File input 'accept' attribute - is it useful?

Question

Implementing a file upload under html is fairly simple, but I just noticed that there is an \'accept\' attribute that can be added to the

Answer 1

Yes, it is extremely useful in browsers that support it, but the "limiting" is as a convenience to users (so they are not overwhelmed with irrelevant files) rather than as a way to prevent them from uploading things you don't want them uploading.

It is supported in

• Chrome 16 +
• Safari 6 +
• Firefox 9 +
• IE 10 +
• Opera 11 +

Here is a list of content types you can use with it, followed by the corresponding file extensions (though of course you can use any file extension):

application/envoy   evy
application/fractals    fif
application/futuresplash    spl
application/hta hta
application/internet-property-stream    acx
application/mac-binhex40    hqx
application/msword  doc
application/msword  dot
application/octet-stream    *
application/octet-stream    bin
application/octet-stream    class
application/octet-stream    dms
application/octet-stream    exe
application/octet-stream    lha
application/octet-stream    lzh
application/oda oda
application/olescript   axs
application/pdf pdf
application/pics-rules  prf
application/pkcs10  p10
application/pkix-crl    crl
application/postscript  ai
application/postscript  eps
application/postscript  ps
application/rtf rtf
application/set-payment-initiation  setpay
application/set-registration-initiation setreg
application/vnd.ms-excel    xla
application/vnd.ms-excel    xlc
application/vnd.ms-excel    xlm
application/vnd.ms-excel    xls
application/vnd.ms-excel    xlt
application/vnd.ms-excel    xlw
application/vnd.ms-outlook  msg
application/vnd.ms-pkicertstore sst
application/vnd.ms-pkiseccat    cat
application/vnd.ms-pkistl   stl
application/vnd.ms-powerpoint   pot
application/vnd.ms-powerpoint   pps
application/vnd.ms-powerpoint   ppt
application/vnd.ms-project  mpp
application/vnd.ms-works    wcm
application/vnd.ms-works    wdb
application/vnd.ms-works    wks
application/vnd.ms-works    wps
application/winhlp  hlp
application/x-bcpio bcpio
application/x-cdf   cdf
application/x-compress  z
application/x-compressed    tgz
application/x-cpio  cpio
application/x-csh   csh
application/x-director  dcr
application/x-director  dir
application/x-director  dxr
application/x-dvi   dvi
application/x-gtar  gtar
application/x-gzip  gz
application/x-hdf   hdf
application/x-internet-signup   ins
application/x-internet-signup   isp
application/x-iphone    iii
application/x-javascript    js
application/x-latex latex
application/x-msaccess  mdb
application/x-mscardfile    crd
application/x-msclip    clp
application/x-msdownload    dll
application/x-msmediaview   m13
application/x-msmediaview   m14
application/x-msmediaview   mvb
application/x-msmetafile    wmf
application/x-msmoney   mny
application/x-mspublisher   pub
application/x-msschedule    scd
application/x-msterminal    trm
application/x-mswrite   wri
application/x-netcdf    cdf
application/x-netcdf    nc
application/x-perfmon   pma
application/x-perfmon   pmc
application/x-perfmon   pml
application/x-perfmon   pmr
application/x-perfmon   pmw
application/x-pkcs12    p12
application/x-pkcs12    pfx
application/x-pkcs7-certificates    p7b
application/x-pkcs7-certificates    spc
application/x-pkcs7-certreqresp p7r
application/x-pkcs7-mime    p7c
application/x-pkcs7-mime    p7m
application/x-pkcs7-signature   p7s
application/x-sh    sh
application/x-shar  shar
application/x-shockwave-flash   swf
application/x-stuffit   sit
application/x-sv4cpio   sv4cpio
application/x-sv4crc    sv4crc
application/x-tar   tar
application/x-tcl   tcl
application/x-tex   tex
application/x-texinfo   texi
application/x-texinfo   texinfo
application/x-troff roff
application/x-troff t
application/x-troff tr
application/x-troff-man man
application/x-troff-me  me
application/x-troff-ms  ms
application/x-ustar ustar
application/x-wais-source   src
application/x-x509-ca-cert  cer
application/x-x509-ca-cert  crt
application/x-x509-ca-cert  der
application/ynd.ms-pkipko   pko
application/zip zip
audio/basic au
audio/basic snd
audio/mid   mid
audio/mid   rmi
audio/mpeg  mp3
audio/x-aiff    aif
audio/x-aiff    aifc
audio/x-aiff    aiff
audio/x-mpegurl m3u
audio/x-pn-realaudio    ra
audio/x-pn-realaudio    ram
audio/x-wav wav
image/bmp   bmp
image/cis-cod   cod
image/gif   gif
image/ief   ief
image/jpeg  jpe
image/jpeg  jpeg
image/jpeg  jpg
image/pipeg jfif
image/svg+xml   svg
image/tiff  tif
image/tiff  tiff
image/x-cmu-raster  ras
image/x-cmx cmx
image/x-icon    ico
image/x-portable-anymap pnm
image/x-portable-bitmap pbm
image/x-portable-graymap    pgm
image/x-portable-pixmap ppm
image/x-rgb rgb
image/x-xbitmap xbm
image/x-xpixmap xpm
image/x-xwindowdump xwd
message/rfc822  mht
message/rfc822  mhtml
message/rfc822  nws
text/css    css
text/h323   323
text/html   htm
text/html   html
text/html   stm
text/iuls   uls
text/plain  bas
text/plain  c
text/plain  h
text/plain  txt
text/richtext   rtx
text/scriptlet  sct
text/tab-separated-values   tsv
text/webviewhtml    htt
text/x-component    htc
text/x-setext   etx
text/x-vcard    vcf
video/mpeg  mp2
video/mpeg  mpa
video/mpeg  mpe
video/mpeg  mpeg
video/mpeg  mpg
video/mpeg  mpv2
video/quicktime mov
video/quicktime qt
video/x-la-asf  lsf
video/x-la-asf  lsx
video/x-ms-asf  asf
video/x-ms-asf  asr
video/x-ms-asf  asx
video/x-msvideo avi
video/x-sgi-movie   movie
x-world/x-vrml  flr
x-world/x-vrml  vrml
x-world/x-vrml  wrl
x-world/x-vrml  wrz
x-world/x-vrml  xaf
x-world/x-vrml  xof