Laravel File Upload Validation

Question

I'm new to Laravel. I have a form with a File upload function on it. How can I validate their file? I will only allowed Microsoft Word files. Here's my validation code.

I just want check if they insert a ms word file and if not it will not be processed.

public function store()
{
  // Validate
    $rules = array(
        'pda'                         => 'required|unique:forms',
        'controlnum'                  => 'required|unique:forms',
        'date'                        => 'required',
        'churchname'                  => 'required',
        'title'                       => 'required',
        'pastorname'                  => 'required',
        'contactnum'                  => 'required',
        'address'                     => 'required',
        'state'                       => 'required',
        'region'                      => 'required',
        'area'                        => 'required',
        'city'                        => 'required',
        'zipcode'                     => 'required|numeric|max:9999',
        'tgjteachertraining'          => 'required',
        'localcontact'                => 'required',
        'tgjdatestart'                => 'required',
        'tgjdateend'                  => 'required',
        'tgjcourse'                   => 'required|numeric',
        'childrengraduated'           => 'required|numeric|max:450',
        'childrenacceptjesus'         => 'required|numeric',
        'howmanycomitted'             => 'required|numeric',
        'recievedbibles'              => 'required|numeric',
        'descgradevent'               => 'required',
        'whatwillyoudo'               => 'required',
        'pastortest'                  => 'required',
        'teachertest'                 => 'required',
        'childrentest'                => 'required',
        'file'                        => 'required|max:10000',
    );

    $validator = Validator::make(Input::all(), $rules);

    // process the form
    if ($validator->fails()) {
        return Redirect::to('forms/create')->withErrors($validator);
    } else {
        // store
        $forms = new Forms;
        $forms->pda                         = Input::get('pda');
        $forms->controlnum              = Input::get('controlnum');
        $forms->date                = Input::get('date');
        $forms->churchname                  = ucwords(Input::get('churchname'));
        $forms->title                       = ucwords(Input::get('title'));
        $forms->pastorname                  = ucwords(Input::get('pastorname'));
        $forms->address                     = Input::get('address');
        $forms->contactnum                  = Input::get('contactnum');
        $forms->state                       = Input::get('state2');
        $forms->region                      = Input::get('region2');
        $forms->area                        = Input::get('area2');
        $forms->citytown                    = Input::get('city2');
        $forms->zipcode                     = Input::get('zipcode');
        $forms->tgjteachertraining          = Input::get('tgjteachertraining');
        $forms->localcontact            = ucwords(Input::get('localcontact'));
        $forms->tgjdatestart            = Input::get('tgjdatestart');
        $forms->tgjdateend              = Input::get('tgjdateend');
        $forms->tgjcourse           = Input::get('tgjcourse');
        $forms->childrengraduated           = Input::get('childrengraduated');
        $forms->childrenacceptjesus     = Input::get('childrenacceptjesus');
        $forms->howmanycomitted         = Input::get('howmanycomitted');
        $forms->recievedbibles          = Input::get('recievedbibles');
        $forms->descgradevent           = Input::get('descgradevent');
        $forms->whatwillyoudo           = Input::get('whatwillyoudo');
        $forms->pastortest          = Input::get('pastortest');
        $forms->teachertest             = Input::get('teachertest');
        $forms->childrentest            = Input::get('childrentest');
        $file                   = Input::file('file');
        $filename                   = $file->getClientOriginalName(); 
        $destinationPath                = 'uploads/'.Input::get('pda');
        $uploadSuccess              = Input::file('file')->move($destinationPath, $filename);
        $forms->docurl              = 'uploads/'.Input::get('pda').'/'.$filename;
        if( $uploadSuccess ) {
        $forms->save();
        //Session::flash('message', 'Successfully submitted form!');
        return Redirect::to('forms/create'); 
        Session::flash('message', 'Successfully submitted form!');

        } 
        else {
        return Response::json('error', 400);
        }
    }
}

Answer 1

To validate mime type of a file input in Laravel you can use the mimes rule. Remember to match the mime type detected with the actual mime of file you provide. It may vary on different servers.

For example, you want to enable adding and word document in you form:

1) in config/mimes.php add the below mime types:

    'doc'  => array('application/msword', 'application/vnd.ms-office'),
    'docx' => array('application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document', 'application/zip'), 

2) in your validation $rules add the following elements:

    'file' => 'required|max:10000|mimes:doc,docx' //a required, max 10000kb, doc or docx file

Answer 2

Try this?

'file' => 'required|max:10000|mimes:application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document'

You may want to set some custom message for the response though :)

Answer 3

As of Laravel 9.22 you can write the validation rules a lot shorter and more readable like:

'file' => ['required', File::types(['doc', 'docx'])->smallerThan(10000)]

You can find the available methods in this pr: https://github.com/laravel/framework/pull/43271