# Django file upload path error

**URL:** <https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830>\
**Category:** The Admin\
**Created:** [June 24, 2023, 2:53pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830 "2023-06-24T14:53:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tomislavm021](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/tomislavm021/32/13462_2.png) [@tomislavm021](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/tomislavm021)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2023, 2:53pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/1 "2023-06-24T14:53:13Z")

</div>

I am trying to create file\_upload\_path but for some reason it is not working, i am getting the error:

 ![screencapture-127-0-0-1-8000-admin-accounts-user-1-change-2023-06-24-16_39_52](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/djangoproject/original/2X/f/fc8a4c61fc6e6266b636cf2a90b673c09733c6c3.jpeg)

I want users to upload images to that file path which i have in models.py

```auto
from django.db import models
# import abstract user
from django.contrib.auth.models import AbstractUser

# when using file upload path, the error appears when editing profile
def file_upload_path(instance, filename):
    return f'user-{instance.user.id}/images/{filename}'

# DEFINE OUR CUSTOM USER
class User(AbstractUser):
    class Role(models.TextChoices):
        ADMIN = 'ADMIN', 'Admin'
        OWNER = 'OWNER', 'Owner'
        EMPLOYEE = 'EMPLOYEE', 'Employee'
        MODERATOR = 'MODERATOR', 'Moderator'
        CUSTOMER = 'CUSTOMER', 'Customer'
    
    email = models.EmailField(unique=True, max_length=50)
    username = models.CharField(unique=True, max_length=50)
    role = models.CharField(max_length=20, choices=Role.choices, null=True, blank=True)
    phone_number = models.CharField(max_length=20, null=True, blank=True)
    image = models.ImageField(upload_to=file_upload_path, null=True, blank=True, default='default-images/profile.png')

    USERNAME_FIELD = 'email'
    REQUIRED_FIELDS = ['username']

    agree_to_terms = models.BooleanField('I agree to TOS', default=False, blank=False, null=False)

    def __str__ (self):
        return self.email
    
    # to show full name
    def full_name(self):
        return f'{self.first_name} {self.last_name}'
    
    # to check the role
    def get_role(self):
        if self.role == User.Role.ADMIN:
            user_role = 'Admin'
        elif self.role == User.Role.OWNER:
            user_role = 'Owner'
        elif self.role == User.Role.EMPLOYEE:
            user_role = 'Employee'
        return user_role

# when user is created, create a profile for that user via signals
class UserProfile(models.Model):
    # relation to User
    user = models.OneToOneField(User, on_delete=models.CASCADE)

    def __str__ (self):
        return self.user.email

```

In the template i have this:

```auto
 <form action="" method='POST' enctype="multipart/form-data">
            {% csrf_token %}
            {{form|crispy}}
            <button type='submit' class="default-submit-button w-inline-block">Update profile</button>
          </form>

```

Url is

```
path('profile/', views.profile, name='profile'),

```

Now, i can add the image via template, but i get the error in the admin, and only when trying to change the image.

I hope someone can clarify a bit, am i doing it correct…

Thank you as always!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KenWhitesell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/kenwhitesell/32/280_2.png) [@KenWhitesell](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/KenWhitesell)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2023, 11:15pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/2 "2023-06-24T23:15:04Z")

</div>

Please don’t post images of text or browser pages for errors. Copy/paste the errors and traceback from the console screen where you’re running runserver into the body of your post (surrounded by lines of ```, just like you do with code.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tomislavm021](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/tomislavm021/32/13462_2.png) [@tomislavm021](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/tomislavm021)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 10:00am UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/3 "2023-06-25T10:00:17Z")

</div>

Sorry, okay, here it is.

```auto
AttributeError at /admin/accounts/user/1/change/
'User' object has no attribute 'user'
Request Method:	POST
Request URL:	http://127.0.0.1:8000/admin/accounts/user/1/change/
Django Version:	4.2.2
Exception Type:	AttributeError
Exception Value:	
'User' object has no attribute 'user'
Exception Location:	D:\Sass\F3\accounts\models.py, line 7, in file_upload_path
Raised during:	django.contrib.admin.options.change_view
Python Executable:	D:\Sass\F3\venv\Scripts\python.exe
Python Version:	3.11.1
Python Path:	
['D:\\Sass\\F3',
 'C:\\Users\\Dell\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python311\\python311.zip',
 'C:\\Users\\Dell\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python311\\DLLs',
 'C:\\Users\\Dell\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python311\\Lib',
 'C:\\Users\\Dell\\AppData\\Local\\Programs\\Python\\Python311',
 'D:\\Sass\\F3\\venv',
 'D:\\Sass\\F3\\venv\\Lib\\site-packages']
Server time:	Sun, 25 Jun 2023 09:58:19 +0000
Traceback Switch to copy-and-paste view
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\core\handlers\exception.py, line 55, in inner
                response = get_response(request)
                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\core\handlers\base.py, line 197, in _get_response
                response = wrapped_callback(request, *callback_args, **callback_kwargs)
                                ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\contrib\admin\options.py, line 688, in wrapper
                return self.admin_site.admin_view(view)(*args, **kwargs)
                            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\utils\decorators.py, line 134, in _wrapper_view
                    response = view_func(request, *args, **kwargs)
                                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\views\decorators\cache.py, line 62, in _wrapper_view_func
        response = view_func(request, *args, **kwargs)
                       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\contrib\admin\sites.py, line 242, in inner
            return view(request, *args, **kwargs)
                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\contrib\admin\options.py, line 1889, in change_view
        return self.changeform_view(request, object_id, form_url, extra_context)
                     ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\utils\decorators.py, line 46, in _wrapper
        return bound_method(*args, **kwargs)
                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\utils\decorators.py, line 134, in _wrapper_view
                    response = view_func(request, *args, **kwargs)
                                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\contrib\admin\options.py, line 1747, in changeform_view
            return self._changeform_view(request, object_id, form_url, extra_context)
                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\contrib\admin\options.py, line 1798, in _changeform_view
                self.save_model(request, new_object, form, not add)
                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\contrib\admin\options.py, line 1227, in save_model
        obj.save()
              ^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\contrib\auth\base_user.py, line 76, in save
        super().save(*args, **kwargs)
            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\db\models\base.py, line 814, in save
        self.save_base(
             ^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\db\models\base.py, line 877, in save_base
            updated = self._save_table(
                            …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\db\models\base.py, line 981, in _save_table
            values = [
                           …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\db\models\base.py, line 985, in <listcomp>
                    (getattr(self, f.attname) if raw else f.pre_save(self, False)),
                                                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\db\models\fields\files.py, line 317, in pre_save
            file.save(file.name, file.file, save=False)
                 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\db\models\fields\files.py, line 92, in save
        name = self.field.generate_filename(self.instance, name)
                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\venv\Lib\site-packages\django\db\models\fields\files.py, line 332, in generate_filename
            filename = self.upload_to(instance, filename)
                            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
Local vars
D:\Sass\F3\accounts\models.py, line 7, in file_upload_path
from django.db import models
# import abstract user
from django.contrib.auth.models import AbstractUser
# when using file upload path, the error appears when editing profile
def file_upload_path(instance, filename):
    return f'user-{instance.user.id}/images/{filename}'
                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
# DEFINE OUR CUSTOM USER
class User(AbstractUser):
    class Role(models.TextChoices):
        ADMIN = 'ADMIN', 'Admin'
        OWNER = 'OWNER', 'Owner'
Local vars

```

This is just profile edit page, where i want users to be able to edit their profile. This error appears only when new image is being uploaded…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cehceh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/cehceh/32/3415_2.png) [@cehceh](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/cehceh)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 10:13am UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/4 "2023-06-25T10:13:23Z")

</div>

> [@tomislavm021](#):
>
> ```auto
> def file_upload_path(instance, filename):
> return f'user-{instance.user.id}/images/{filename}'
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ …
> # DEFINE OUR CUSTOM USER
> class User(AbstractUser):
> class Role(models.TextChoices):
> ADMIN = 'ADMIN', 'Admin'
> OWNER = 'OWNER', 'Owner'
> 
> ```

instance here represents the `class User(AbstractUser):` It has not any “user” field try to use

```auto
def file_upload_path(instance, filename):
    return f'user-{instance.id}/images/{filename}'

```

instead of `instance.user.id`

hope that helps.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tomislavm021](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/tomislavm021/32/13462_2.png) [@tomislavm021](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/tomislavm021)\
**Post date:** [June 25, 2023, 10:18am UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/5 "2023-06-25T10:18:40Z")

</div>

Thank you very much 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tomislavm021](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/tomislavm021/32/13462_2.png) [@tomislavm021](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/tomislavm021)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 6:17pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/6 "2023-06-26T18:17:33Z")

</div>

I hope i can continue on this thread and get some advice. I have followed the advice and edited out the “user” part before .id.

So i have defined a dynamic file upload path:

```auto
def course_file_upload_path(instance, filename):
    return f'user-{instance.id}/courses/files/{filename}'

```

Course model has an image field with upload\_to set to that path. Also, PDF model has the FileField with the same upload path.

So, in the admin, for Course image i do see “user-1…” but for the PDF model i don’t, there i see “user-None/courses/files/pdfdemo\_7pGZyM6.pdf”

This is the models.py

```auto
from django.db import models
from django.conf import settings
from django.urls import reverse

def course_file_upload_path(instance, filename):
    return f'user-{instance.id}/courses/files/{filename}'

class Course(models.Model):
    title = models.CharField(max_length=100, unique=True)
    slug = models.SlugField(max_length=110, unique=True)
    image = models.ImageField(upload_to=course_file_upload_path, default='default-images/post.png')
    description = models.TextField(null=True, blank=True)
    created_at = models.DateTimeField(auto_now_add=True) 
    updated_at = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)

    # relations
    # to owner of the course = logged in user who is creating the course
    user = models.ForeignKey(settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL, on_delete=models.CASCADE)

    def __str__ (self):
        return self.title
    
    def get_absolute_url(self):
        return reverse('courses:view_course', args=[str(self.slug)])
    
    def clean(self):
        self.title = self.title.capitalize()
        self.slug = self.slug.lower()

class Module(models.Model):
    title = models.CharField(max_length=50)

    # relation to Course
    course = models.ForeignKey(Course, on_delete=models.CASCADE)

    def __str__ (self):
        return self.title

class Lesson(models.Model):
    title = models.CharField(max_length=100, unique=True)
    slug = models.SlugField(max_length=110, unique=True)
    content = models.TextField(null=True, blank=True)
    video = models.FileField(upload_to=course_file_upload_path, null=True, blank=True)
    created_at = models.DateField(auto_now_add=True)
    updated_at = models.DateField(auto_now=True)

    # relations
    course = models.ForeignKey(Course, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
    module = models.ForeignKey(Module, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
    user = models.ForeignKey(settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL, on_delete=models.CASCADE)

    def __str__ (self):
        return self.title
    
    def get_absolute_url(self):
        return reverse('course:view_lesson', args=[str(self.course.slug), str(self.slug)])
    
    def clean(self):
        self.title = self.title.capitalize()
        self.slug = self.slug.lower()

class Pdf(models.Model):
    title = models.CharField(max_length=100)
    file = models.FileField(upload_to=course_file_upload_path)

    # relation to Lesson
    lesson = models.ForeignKey(Lesson, on_delete=models.CASCADE)

    user = models.ForeignKey(settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL, on_delete=models.CASCADE)

    def __str__ (self):
        return self.title

```

Am i missing something?

Thank you!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KenWhitesell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/kenwhitesell/32/280_2.png) [@KenWhitesell](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/KenWhitesell)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 9:00pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/7 "2023-06-26T21:00:27Z")

</div>

Is this being done as part of the same admin page, or are you doing this on the admin page for your `Pdf` model?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tomislavm021](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/tomislavm021/32/13462_2.png) [@tomislavm021](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/tomislavm021)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 9:35pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/8 "2023-06-26T21:35:54Z")

</div>

Thank you, sorry i don’t understand the question.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KenWhitesell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/kenwhitesell/32/280_2.png) [@KenWhitesell](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/KenWhitesell)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/9 "2023-06-26T21:42:55Z")

</div>

You are uploading files in the Admin, correct?

If I’m understanding you correctly, these uploads are working for the `image` field in the `Course` model, but the upload is _not_ working for the `file` field in the `Pdf` model.

What is the admin page where you are uploading these files that are being placed in the `Pdf` model?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tomislavm021](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/tomislavm021/32/13462_2.png) [@tomislavm021](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/tomislavm021)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 9:58pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/10 "2023-06-26T21:58:00Z")

</div>

Oh, okay. I just wanted to create a few objects before i start with crud views for models, so i am using Django admin, yes.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![KenWhitesell](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/kenwhitesell/32/280_2.png) [@KenWhitesell](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/KenWhitesell)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 10:09pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/11 "2023-06-26T22:09:05Z")

</div>

Ok, so is it the Admin page for the `Pdf` model where you are uploading this, or are you uploading these files on a different page?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tomislavm021](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/tomislavm021/32/13462_2.png) [@tomislavm021](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/tomislavm021)\
**Post date:** [June 26, 2023, 10:49pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/12 "2023-06-26T22:49:28Z")

</div>

> [@KenWhitesell](#):
>
> ge for the `Pdf` mo

 ![cq1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/djangoproject/original/2X/4/417a4f818740510ca7992d525c178b6e7a3713c9.png)

Yes, i am in the admin, for that Pdf Model.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cehceh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.djangoproject.com/cehceh/32/3415_2.png) [@cehceh](https://forum.djangoproject.com/u/cehceh)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2023, 12:16pm UTC](https://forum.djangoproject.com/t/django-file-upload-path-error/21830/13 "2023-07-01T12:16:25Z")

</div>

> [@tomislavm021](#):
>
> ```auto
> def course_file_upload_path(instance, filename):
> return f'user-{instance.id}/courses/files/{filename}'
> 
> ```

As I can see the method of uploading file `def course_file_upload_path`  
It can be as the following :

```auto
def course_file_upload_path(instance, filename):
    return f'user-{instance.user.id}/courses/files/{filename}'

```

Because the instance here represents the `class Course()` that has already field `user` and the `class Pdf()` that also has field `user`  
So you can use `instance.user.id`