Simple Django Image Upload - Image file not saving - django

Question

Right I'm learning how to do a simple image upload form to upload an image to MEDIA_ROOT. The form renders fine, I get no errors, but the file is not showing up in the MEDIA_ROOT directory. If followed the documentation example and can't get it to work and I know it is because I have not understood django file upload handeling properly. So here is my code:
forms.py
from django import forms
class UploadImageForm(forms.Form):
image = forms.ImageField()
views.py
def merchant_image_upload(request):
if request.method == 'POST':
form = UploadImageForm(request.POST, request.FILES)
if form.is_valid():
FileUploadHandler(request.FILES['image'])
return HttpResponseRedirect('/dashboard/gallery')
else:
form = UploadImageForm()
return render_to_response('gallery.html', RequestContext(request, {'form': form}))
template file
{% extends 'base.html' %}
{% block main %}
<form action="{% url scvd.views.merchant_image_upload %}" method="post">{% csrf_token %}
{{ form.image }}
<input type="submit" value="Upload" />
</form>
{% endblock %}
Hopefully that's sufficient info to get some help. Please let me know what else I can provide. Thank you, I really appreciate the help.

Answer 1

You don't need to attach it to a model as Matt S states, request.FILES has all the data for the image if your form is set up correctly.
You need to make sure use enctype="multipart/form-data" in your element, as the docs state here: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/ref/forms/api/#binding-uploaded-files-to-a-form
Aside from that, read the docs about file uploads: https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/dev/topics/http/file-uploads/
All you need is well documented there. Hope this helps!
EDIT OP requested more information on File Uploads
From the docs:
Most of the time, you'll simply pass the file data from request into
the form as described in Binding uploaded files to a form. This would
look something like:
from django.http import HttpResponseRedirect
from django.shortcuts import render_to_response
# Imaginary function to handle an uploaded file.
from somewhere import handle_uploaded_file
def upload_file(request):
if request.method == 'POST':
form = UploadFileForm(request.POST, request.FILES)
if form.is_valid():
handle_uploaded_file(request.FILES['file'])
return HttpResponseRedirect('/success/url/')
else:
form = UploadFileForm()
return render_to_response('upload.html', {'form': form})
And they have an example of how you could write the handle_uploaded_file function:
def handle_uploaded_file(f):
destination = open('some/file/name.txt', 'wb+')
for chunk in f.chunks():
destination.write(chunk)
destination.close()

Answer 2

In order to have your files uploaded and shows in request.FILES, your form MUST contain enctype="multipart/form-data" as shown below:
<form action="{% url scvd.views.merchant_image_upload %}" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data">
{% csrf_token %}
{{ form.image }}
<input type="submit" value="Upload" />
</form>

Answer 3

You need to attach it to a model (as an ImageField) as it's not being saved anywhere presently. It may be handled without any issues right now but it gets discarded after the view returns.
Never mind, I didn't realize models were unnecessary.