backbonejs node file upload - node.js

Question

None of the answers I have found anywhere have worked. I am trying to extend the example in "Developing Backbone.js Applications" to upload files. Although the form has enctype="multipart/form-data," request.files is always undefined.
The form HTML is:
<form id="addBook" action="..." enctype="multipart/form-data">
<div>
<label for="coverImage">CoverImage: </label><input id="coverImage" name="coverImage" type="file" />
<label for="title">Title: </label><input id="title" type="text" />
<label for="author">Author: </label><input id="author" type="text" />
<label for="releaseDate">Release date: </label><input id="releaseDate" type="text" />
<label for="keywords">Keywords: </label><input id="keywords" type="text" />
<button id="add">Add</button>
</div>
</form>
The backbone that saves the new record is
addBook: function( e ) {
e.preventDefault();
var formData = {};
var reader = new FileReader();
$( '#addBook div' ).children( 'input' ).each( function( i, el ) {
if( $( el ).val() != '' )
{
if( el.id === 'keywords' ) {
formData[ el.id ] = [];
_.each( $( el ).val().split( ' ' ), function( keyword ) {
formData[ el.id ].push({ 'keyword': keyword });
});
} else if( el.id === 'releaseDate' ) {
formData[ el.id ] = $( '#releaseDate' ).datepicker( 'getDate' ).getTime();
} else {
formData[ el.id ] = $( el ).val();
}
}
});
console.log(formData);
this.collection.create( formData );
}
The Node being called.
//Insert a new book
app.post( '/api/books', function( request, response ) {
console.log(request.body);
console.log(request.files);
});
The value of coverimage send to node is correct, I just never get anything in request.files. I have a cool drag and drop I would like to use instead, but until I get this working I am stuck.
I tried the JQuery-file-upload, that got me nowhere.
If I had hair, I would be pulling it out right now.

Answer 1

I wouldn't be submitting the file as part of the model.save/collection.create(model).
What I've used is Plupload for a file upload manager, submitting a file to an upload handler. This upload handler either returns the path to the uploaded file, or fileId if a reference is stored in a database table.
From there I populate a property in my backbone model, then persist the model. You can have your model listenTo plupload, for an upload completed event or similar.

Answer 2

I'm also following the sample of the book "Developing Backbone.js Applications", I extended the functionality to upload images to a folder in the server and save the path in my model to show the correct images. It is working fine. I tried to use Plupload and other jquery plugins but I didn't like them. My sample is using ajax to upload images to the server and then using them. I read many posts referencing the use of iframes to have ajax functionality. The best approach for this I found is using the jquery.form.js to avoid postbacks and load the images in a nice way.
The running sample working fine with nodeJS:
https://github.com/albertomontellano/bookLibrarySampleNodeJS
I based my solution in the post of Mark Dawson:
http://markdawson.tumblr.com/post/18359176420/asynchronous-file-uploading-using-express-and-node-js
However, I had to correct a method of this post to make it work correctly:
app.post('/api/photos', function(req, res) {
var responseServerPath = 'images/' + req.files.userPhoto.name;
var serverPath = 'site/images/' + req.files.userPhoto.name;
console.log(req.files.userPhoto.path);
require('fs').rename(
req.files.userPhoto.path,
serverPath,
function(error) {
if(error) {
console.log(error);
res.send({
error: 'Ah crap! Something bad happened'
});
return;
}
res.send({
path: responseServerPath
});
}
);
});
I hope it helps.

Answer 3

Turned out I had to end up hiring someone to do it, because I can't find any examples online of anybody uploading a file through backbone, even without updating any database interaction. Everybody has the same basic advice about what tools to use to upload the files, but I can't for the life of me find ONE example of someone implementing it.
I am planning on making the code available to everybody, so they can see how it works.