Download a remote image and save it to a Django model

Question

I am writing a Django app which will fetch all images of particular URL and save them in the database.

But I am not getting on how to use ImageField in Django.

Answer 1

As an example of what I think you're asking:

In forms.py:

imgfile = forms.ImageField(label = 'Choose your image', help_text = 'The image should be cool.')

In models.py:

imgfile =   models.ImageField(upload_to='images/%m/%d')

So there will be a POST request from the user (when the user completes the form). That request will contain basically a dictionary of data. The dictionary holds the submitted files. To focus the request on the file from the field (in our case, an ImageField), you would use:

request.FILES['imgfield']

You would use that when you construct the model object (instantiating your model class):

newPic = ImageModel(imgfile = request.FILES['imgfile'])

To save that the simple way, you'd just use the save() method bestowed upon your object (because Django is that awesome):

if form.is_valid():
    newPic = Pic(imgfile = request.FILES['imgfile'])
    newPic.save()

Your image will be stored, by default, to the directory you indicate for MEDIA_ROOT in settings.py.

Accessing the image in the template:

The urls can be tricky, but here's a basic example of a simple url pattern to call the stored images:

urlpatterns += patterns('',
        url(r'^media/(?P.*)$', 'django.views.static.serve', {
            'document_root': settings.MEDIA_ROOT,
        }),
   )

I hope it helps.