# \*\*\* Quick help with paperclip \*\*\*

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/quick-help-with-paperclip/178316>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [November 2, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/quick-help-with-paperclip/178316 "2009-11-02T19:43:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/RubyonRails_newbie)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/quick-help-with-paperclip/178316/1 "2009-11-02T19:43:41Z")

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Hi All,

Someone reccomended using paperclip as a way to easily upload photos.

Basically I want a quick and easy solution to allow users to add a  
profile picture.

Anyway - I have followed the tutorial on here:  
[http://jimneath.org/2008/04/17/paperclip-attaching-files-in-rails/](http://jimneath.org/2008/04/17/paperclip-attaching-files-in-rails/)

I can add a file, but there isnt anywhere to upload it.

I have followed the above tutorial word for word, but i dont get it.  
It says i need do nothing with the controller, so I guessed this shuld  
work.

Any reason why the upload button is not visible?

Cheers

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/RubyonRails_newbie)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/quick-help-with-paperclip/178316/2 "2009-11-02T19:49:37Z")

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RubyonRails\_newbie wrote:

> Hi All,
> 
> Someone reccomended using paperclip as a way to easily upload photos.
> 
> Basically I want a quick and easy solution to allow users to add a  
> profile picture.
> 
> Anyway - I have followed the tutorial on here:  
> [http://jimneath.org/2008/04/17/paperclip-attaching-files-in-rails/](http://jimneath.org/2008/04/17/paperclip-attaching-files-in-rails/)
> 
> I can add a file, but there isnt anywhere to upload it.
> 
> I have followed the above tutorial word for word, but i dont get it.

Well, there’s your problem. That page is not meant to be a  
word-for-word tutorial; it’s just some simple examples?

> It says i need do nothing with the controller, so I guessed this shuld  
> work.
> 
> Any reason why the upload button is not visible?

Did you put a submit button in your form, or did you just copy the  
example like a robot? 🙂

> Cheers

## Best,

Marnen Laibow-Koser  
[http://www.marnen.org](http://www.marnen.org)  
removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/RubyonRails_newbie)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/quick-help-with-paperclip/178316/3 "2009-11-02T20:27:00Z")

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I’ll be a robot then!!! 🙂

Will a simple ‘submit’ button solve my issue then?

On 2 Nov, 18:49, Marnen Laibow-Koser \<rails-mailing-l…@andreas-

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**Author:** ![RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/RubyonRails_newbie)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 8:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/quick-help-with-paperclip/178316/4 "2009-11-02T20:36:57Z")

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On Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 1:25 PM, RubyonRails\_newbie  
[removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> I’ll be a robot then!!! 🙂
> 
> Will a simple ‘submit’ button solve my issue then?

This list is for developers, not robots. Learn HTML and come back next  
year.

–  
Greg D.  
[http://destiney.com/](http://destiney.com/)

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**Author:** ![RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/RubyonRails_newbie)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/quick-help-with-paperclip/178316/5 "2009-11-02T21:24:32Z")

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RubyonRails\_newbie wrote:

> Thanks for the really positive reply!
> 
> I know html, but that’s not exactly the problem when it comes to  
> ensuring the upload functionality works!!!

It sure sounds like an HTML issue. If not, then what problem _are_ you  
having?

## Best,

Marnen Laibow-Koser  
[http://www.marnen.org](http://www.marnen.org)  
removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/RubyonRails_newbie)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/quick-help-with-paperclip/178316/6 "2009-11-02T21:29:03Z")

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To be honest I’m new to ruby on rails so am following tutorials as I  
go…

I assumed there would have to be an upload function in one of the  
controllers to get this to work. As i’m relying on what I find online  
I guessed I’d missed something, but not 100% sure…

Ill have to do more digging.

On 2 Nov, 20:24, Marnen Laibow-Koser \<rails-mailing-l…@andreas-

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**Author:** ![RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/RubyonRails_newbie)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/quick-help-with-paperclip/178316/7 "2009-11-02T21:29:03Z")

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Hi… sorry about those unhelpful replies; we were all beginners once  
too ☹

I wrote a paperclip tutorial that might help; I tried to write out  
step by step instructions:  
[http://patshaughnessy.net/2009/4/30/paperclip-sample-app](http://patshaughnessy.net/2009/4/30/paperclip-sample-app)

I’ve also been working on extending the scaffolding feature Rails  
provides to allow people to create scaffolding for specific plugins;  
this might be a good way for you to get started:  
[http://patshaughnessy.net/2009/10/16/paperclip-scaffolding](http://patshaughnessy.net/2009/10/16/paperclip-scaffolding)

. - pat

On Nov 2, 3:04 pm, RubyonRails\_newbie [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

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**Author:** ![RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RubyonRails\_newbie](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/RubyonRails_newbie)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/quick-help-with-paperclip/178316/8 "2009-11-02T21:05:38Z")

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Thanks for the really positive reply!

I know html, but that’s not exactly the problem when it comes to  
ensuring the upload functionality works!!!