Playing MultipartFormData

The following blog and attached code represent an example to upload file using MultipartFormData request and Testing it into Play Application.

A basic example to handle and test MultipartFormData request in Play Framework 2.3.8

The standard way to upload files in a web application is to use a form with a special multipart/form-data encoding, which lets you mix standard form data with file attachment data. Please note: the HTTP method used to submit the form must be POST (not GET).

Code in action for Controller and Service

Multipart form upload handlers looks like this: Application.scala

  val uploadService: UploadService

  def upload = Action(parse.multipartFormData) { implicit request =>
    val result = uploadService.uploadFile(request)
    Redirect(routes.Application.index).flashing("message" -> result)
  }

Service for upload file looks like this: UploadService.scala

  /**
   * Get file from the request and move it in your location
   *
   * @param request
   * @return
   */
  def uploadFile(request: Request[MultipartFormData[TemporaryFile]]): String = {
    log.error("Called uploadFile function" + request)
    request.body.file("file").map { picture =>
      import java.io.File
      val filename = picture.filename
      val contentType = picture.contentType
      log.error(s"File name : $filename, content type : $contentType")
      picture.ref.moveTo(new File(s"/tmp/$filename"))
      "File uploaded"
    }.getOrElse {
      "Missing file"
    }
  }

Test Code for Controller and Service

ApplicationSpec.scala

"should be valid" in new WithApplication {
  val request = mock[Request[MultipartFormData[TemporaryFile]]]
  mockedUploadService.uploadFile(request) returns "File Uploaded"
  val result: Future[Result] = TestController.upload().apply(request)
  status(result) must equalTo(SEE_OTHER)
}

UploadServiceSpec.scala

"UploadService" should {
    "uploadFile returns (File uploaded)" in new WithApplication {
      val files = Seq[FilePart[TemporaryFile]](FilePart("file", "UploadServiceSpec.scala", None, TemporaryFile("file", "spec")))
      val multipartBody = MultipartFormData(Map[String, Seq[String]](), files, Seq[BadPart](), Seq[MissingFilePart]())
      val fakeRequest = FakeRequest[MultipartFormData[Files.TemporaryFile]]("POST", "/", FakeHeaders(), multipartBody)
      val success = UploadService.uploadFile(fakeRequest)
      success must beEqualTo("File uploaded")
    }

    "uploadFile returns (Missing file)" in new WithApplication {
      val files = Seq[FilePart[TemporaryFile]]()
      val multipartBody = MultipartFormData(Map[String, Seq[String]](), files, Seq[BadPart](), Seq[MissingFilePart]())
      val fakeRequest = FakeRequest[MultipartFormData[Files.TemporaryFile]]("POST", "/", FakeHeaders(), multipartBody)
      val success = UploadService.uploadFile(fakeRequest)
      success must beEqualTo("Missing file")
    }
}

Build and Run the application :-

To run the Play Framework, you need JDK 6 or later
Install Typesafe Activator if you do not have it already. You can get it from here
Execute ./activator clean compile to build the product
Execute ./activator run to execute the product
playing-multipartform should now be accessible at localhost:9000