FileField never updates

[dshook]

I'm using a normal File field fileupload: forms.FileField({required: false}), and when the user selects a file and the form is submitted the form files property is an empty object. There also doesn't seem to be a way to get a react reference to the field directly to get the Form value.

What I'm expecting/needing to get to:

    <input type="file" name="file" ref="fileUpload"  />
    <script>
       var fileNode = this.refs.fileUpload.getDOMNode();
       var file = fileNode.files[0];
    </script>

Just like if you were to do it through straight js/jquery;

I've noticed this is the same behavior on the all fields demo
http://insin.github.io/newforms-examples/all-fields/

If you break on line 162 inside of onSubmit, after the validate this.state.form.files is an empty object

[insin]

FileField needs an overhaul to support the way file inputs are actually used in JavaScript-heavy apps - the current version is still pretty much a direct port from Django, and is only usable with regular form submissions, with you handling everything on the server side.

There's a warning to that effect in the docs, but it should be added everywhere else FileField is mentioned:

• http://newforms.readthedocs.org/en/latest/forms.html#binding-uploaded-files-to-a-form

Ideas for some of what needs to be done are on the Wiki:

• https://github.com/insin/newforms/wiki
• https://github.com/insin/newforms/wiki/Client-side-FileField-Enhancements

I still haven't used file inputs in any React apps myself, nor did I get much response asking about them on the mailing list a while back, so pointers to how people are actually using them are welcome.

I'll add a warning to the other areas in the docs until I get time to revisit.

[dshook]

I did see that but thought I'd be able to get at the native file object some way with the current version haha. How difficult would it be to make the cleanedValue the native file object as a temporary solution?

[insin]

That might actually not be that difficult, a special case for FileField in Form.prototype._handleFieldEvent should do the trick.

Might just need some tweaks around some of the special cases already in place for FileField elsewhere.

Will have a look later today.