# File\_column / blank input field when editing

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-column-blank-input-field-when-editing/115138>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [September 20, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-column-blank-input-field-when-editing/115138 "2007-09-20T23:41:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![masonkessinger](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/4da419/32.png) [@masonkessinger](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/masonkessinger)\
**Post date:** [September 20, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-column-blank-input-field-when-editing/115138/1 "2007-09-20T23:41:27Z")

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I have an issue when editing an entry in my project that is using  
file-column.

The problem is that while in the edit mode the input field is completely  
blank even though i have previously uploaded a file for that item. I  
would expect this behavior for an entry where I had not uploaded a file,  
but when there is already a file there no text is showing up. I would  
imagine that the text in the input field would say something like  
“filename.jpg” to let me or the user know that there is already a file  
that has been uploaded here. This will help them to make the decision  
easier whether they would like to overwrite this file or not.

Has anyone else experienced this issue?

Any help?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![masonkessinger](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/4da419/32.png) [@masonkessinger](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/masonkessinger)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 1:53am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-column-blank-input-field-when-editing/115138/2 "2007-09-21T01:53:09Z")

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Mason K. wrote:

> easier whether they would like to overwrite this file or not.
> 
> Has anyone else experienced this issue?

HTML file select controls are always initially blank in Rails,  
and this is also enforced by most browsers. This is because  
a malicious web page could get you to upload an arbitrary file  
by hiding the select from the user.

–  
We develop, watch us RoR, in numbers too big to ignore.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![masonkessinger](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/4da419/32.png) [@masonkessinger](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/masonkessinger)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2007, 2:05am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-column-blank-input-field-when-editing/115138/3 "2007-09-21T02:05:13Z")

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Thanks so much for the insight.

Very helpful!

Time to find a new plan.

🙂