Home > Abakada: Back to Basics > Language References > HTML Elements > INPUT type=file Element

HTML Input Elements

---

Creates a file select control.

HTML 2, 3.2, 4, 4.01, 5

HTML Syntax

<input
   accesskey = key
   class = classname
   datafld = fieldname
   dataformatas = html | text
   datasrc = #id
   dir = ltr | rtl
   disabled
   id = value
   name = name
   size = n
   style = css_style_rules
   tabindex = n
   title = text
   type = file
   value = value
>

The INPUT type=file element creates a file upload object with a text box and browse button. This control type allows the user to select files so that their contents may be submitted with a form.

Users can enter a file path in the text box or click on the browse button to browse the file system. Authors may also specify an initial file name thru its value attribute.

The file upload add-on is required to use the INPUT type=file object in Internet Explorer^® 3.02.

NOTE: Only the <input> start tag must be present. The element has no end tag.

The <input_file> element has no attribute of its own, but supports global attributes common to all HTML elements.

The following example defines a file upload object.

<form><input type="file"></form>

INPUT   Form Content Types