I need to create a file upload feature for my ASP.NET 3.5 application that can handle multiple files at once. I really like how Google Drive handles their file uploads - it’s smooth and user-friendly. Since Google Drive isn’t open source, I can’t check out their actual code. What would be the best approach to build something similar? I want users to be able to select multiple files, see upload progress, and have a clean interface. Are there any specific techniques or libraries that work well for this kind of functionality in ASP.NET? I’m open to using JavaScript or AJAX if that helps make it more interactive.
In developing a similar file upload feature, it’s beneficial to utilize libraries like Plupload or Dropzone.js, which streamline the process. Implement a custom backend handler to manage file uploads in chunks; this ensures smoother processing and mitigates timeout issues for larger files. For user experience, feedback is critical, so consider real-time progress indicators and the ability to queue additional uploads. Make sure to enforce file type validation on both client and server sides to prevent errors, and ensure robust error handling to manage interruptions effectively.
For ASP.NET 3.5, I’d recommend looking into SWFUpload combined with a custom HTTP module. This approach gives you much better control over the upload process compared to standard form submissions. The key is implementing chunked uploads on the backend - break large files into smaller segments and reassemble them server-side. This prevents timeouts and allows for proper progress tracking. You’ll also want to store upload progress in session state or a database so your AJAX calls can poll for updates. One thing that really improved my implementation was adding drag-and-drop functionality using basic JavaScript file API, though browser support was limited back then. Make sure to handle concurrent uploads properly by implementing some kind of queue system, otherwise you might overwhelm the server with simultaneous requests.