[php] how to do file upload using jquery serialization

So I have a form and I'm submitting the form through ajax using jquery serialization function

        serialized = $(Forms).serialize();

        $.ajax({

        type        : "POST",
        cache   : false,
        url     : "blah",
        data        : serialized,
        success: function(data) {

        }

but then what if the form has an <input type="file"> field....how do I pass the file into the form using this ajax serialization method...printing $_FILES doesn't output anything

   var form = $('#job-request-form')[0];
        var formData = new FormData(form);
        event.preventDefault();
        $.ajax({
            url: "/send_resume/", // the endpoint
            type: "POST", // http method
            processData: false,
            contentType: false,
            data: formData,

It worked for me! just set processData and contentType False.

$(document).on('click', '#submitBtn', function(e){
e.preventDefault();
e.stopImmediatePropagation();
var form = $("#myForm").closest("form");
var formData = new FormData(form[0]);
$.ajax({
    type: "POST",
    data: formData,
    dataType: "json",
    url: form.attr('action'),
    processData: false,
    contentType: false,
    success: function(data) {
         alert('Sucess! Form data posted with file type of input also!');
    }
)};});

By making use of new FormData() and setting processData: false, contentType:false in ajax call submission of form with file input worked for me

Using above code I am able to submit form data with file field also through Ajax

Use FormData object.It works for any type of form

$(document).on("submit", "form", function(event)
{
    event.preventDefault();
    $.ajax({
        url: $(this).attr("action"),
        type: $(this).attr("method"),
        dataType: "JSON",
        data: new FormData(this),
        processData: false,
        contentType: false,
        success: function (data, status)
        {

        },
        error: function (xhr, desc, err)
        {
            

        }
    });        

});

hmmmm i think there is much efficient way to make it specially for people want to target all browser and not only FormData supported browser

the idea to have hidden IFRAME on page and making normal submit for the From inside IFrame example

<FORM action='save_upload.php' method=post
   enctype='multipart/form-data' target=hidden_upload>
   <DIV><input
      type=file name='upload_scn' class=file_upload></DIV>
   <INPUT
      type=submit name=submit value=Upload /> <IFRAME id=hidden_upload
      name=hidden_upload src='' onLoad='uploadDone("hidden_upload")'
      style='width:0;height:0;border:0px solid #fff'></IFRAME> 
</FORM>

most important to make a target of form the hidden iframe ID or name and enctype multipart/form-data to allow accepting photos

javascript side

function getFrameByName(name) {
    for (var i = 0; i < frames.length; i++)
        if (frames[i].name == name)
            return frames[i];

    return null;
}

function uploadDone(name) {
    var frame = getFrameByName(name);
    if (frame) {
        ret = frame.document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0].innerHTML;

        if (ret.length) {
            var json = JSON.parse(ret);
         // do what ever you want 
        }
    }
}

server Side Example PHP

<?php
  $target_filepath = "/tmp/" . basename($_FILES['upload_scn']['name']);

  if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES['upload_scn']['tmp_name'], $target_filepath)) {
    $result = ....
  }

echo json_encode($result);
?>

HTML5 introduces FormData class that can be used to file upload with ajax.

FormData support starts from following desktop browsers versions. IE 10+, Firefox 4.0+, Chrome 7+, Safari 5+, Opera 12+

FormData - Mozilla.org

You can upload files via AJAX by using the FormData method. Although IE7,8 and 9 do not support FormData functionality.

$.ajax({
    url: "ajax.php", 
    type: "POST",             
    data: new FormData('form'),
    contentType: false,       
    cache: false,             
    processData:false, 
    success: function(data) {
        $("#response").html(data);
    }
});

HTML

<form name="my_form" id="my_form" accept-charset="multipart/form-data" onsubmit="return false">
    <input id="name" name="name" placeholder="Enter Name" type="text" value="">
    <textarea id="detail" name="detail" placeholder="Enter Detail"></textarea>
    <select name="gender" id="gender">
        <option value="male" selected="selected">Male</option>
        <option value="female">Female</option>
    </select>
    <input type="file" id="my_images" name="my_images" multiple="" accept="image/x-png,image/gif,image/jpeg"/>
</form>

JavaScript

var data = new FormData();

//Form data
var form_data = $('#my_form').serializeArray();
$.each(form_data, function (key, input) {
    data.append(input.name, input.value);
});

//File data
var file_data = $('input[name="my_images"]')[0].files;
for (var i = 0; i < file_data.length; i++) {
    data.append("my_images[]", file_data[i]);
}

//Custom data
data.append('key', 'value');

$.ajax({
    url: "URL",
    method: "post",
    processData: false,
    contentType: false,
    data: data,
    success: function (data) {
        //success
    },
    error: function (e) {
        //error
    }
});

PHP

<?php
    echo '<pre>';
    print_r($_POST);
    print_r($_FILES);
    echo '</pre>';
    die();
?>