How to upload files (.doc./.pdf) to the database?

Question

Hello,
I know this question was raised several times before but the answers don't really make me happy.
I have a table with a BLOB-column for the documents (different mime-types) and a varchar2(100)-column for the mime type.
I edited the form in navigator an told the blob-field to store mime-information in the mime-type-field.
Now, do i have to tell portal the mime-type or does it retrieve it itself?
if i have to tell, how do i do so?
How can i fill in the value for the mime-type-field with javascript, when the fieldname is something like abc.def.ghi?
Javascript then will tell me that document.forms.fieldname is not an object.
Wouldn't it be a good idea to write a howto on this subject (and other subjects too, of course)? I'll do the work if you share your knowledge with me.
And, by the way, can you share your wisdom about retrieving the blobs from tha database for displaying and download, too?
thank you very much,
Ralf Schmitt

Answer 1

Hi Ralf,
see in the design time if you are
1)Interested in only one type of content in the blob column then just mention that mime-type in the
for eg.there will be text field "or type in fixed mime type" where you can mention the default type which you are interested in uploading.
2)If you intent to upload files of diffrent type of mime-types then you will have to associate a column for storing the mime types for that file and for this there will be a text field.
for eg. you will have options for "Select a column to store mime information" which will be having list of all the remaining fields in the LOV , you select which field of the table you wish to make for storing mime-type and do not set any default mime-type in the text "or type in fixed mime type" in this case.
more explaination:
=================
for this case create a table like this :
create table for_blob(id number(4),file_name blob,mime_type_of_file varchar2(400));
when you select file_name field while designing the form you will have following option.
"Select a column to store mime information" ---> select mime_type_of_file
"or type in fixed mime type" ---> delete the content of this text field.
Now when you will actually run the form you have to insert mime-types in the text "mime_type_of_file " for eg
for PDF files: Application/pdf
for msword :Application/msword
for the first case just input the mime-type which you wish to upload.
"or type in fixed mime type" ---> delete the content of this text field say for eg for PDF files:Application/pdf
so that at run time you do not have to input any mime-type info and in this case even the field need not have the column for the mime-type.
hope this help.
rahul