Storing Images In MySQL Database

Hi everybody,

I want to store images directly in a MySQL database using PHP. How can I?

Thanks in advance,

 

Be best to search hotscripts to get a ready made image script/gallery

 

If you don't know how to do it, you're probably best off not doing it

Unless you've got a very good reason I'd always recommend storing images as files rather than blobs. Doing so makes it much easier to move image hosting to another server/server cluster, thus giving you far more options when your site becomes popular.

 

Forkqueue has a good point.

vijaykoul if you share your business need with us, maybe there is a better solution, or we can help you fine-tune what you want to do.

later,

tom

 

forkqueue has a very good point. Blobs are difficult to work with and storing images as files is much easier and much more efficient.

 

I had a nightmare as a new php/mysql user trying to use blobs, before realising that it'd be easier to store the images as files...

 

Not to pick on you, just that I have users that upload pictures. Rather than having many many files in some directory, conflicts, etc.... I use blobs. This way when a user wants to be removed, I just delete his account and any blobs associated with it.

Pretty cool thing.

tom

 

True enough, I have the same situation. I went through the trouble of deleting all the images from the server when I delete a user (or news article, or employee etc). It wasn't all that tough with a php while loop and a select statment. It was worth it for me based on the headache I was having with the blobs. But I do completly agree with your logic on that one! Good call...

 

I'd definitely store the files in the file system instead of as blobs. You just need a naming convention that will allow you to accomplish what you want (easy enough, no conflicts).

I really can't see any good reason to use blobs here, as it's
a) less efficient (on all fronts: not just database blob operations vs. file system access, but also serving the image would be done more efficiently and not tying up PHP & MySQL resources if the webserver could handle it "statically")
b) more complicated (the file system approach is simpler to code and less lines of code)
c) just plain overkill (where is the KISS principle?)

But of course, once upon a time, designing my own first content management systems (this would be like way back in 1997 or so), I thought it was cool, too

If despite everything you go with the blob approach, at least be sure to separate the metadata (name, size, modified date, etc) of the file into a separate table than the actual blob field. (You can use the same ID in both tables.) MySQL will be eternally grateful for that small kindness at least...

 

in a somewhat related issue I did store the images in the database at first, later wanted them out (too much data in one table) so what I did was use the id and create some paths like 10/00/00/01.jpg . Store the actual image there and you can still have all meta data in the database. (id = 10000001 in this case)

 

Hi,

But my question still remains unanswered. Can I finally do it. If Yes, how.

Thanks in avance

 

Yes, you can; no, you shouldn't; if you're gonna anyway, this may help you out