Skip to content
Patternfly Logo

File upload

A file upload component allows the users to upload a single file into the browser.

Examples

The basic FileUpload component can accept a file via browse or drag-and-drop, and behaves like a standard form field with its value and onFileInputChange event that is similar to <input onChange="..."> prop. The type prop determines how the FileUpload component behaves upon accepting a file, what type of value it passes to its onDataChange event.

Text files

If type="text" is passed (and hideDefaultPreview is not), a TextArea preview will be rendered underneath the filename bar. When a file is selected, its contents will be read into memory and passed to the onDataChange event as a string. Every filename change is passed to onFileInputChange same as it would do with the <input> element. Pressing Clear button triggers onClearClick event.

Simple text file

A user can always type instead of selecting a file, but by default, once a user selects a text file from their disk they are not allowed to edit it (to prevent unintended changes to a format-sensitive file). This behavior can be changed with the allowEditingUploadedText prop. Typing/pasting text in the box will call onTextChange with a string, and a string value is expected for the value prop. :

Text file with edits allowed

Restricting file size and type

Any props accepted by react-dropzone's Dropzone component can be passed as a dropzoneProps object in order to customize the behavior of the Dropzone, such as restricting the size and type of files allowed. The following example will only accept CSV files smaller than 1 KB. Note that file type determination is not reliable across platforms (see the note on react-dropzone's docs about the accept prop), so be sure to test the behavior of your file upload restriction on all browsers and operating systems targeted by your application.

IMPORTANT: A note about security

Restricting file sizes and types in this way is for user convenience only, and it cannot prevent a malicious user from submitting anything to your server. As with any user input, your application should also validate, sanitize and/or reject restricted files on the server side.

Text file with restrictions

Upload a CSV file

Other file types

If no type prop is specified, the component will not read files directly. When a file is selected, a File object will be passed as a second argument to onFileInputChange and your application will be responsible for reading from it (e.g. by using the FileReader API or attaching it to a FormData object). A File object will also be expected for the value prop instead of a string, and no preview of the file contents will be shown by default. The onReadStarted and onReadFinished callbacks will also not be called since the component is not reading the file.

Simple file of any format

Customizing the file preview

Regardless of type, the preview area (the TextArea, or any future implementations of default previews for other types) can be removed by passing hideDefaultPreview, and a custom one can be rendered by passing children.

Custom file preview

Bringing your own file browse logic

FileUpload is a thin wrapper around the FileUploadField presentational component. If you need to implement your own logic for accepting files, you can instead render a FileUploadField directly, which does not include react-dropzone and requires additional props (e.g. onBrowseButtonClick, onClearButtonClick, isDragActive).

Note that the isLoading prop is styled to position the spinner dead center above the entire component, so it should not be used with hideDefaultPreview unless a custom empty-state preview is provided via children. The below example prevents isLoading and hideDefaultPreview from being used at the same time. You can always provide your own spinner as part of the children!

Custom file upload


Props

FileUpload

*required
NameTypeDefaultDescription
idrequiredstringUnique id for the TextArea, also used to generate ids for accessible labels.
allowEditingUploadedTextbooleanFlag to allow editing of a text file's contents after it is selected from disk
aria-labelstringAria-label for the TextArea.
browseButtonTextstringText for the Browse button
childrenReact.ReactNodenullAdditional children to render after (or instead of) the file preview.
classNamestringAdditional classes added to the FileUpload container element.
clearButtonTextstringText for the Clear button
dropzonePropsDropzoneProps{}Optional extra props to customize react-dropzone.
filenamestring''Value to be shown in the read-only filename field.
filenameAriaLabelstringAria-label for the read-only filename field
filenamePlaceholderstringPlaceholder string to display in the empty filename field
hideDefaultPreviewbooleanFlag to hide the built-in preview of the file (where available). If true, you can use children to render an alternate preview.
isDisabledbooleanFlag to show if the field is disabled.
isLoadingbooleanFlag to show if a file is being loaded.
isReadOnlybooleanFlag to show if the field is read only.
isRequiredbooleanFlag to show if the field is required.
Deprecated: onChange( value: string | File, filename: string, event: | React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent> // Clear button was clicked | React.DragEvent<HTMLElement> // User dragged/dropped a file | React.ChangeEvent<HTMLElement> // User typed in the TextArea ) => void() => {}A callback for when the file contents change. Please instead use onFileInputChange, onTextChange, onDataChange, onClearClick individually.
onClearClickReact.MouseEventHandler<HTMLButtonElement>Clear button was clicked
onClick(event: React.MouseEvent) => voidevent => event.preventDefault()Callback for clicking on the FileUploadField text area. By default, prevents a click in the text area from opening file dialog.
onDataChange(data: string) => voidOn data changed - if type='text' or type='dataURL' and file was loaded it will call this method
onFileInputChange(event: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement> | React.DragEvent<HTMLElement>, file: File) => voidnullChange event emitted from the hidden \<input type="file" \> field associated with the component
onReadFailed(error: DOMException, fileHandle: File) => void() => {}A callback for when the FileReader API fails
onReadFinished(fileHandle: File) => void() => {}A callback for when a selected file finishes loading
onReadStarted(fileHandle: File) => void() => {}A callback for when a selected file starts loading
onTextChange(text: string) => voidText area text changed
spinnerAriaValueTextstringAria-valuetext for the loading spinner
type'text' | 'dataURL'What type of file. Determines what is is passed to `onChange` and expected by `value` (a string for 'text' and 'dataURL', or a File object otherwise.
validated'success' | 'error' | 'default'Value to indicate if the field is modified to show that validation state. If set to success, field will be modified to indicate valid state. If set to error, field will be modified to indicate error state.
valuestring | Filetype === fileReaderType.text || type === fileReaderType.dataURL ? '' : nullValue of the file's contents (string if text file, File object otherwise)

FileUploadField

*required
NameTypeDefaultDescription
idrequiredstringUnique id for the TextArea, also used to generate ids for accessible labels
allowEditingUploadedTextbooleanfalseFlag to allow editing of a text file's contents after it is selected from disk
aria-labelstring'File upload'Aria-label for the TextArea.
browseButtonTextstring'Browse...'Text for the Browse button
childrenReact.ReactNodenullAdditional children to render after (or instead of) the file preview.
classNamestring''Additional classes added to the FileUploadField container element.
clearButtonTextstring'Clear'Text for the Clear button
containerRefReact.Ref<HTMLDivElement>nullA reference object to attach to the FileUploadField container element.
filenamestring''Value to be shown in the read-only filename field.
filenameAriaLabelstringfilename ? 'Read only filename' : filenamePlaceholderAria-label for the read-only filename field
filenamePlaceholderstring'Drag a file here or browse to upload'Placeholder string to display in the empty filename field
hideDefaultPreviewbooleanfalseFlag to hide the built-in preview of the file (where available). If true, you can use children to render an alternate preview.
isClearButtonDisabledboolean!filename && !valueFlag to disable the Clear button
isDisabledbooleanfalseFlag to show if the field is disabled.
isDragActivebooleanfalseFlag to show if a file is being dragged over the field
isLoadingbooleanfalseFlag to show if a file is being loaded.
isReadOnlybooleanfalseFlag to show if the field is read only.
isRequiredbooleanfalseFlag to show if the field is required.
onBrowseButtonClick(event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent>) => void() => {}A callback for when the Browse button is clicked.
onChange( value: string, filename: string, event: | React.ChangeEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement> // User typed in the TextArea | React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent> // User clicked Clear button ) => void() => {}A callback for when the TextArea value changes.
onClearButtonClick(event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement, MouseEvent>) => void() => {}A callback for when the Clear button is clicked.
onTextAreaBlur(event?: any) => voidCallback for when focus is lost on the text area field
onTextAreaClick(event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLTextAreaElement, MouseEvent>) => voidA callback from when the text area is clicked. Can also be set via the onClick property of FileUpload.
onTextChange(text: string) => voidText area text changed
spinnerAriaValueTextstringAria-valuetext for the loading spinner
textAreaPlaceholderstring''Placeholder string to display in the empty text area field
type'text' | 'dataURL'What type of file. Determines what is is expected by `value` (a string for 'text' and 'dataURL', or a File object otherwise).
validated'success' | 'error' | 'default''default'Value to indicate if the field is modified to show that validation state. If set to success, field will be modified to indicate valid state. If set to error, field will be modified to indicate error state.
valuestring | File''Value of the file's contents (string if text file, File object otherwise)

CSS variables

.pf-c-file-upload--pf-c-file-upload--m-loading__file-details--before--BackgroundColor
#fff
.pf-c-file-upload--pf-c-file-upload--m-loading__file-details--before--Left
1px
.pf-c-file-upload--pf-c-file-upload--m-loading__file-details--before--Right
1px
.pf-c-file-upload--pf-c-file-upload--m-loading__file-details--before--Bottom
1px
.pf-c-file-upload--pf-c-file-upload--m-drag-hover--before--BorderWidth
1px
.pf-c-file-upload--pf-c-file-upload--m-drag-hover--before--BorderColor
#06c
.pf-c-file-upload--pf-c-file-upload--m-drag-hover--before--ZIndex
100
.pf-c-file-upload--pf-c-file-upload--m-drag-hover--after--BackgroundColor
#06c
.pf-c-file-upload--pf-c-file-upload--m-drag-hover--after--Opacity
.1
.pf-c-file-upload--pf-c-file-upload__file-details__c-form-control--MinHeight
calc(4rem * 2)
.pf-c-file-upload--pf-c-file-upload__file-select__c-button--m-control--OutlineOffset
calc(-1 * 0.25rem)

View source on GitHub