How to Save Image Path in Database Using MySQL & C#

Introduction

In this article we will first create a table in a MySQL database and then we will use a Windows Forms application to save an image into the database.

Description

Create a table in a MySQL database using MySQL browser as in the following. To store the image in the database, here is the script for the table:

CREATE TABLE `image` (
`name` varchar(100) default NULL,
`type` varchar(100) default NULL,
`desc` varchar(100) default NULL,
`docname` varchar(5000) default NULL,
`docdisc` varchar(500) default NULL
) ENGINE=InnoDB DEFAULT CHARSET=latin1

Create a new Windows Forms application and arrange controls on the form as in the following:

Save.jpg

Add a reference to the MySql.Data DLL using the Add Reference dialog box and include the following two namespaces:

using MySql.Data.MySqlClient;
using System.IO;

Write the following code in the Click event of PictureBox to select an image to be saved in the database:

//The String used to store the location of the file that is currently loaded in the picture box picFile
String location;

//The String used to store the name of the file that is currently loaded in the picture box picFile
String fileName; 
private void Browse_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
      openPic.Filter =
"JPeg Image|*.jpg|Bitmap Image|*.bmp|Gif Image|*.gif";
     
//Showing the fileopen dialog box
      openPic.ShowDialog();
     
//showing the image opened in the picturebox
      pictureBox1.BackgroundImage = new Bitmap(openPic.FileName);
     
//storing the location of the pic in variable
      location = openPic.FileName;
      textBox2.Text = location;
     
//storing the filename of the pic in variable
      fileName = openPic.SafeFileName;
}

Write the following code in the Click event of the btnSave Button:

private void btn_SaveImage_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
     
MySqlConnection con = new MySqlConnection(ConString);
     
MySqlCommand cmd;
     
FileStream fs;
     
BinaryReader br; 
     
try
      {
          
//Creating a filestream to open the image file
           FileStream fs = new FileStream(location, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read);

          
//Getting the legth of the fil in bytes
           int fileLength = (int)fs.Length;

          
//creating an array to store the image as bytes
           byte[] rawdata = new byte[fileLength];

          
//using the filestream and converting the image to bits and storing it in
           //an array
           fs.Read(rawdata, 0, (int)fileLength);

          
//Creating a new mysql command object which will be used to store the image
           MySqlCommand cmd = new MySqlCommand();
  
          
//creating sql command
           String sql = "insert into doc1 values(@pfno,@depname,@doctype,@docdesc,@docexpdate,@docname,@docdisc)";
   
          
//Connection
          con = new MySqlConnection();
          con.ConnectionString =
ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["constr"];
          con.Open();

         
//Setting the connection of the command
          cmd = new MySqlCommand(sql, con);

         
//setting the sql of the command
          //cmd.CommandText = sql;
          //Setting up the parameter values to be used when storing the image to a
          //table
         //cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@docsize", rawdata);
          cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue("@name", label8.Text);
          cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue(
"@type", comboBox1.Text);
          cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue(
"@desc", textBox1.Text);
          cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue(
"@docname", textBox2.Text);
          cmd.Parameters.AddWithValue(
"@docdisc", fileLength);
         
//Executing the query and writing the image to the database
          cmd.ExecuteNonQuery();
         
//Closing the filestream
          con.Close();
         
MessageBox.Show("Done");
     }
    
catch (Exception ex)
    {
          
MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
    } 
}

The comments are given in // blocks.

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