curl/docs/curl_formparse.3

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.TH curl_formparse 3 "21 May 2001" "libcurl 7.7.4" "libcurl Manual"
.SH NAME
curl_formparse - add a section to a multipart/formdata HTTP POST
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B #include <curl/curl.h>
.sp
.BI "CURLcode curl_formparse(char * " string, " struct HttpPost ** " firstitem,
.BI "struct HttpPost ** " lastitem ");"
.ad
.SH DESCRIPTION
curl_formparse() is used to append sections when building a multipart/formdata
HTTP POST (sometimes refered to as rfc1867-style posts). Append one section at
a time until you've added all the sections you want included and then you pass
the \fIfirstitem\fP pointer as parameter to \fBCURLOPT_HTTPPOST\fP.
\fIlastitem\fP is set after each call and on repeated invokes it should be
left as set to allow repeated invokes to find the end of the list in a faster
way.  \fIstring\fP must be a zero terminated string abiding to the syntax
described in a section below

The pointers \fI*firstitem\fP and \fI*lastitem\fP should both be pointing to
NULL in the first call to this function. All list-data will be allocated by
the function itself. You must call \fIcurl_formfree\fP after the form post has
been done to free the resources again.

This function will copy all input data and keep its own version of it
allocated until you call \fIcurl_formfree\fP. When you've passed the pointer
to \fIcurl_easy_setopt\fP, you must not free the list until after you've
called \fIcurl_easy_cleanup\fP for the curl handle.

See example below.
.SH "FORM PARSE STRINGS"
The
.I string 
parameter must be using one of the following patterns. Note that the []
letters should not be included in the real-life string.
.TP 0.8i
.B [name]=[contents]
Add a form field named 'name' with the contents 'contents'. This is the
typcial contents of the HTML tag <input type=text>.
.TP
.B [name]=@[filename]
Add a form field named 'name' with the contents as read from the local file
named 'filename'. This is the typcial contents of the HTML tag <input
type=file>.
.TP
.B [name]=@[filename1,filename2,...]
Add a form field named 'name' with the contents as read from the local files
named 'filename1' and 'filename2'. This is identical to the upper, except that
you get the contents of several files in one section.
.TP
.B [name]=@[filename];[type=<content-type>]
Whenever you specify a file to read from, you can optionally specify the
content-type as well. The content-type is passed to the server together with
the contents of the file. curl_formparse() will guess content-type for a
number of well-known extensions and otherwise it will set it to binary. You
can override the internal decision by using this option.
.TP
.B [name]=@[filename1,filename2,...];[type=<content-type>]
When you specify several files to read the contents from, you can set the
content-type for all of them in the same way as with a single file.
.PP
.SH RETURN VALUE
Returns non-zero if an error occurs.
.SH EXAMPLE

 HttpPost* post = NULL;
 HttpPost* last = NULL;

 /* Add an image section */
 curl_formparse("picture=@my-face.jpg", &post, &last);
 /* Add a normal text section */
 curl_formparse("name=FooBar", &post, &last);
 /* Set the form info */
 curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_HTTPPOST, post);

.SH "SEE ALSO"
.BR curl_easy_setopt "(3), "
.BR curl_formfree "(3)
.SH BUGS
Surely there are some, you tell me!