Front-end uses Markdown to upload files, the editor generates a timestamp, and how does the backend receive it

To solve the problem of generating a timestamp when uploading files using Markdown in the frontend and receiving it in the backend, follow these steps:

Frontend Implementation:

Generate Timestamp: Use JavaScript’s Date.now() to create a unique timestamp.
Modify Filename: Append the timestamp to the selected file’s name (e.g., filename_1630548000.jpg).
Insert into Markdown: Update the Markdown editor with the new filename using the appropriate syntax.

Backend Implementation:

Receive File: Capture the uploaded file, including its new timestamped name.
Parse Filename: Extract the timestamp from the filename to use as needed (e.g., for logging or processing).

Here’s a simple example of how this can be implemented:

Frontend Code:

document.getElementById(‘uploadBtn’).addEventListener(‘click’, function() {
    const fileInput = document.getElementById(‘file-input’);
    const timestamp = Date.now();

    if (fileInput.files.length > 0) {
        const fileName = fileInput.files[0].name;
        const newName = `${fileName.split(‘.’)[0]}_${timestamp}.${fileName.split(‘.’)[1]}`;
        const markdownEditor = document.getElementById(‘markdown-editor’);
        markdownEditor.value += `![${fileName}](${newName})`;
    }
});

document.getElementById(‘uploadBtn’).addEventListener(‘click’, function() {

const fileInput = document.getElementById(‘file-input’);

const timestamp = Date.now();

if (fileInput.files.length > 0) {

const fileName = fileInput.files[0].name;

const newName = `${fileName.split(‘.’)[0]}_${timestamp}.${fileName.split(‘.’)[1]}`;

const markdownEditor = document.getElementById(‘markdown-editor’);

markdownEditor.value += `![${fileName}](${newName})`;

}

});

Backend Code (Node.js/Express):

const express = require(‘express’);
const multer = require(‘multer’);
const app = express();

app.use(‘/upload’, multer({ dest: ‘uploads/’ }));

app.post(‘/process’, upload.single(‘file’), function(req, res) {
    const fileName = req.file.originalname;
    // Extract timestamp from filename
    const parts = fileName.split(‘_’);
    const timestampStr = parts[parts.length – 1];
    const timestamp = parseInt(timestampStr, 10);

    console.log(`File received with timestamp: ${new Date(timestamp)}`);
    res.send(‘File processed successfully.’);
});

const express = require(‘express’);

const multer = require(‘multer’);

const app = express();

app.use(‘/upload’, multer({ dest: ‘uploads/’ }));

app.post(‘/process’, upload.single(‘file’), function(req, res) {

const fileName = req.file.originalname;

// Extract timestamp from filename

const parts = fileName.split(‘_’);

const timestampStr = parts[parts.length – 1];

const timestamp = parseInt(timestampStr, 10);

console.log(`File received with timestamp: ${new Date(timestamp)}`);

res.send(‘File processed successfully.’);

});

Explanation:
– Frontend: When the user clicks the upload button, JavaScript captures the selected file and appends a timestamp to its name. This new filename is inserted into the Markdown editor.
– Backend: The Express server receives the uploaded file. It parses the filename to extract the timestamp for further processing.

This approach ensures that each uploaded file has a unique name based on the current time, which the backend can handle as needed.

5 responses to “Front-end uses Markdown to upload files, the editor generates a timestamp, and how does the backend receive it”

This method ensures that each uploaded file has a unique identifier tied to its upload time, which can be particularly useful for logging and tracking purposes. The backend parsing logic is effective but might need optimization for very large-scale applications.

Log in to Reply
The solution is efficient and minimizes complexity by leveraging simple JavaScript Date methods. However, I wonder if there are alternative approaches for generating unique filenames without modifying the filename itself.

Log in to Reply
I appreciate how the article breaks down both frontend and backend implementations. The use of Node.js and Express makes it accessible for developers familiar with JavaScript frameworks. A great reference for handling file uploads!

Log in to Reply
The approach of appending timestamps to filenames ensures uniqueness, which is essential for avoiding overwrites in file storage. This method works well for personal projects but may require additional configuration in team environments.

Log in to Reply
This article provides a clear and straightforward solution to handling file uploads with timestamps in Markdown editors. The step-by-step guide is easy to follow, and the code examples are helpful.

Log in to Reply

IT Log