node.jsfile-uploadformidable

Formidable returns TypeError, ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE: The "path" argument is undefined


I'm having trouble uploading files using formidable. I'm on Windows server 2016.

My code, which in its entirely is shown below, is based on https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-upload-file-using-formidable-module-in-node-js/

const express = require('express');
const fs = require('fs');
const path = require('path')
const formidable = require('formidable');
   
const app = express();
   
app.post('/api/upload', (req, res, next) => {
    
    const form = new formidable.IncomingForm(
        { uploadDir: __dirname + '\\tmp',  keepExtensions: true }
    );
    form.parse(req, function(err, fields, files){
        var oldPath = files.profilePic.path;
        var newPath = path.join(__dirname, 'uploads')
                + '/'+files.profilePic.name
        var rawData = fs.readFileSync(oldPath)
      
        fs.writeFile(newPath, rawData, function(err){
            if(err) console.log(err)
            return res.send("Successfully uploaded")
        })
  })
});
   
app.listen(3000, function(err){
    if(err) console.log(err)
    console.log('Server listening on Port 3000');
});

I use Postman to send a file.

When triggering the /api/upload API, the file sent is correctly placed in the tmp folder, but reading the path is when the problem arise:

TypeError [ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE]: The "path" argument must be of type string or an instance of Buffer or URL. Received undefined

This message points to fs.readFileSync(oldPath).

console.log('files='+files) returns files=[object Object]

console.log('files.profilePic='+files.profilePic) returns

C:\somepath\node_modules\formidable\src\PersistentFile.js:50
    return `PersistentFile: ${this._file.newFilename}, Original: ${this._file.originalFilename}, Path: ${this._file.filepath}`;
                                         ^

TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'newFilename')
    at PersistentFile.toString (C:\somepath\node_modules\formidable\src\PersistentFile.js:50:42)

All 4 referenced modules exist in node_modules folder.


Solution

  • Simply change

    var oldPath = files.profilePic.path;

    to

    var oldPath = files.profilePic.filepath;

    Also make sure that you create the "uploads" folder as the code doesn't create it and it will fail without it.

    EDIT: A side note is that if your environment is just spitting out [object object] when you console log an object, then probably get a new environment (visual studio code is good) that gives useful information.