload === "undefined") {
            alert("No files are selected.");
            return false;
          }

          // Now, upload the files below...
          // https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Using_files_from_web_applications#Handling_the_upload_process_for_a_file.2C_asynchronously
        });

        deletePreview = function (ele, i) {
          "use strict";
          try {
            $(ele).parent().remove();
            window.filesToUpload.splice(i, 1);
          } catch (e) {
            console.log(e.message);
          }
        }

        $("#file").on('change', function() {
          "use strict";

          // create an empty array for the files to reside.
          window.filesToUpload = [];

          if (this.files.length >= 1) {
            $("[id^=previewImg]").remove();
            $.each(this.files, function(i, img) {
              var reader = new FileReader(),
                newElement = $("<div id='previewImg" + i + "' class='previewBox'><img /></div>"),
                deleteBtn = $("<span class='delete' onClick='deletePreview(this, " + i + ")'>X</span>").prependTo(newElement),
                preview = newElement.find("img");

              reader.onloadend = function() {
                preview.attr("src", reader.result);
                preview.attr("alt", img.name);
              };

              try {
                window.filesToUpload.push(document.getElementById("file").files[i]);
              } catch (e) {
                console.log(e.message);
              }

              if (img) {
                reader.readAsDataURL(img);
              } else {
                preview.src = "";
              }

              newElement.appendTo("#filediv");
            });
          }
        });

CSS:

#formdiv {
  text-align: center;
}
#file {
  color: green;
  padding: 5px;
  border: 1px dashed #123456;
  background-color: #f9ffe5;
}
#img {
  width: 17px;
  border: none;
  height: 17px;
  margin-left: -20px;
  margin-bottom: 191px;
}
.upload {
  width: 100%;
  height: 30px;
}
.previewBox {
  text-align: center;
  position: relative;
  width: 150px;
  height: 150px;
  margin-right: 10px;
  margin-bottom: 20px;
  float: left;
}
.previewBox img {
  height: 150px;
  width: 150px;
  padding: 5px;
  border: 1px solid rgb(232, 222, 189);
}
.delete {
  color: red;
  font-weight: bold;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  cursor: pointer;
  width: 20px;
  height:  20px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  background: #ccc;
}

Answer 1

You won't be able to do it this way as a FileList is read-only, meaning that you can't remove one file out of the selected files from that object. You can read it, loop over it, but you can't change the selection.

Have a look at this answer for more detailed info: How to remove one specific selected file from input file control

The suggested workaround is to use the FileReader API, but the browser support is less than ideal.

Answer 2

In delete, you delete only preview node and element from massive, you need to delete input itself as well (that is actually uploading file).

But, you have to fix the add method as well, because you adding only input, without wrapping div and preview and with same id.