Storing Files In Database Using ASP.NET

In this example I am storing files like word document, text file and excel files into database and retrieving back from database and saving back into a folder.

So lets start creating a Table in SQL Server database in which we are going store our uploaded files, in this table I am creating following columns.

1. DocumentID int primary key Identity yes
2. DocumentName varchar(100) name of the document with extension
3. Document varbinary(MAX) binary column for saving file in Binary format.

Open SQL Server Management Studio and open Northwind database and run following script for creating Table

Now we are ready with our Database creation so lets create a web application

Open Visual Studio and create a Web Application and in Default.aspx add following controls.

1. One upload control
2. One Button for uploading
3. One DropDownList for displaying List of files which are in database already
4. One Button for opening selected document.

Please refer following screen shot for design.

In Page_Load event we have to retrieve all documents which are already stored in database before so I have written a method called FillDropDown to fill the DropDownList

Once user selected a file to upload and click on Upload button we have to store that file in database in Binary format so I am using InputStream of uploaded file and reading into byte array and connection to database and storing the data.

Once user selects one uploaded file click on open I am retrieving the binary data of that file from database and using FileStream object I am saving the a folder, I am created a Folder called Documents in the solution itself and storing files in that folder, if a file already present in the folder it will be over written. please add following code in open button click event.

 

Now we are ready with our code just build, run and test.

 

Tags : Storing files into database, ASP.NET, C#, Web Application, FileStream, InputStream.