RFC 2388 (rfc2388) - Page 1 of 9

Returning Values from Forms: multipart/form-data

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Network Working Group                                         L. Masinter
Request for Comments: 2388                              Xerox Corporation
Category: Standards Track                                     August 1998


           Returning Values from Forms:  multipart/form-data

Status of this Memo

   This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the
   Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for
   improvements.  Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet
   Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state
   and status of this protocol.  Distribution of this memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998).  All Rights Reserved.

1. Abstract

   This specification defines an Internet Media Type, multipart/form-
   data, which can be used by a wide variety of applications and
   transported by a wide variety of protocols as a way of returning a
   set of values as the result of a user filling out a form.

2. Introduction

   In many applications, it is possible for a user to be presented with
   a form. The user will fill out the form, including information that
   is typed, generated by user input, or included from files that the
   user has selected. When the form is filled out, the data from the
   form is sent from the user to the receiving application.

   The definition of MultiPart/Form-Data is derived from one of those
   applications, originally set out in [RFC 1867] and subsequently
   incorporated into [HTML40], where forms are expressed in HTML, and in
   which the form values are sent via HTTP or electronic mail. This
   representation is widely implemented in numerous web browsers and web
   servers.

   However, multipart/form-data can be used for forms that are presented
   using representations other than HTML (spreadsheets, Portable
   Document Format, etc), and for transport using other means than
   electronic mail or HTTP. This document defines the representation of
   form values independently of the application for which it is used.





Masinter                    Standards Track
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