Can't get value of input type="file"?

I have a <input type="file" id="uploadPicture" value="123">

When I'm using: alert($("#uploadPicture").val());

It alerts an empty dialog.

Solution 1:

@BozidarS: FileAPI is supported quite well nowadays and provides a number of useful options.

var file = document.forms['formName']['inputName'].files[0];
//file.name == "photo.png"
//file.type == "image/png"
//file.size == 300821

Solution 2:

You can read it, but you can't set it. value="123" will be ignored, so it won't have a value until you click on it and pick a file.

Even then, the value will likely be mangled with something like c:\fakepath\ to keep the details of the user's filesystem private.

Solution 3:

You can get it by using document.getElementById();

var fileVal=document.getElementById("some Id");
alert(fileVal.value);

will give the value of file,but it gives with fakepath as follows

c:\fakepath\filename