# Solutions for image storing / photo taking

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/solutions-for-image-storing-photo-taking/80338>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Tags:** perspective\
**Created:** [October 11, 2023, 1:59pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/solutions-for-image-storing-photo-taking/80338 "2023-10-11T13:59:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bushmatic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/bushmatic/32/87014_2.png) [@Bushmatic](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Bushmatic)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 1:59pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/solutions-for-image-storing-photo-taking/80338/1 "2023-10-11T13:59:05Z")

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Has anyone come up with a good solution for storing and recalling/displaying images that doesn't involve `system.file.readFileAsBytes()` ? We are currently using a very similar system to the one discussed in the below thread from 2012:

> [@Store images in a database](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/store-images-in-a-database/4589):
>
> Hello, How can I store images from my desktop (or another folder in my pc) in a database connected to Ignition from a project? can anybody help me, please? [:prayer:]

That is to say, we just store and recall the varbinary data using an SQL Server table. But I am finding this is really slow and seems kind of archaic. Another thread I found online recommended using Azure file storage along with SQL Server. Can I just get Ignition to save an image file directly into a drive folder and recall it as needed using the filepath? Or is that impossible / bad practice?

I'm also wondering about snapping pics using a phone camera directly within a Perspective app. I could only find info on the file upload component in Android; nothing for iOS. Our employees have iPhones and Androids so I want a solution that works for both.

This is for things like maintenance/service requests, safety alerts, and so on.

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**Author:** ![pturmel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pturmel/32/3295_2.png) [@pturmel](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pturmel)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 2:03pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/solutions-for-image-storing-photo-taking/80338/2 "2023-10-11T14:03:26Z")

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> [@Bushmatic](#):
>
> Can I just get Ignition to save an image file directly into a drive folder and recall it as needed using the filepath?

Yes, with the WebDev module.

> [@Bushmatic](#):
>
> Or is that impossible / bad practice?

Not a bad practice, just an extra license expense. (Compared to my [free Blob Server](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/automation-professionals-blob-server-module/57970/48), for example.)

{ You do need to take some care processing requested URLs to ensure you only expose the files you intend. }

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**Author:** ![Bushmatic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/bushmatic/32/87014_2.png) [@Bushmatic](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/Bushmatic)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 2:15pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/solutions-for-image-storing-photo-taking/80338/3 "2023-10-11T14:15:03Z")

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Awesome, thank you the reply. I am reading through the Blob Server Module thread right now. Seems really cool!

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**Author:** ![peter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/278dde/32.png) [@peter](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/peter)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 2:21pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/solutions-for-image-storing-photo-taking/80338/4 "2023-10-11T14:21:00Z")

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While the Blob Server Module may be a great pragmatic solution, for reference here are some resources that discuss the tradeoff between storing blobs in a Db or not:

[Which is better : Storing/retrieving images on/from SQL server or in a directory on server](https://softwareengineering.stackexchange.com/q/119488/155433)

[Storing Images in DB - Yea or Nay?](https://stackoverflow.com/q/3748/31326)

And for an actual research paper: [To BLOB or Not To BLOB: Large Object Storage in a Database or a Filesystem?](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/wp-content/uploads/2006/04/tr-2006-45.pdf)

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**Author:** ![paul-griffith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/paul-griffith/32/37249_2.png) [@paul-griffith](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/paul-griffith)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2023, 2:30pm UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/solutions-for-image-storing-photo-taking/80338/5 "2023-10-11T14:30:37Z")

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Expect some news on this front in 8.3, though possibly not 8.3.0 🙂