Module 7: Creating a Controller Extension

In this module, you enhance the Visualforce page you built in module 6: you create a controller extension that allows users to upload speaker pictures.

Step 1: Extend the Data Model

In this step, you add two fields to the Speaker object: Picture_Path to store the location of the picture on the server, and Picture, a Formula field used to display the image in the Visualforce page.

1. In Setup, select Build > Create > Objects, and click the Speaker link

2. In the Custom Fields & Relationships section, click New, and create a Picture_Path field defined as follows:

   • Data Type: Text
   • Field Label: Picture Path
   • Length: 255
   • Field Name: Picture_Path

   Click Next, Next, Save & New

3. Create a Picture field defined as follows:

   • Data Type: Formula
   • Field Label: Picture
   • Field Name: Picture
   • Formula Return Type: Text

   • Formula: IMAGE(Picture_Path__c, '')

     Make sure you use two single quotes and NOT a double quote.

   Click Next, Next, Save

Step 2: Create a Controller Extension

1. In the Developer Console, select File > New > Apex Class, specify SpeakerControllerExtension as the class name and click OK

2. Implement the class as follows:

   public class SpeakerControllerExtension {
   
       public blob picture { get; set; }
       public String errorMessage { get; set; }
   
       private final Speaker__c speaker;
       private ApexPages.StandardController stdController;
   
       public SpeakerControllerExtension(ApexPages.StandardController stdController) {
           this.speaker = (Speaker__c)stdController.getRecord();
           this.stdController = stdController;
       }
   
       public PageReference save() {
           errorMessage = '';
           try {
               upsert speaker;
               if (picture != null) {
                   Attachment attachment = new Attachment();
                   attachment.body = picture;
                   attachment.name = 'speaker_' + speaker.id + '.jpg';
                   attachment.parentid = speaker.id;
                   attachment.ContentType = 'application/jpg';
                   insert attachment;
                   speaker.Picture_Path__c = '/servlet/servlet.FileDownload?file='
                                             + attachment.id;
                   update speaker;
               }
               return new ApexPages.StandardController(speaker).view();
           } catch(System.Exception ex) {
               errorMessage = ex.getMessage();
               return null;
           }
       }
   }
   

   The save() method overrides the standard controller's default behavior.

3. Save the file

Step 3: Modify the Visualforce page

1. In the Developer Console, open the SpeakerForm page, and add the controller extension to the page definition:

   <apex:page standardController="Speaker__c" extensions="SpeakerControllerExtension">
   

2. Add an inputFile (right after the Email inputField):

   <apex:inputFile value="{!picture}" accept="image/*" />
   

   Make sure you use an inputFile and not an inputField

3. Display the potential errorMessage right after </apex:pageBlock>

   {!errorMessage}
   

4. Save the file

Step 4: Test the Application

1. Click the Speakers tab

2. Click New to add a speaker

3. Enter the speaker first name, last name and email

4. Click the Choose File button and select a jpg file on your file system

5. Click the Save button: you should see the image on the speaker's details page