Faking a file upload

NancyJ · 02-06-2013, 03:48 PM

I'm trying to write an add-on to some software that will automatically generate images for certain products. I'd like the software to think the file was uploaded like a regular file (when it will in fact have been generated by a script) so that it will do all the things with a new image that it would normally do (naming, location, thumbnails, db entries etc)

The software provides easy hooks into before and after almost every operation so I have no doubt I will be able to 'inject' into the flow ie after POST has been received but before it is processed but can I just put data in to $_FILES and have it work as if the file had been uploaded?

Fou-Lu · 02-06-2013, 04:05 PM

There's nothing that would stop you from overwriting $_FILES superglobal, but I wouldn't recommend doing it manually. And whom knows what the software is doing; GET/POST/FILES etc etc are handed to the PHP from the webserver itself, so there is no guarantee by the time it gets to where you manually insert into the $_FILES that it will go back to process.

An alternative would be to curl/socket a new request into the software, and give it the file you want to "upload". That will take it through as a $_FILES itself. That assumes the software will deal with uploads and you don't need to write anything for it.

NancyJ · 02-06-2013, 05:13 PM

Turns out the software gives the option to specify that the file is on the server so I was able to create the file and then modify the $_REQUEST to specify that the file was on the server and where and the software does all the rest.

Fou-Lu · 02-06-2013, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NancyJ

Turns out the software gives the option to specify that the file is on the server so I was able to create the file and then modify the $_REQUEST to specify that the file was on the server and where and the software does all the rest.

That makes it much easier. Nothing is more frustrating than jumping through hoops with third party software for something that in general is an easy concept. At least they added the functionality right in so you don't need to write something to do it for you.