Snazzy file upload, supporting multiple files, in a web app

[OwlHoot]

Has anyone come across a simple (or maybe not so simple) javascript "widget" that would allow users of a web app to specify multiple files and download them all to the app at the click of a button?

I guess Yahoo mail, with its attachment file download for use when composing emails, is one example. Perhaps looking at the source of that will provide what I need. But any other ideas welcome.

[DimPrawn]

Flash makes a good choice to upload multiple files and show a progress bar to the user.

http://www.codeproject.com/KB/aspnet/FlashUpload.aspx

http://www.uploadify.com/

[OwlHoot]

Thanks. A bit of digging confirmed that it's completely impossible using HTML & Javascript alone.

But, as you say, for users with Flash player installed it can be done. As far as I can see, the "big daddy" of widgets for this purpose is SWFUpload.

[NickFitz]

YUI Uploader is worth a look - it may say it's still in Beta, but they use it on flickr and it works well there. (It uses Flash too.)

It's possible to do something by cloning <input type="file"> elements, but the user still has to select each file individually, rather than being able to select multiple files in a single OS dialog - it's a limitation of the browsers, and the way <input type="file"> was originally specced out last century.

[TheRefactornator]

here's a Silverlight option http://www.codeplex.com/SilverlightFileUpld