title: Get binary image data from input type "file" using JavaScript/jQuery for use with picture preview with AJAX in WebMatrix
body: <p>I have had trouble when researching or otherwise trying to figure out how (if it's even possible) to get binary image data using JavaScript/jQuery from an html input element of type file.</p>
  
  <p>I'm using WebMatrix (C#), but it may not be necessary to know that, if the purposes of this question can be answered using JavaScript/jQuery alone.</p>
  
  <p>I can take the image, save it in the database (as binary data), then later show the pic on the page, from the binary data, after posting.  This does, however, leave me without a pic preview, before uploading, for which I am almost certain I must use AJAX.</p>
  
  <p>Again, this may not even be possible, but as long as I can get the binary image data, I believe I can push it to the server with AJAX and process the image the same way I would if I were taking it from a database (note that I don't save the image files themselves using GUID and all that,I just save the binary data).</p>
  
  <p>If there is an easier way to show a pic preview using the input element, that would work fine, too, of course, as the whole idea behind me trying to do this is to show a pic preview before they hit the submit form button (or at least create that illusion).</p>
  
  <p><em><strong></em>**<em>*</em>**<em>*</em>****</strong><em>UPDATE</em><strong><em>*</em>**<em>*</em>**<em>*</em>****</strong></p>
  
  <p>I do not consider this a duplicate of another question because, my real question is:</p>
  
  <p>How can I get image data from an input type "file", with JavaScript/jQuery?</p>
  
  <p>If I can just get the data (in the right format) back to the server, I should be able to work with it there, and then return it with AJAX (although, I am absolutely no AJAX expert).</p>
  
  <p>There is, according to the research that I have done, NO WAY to get picture previews in all IE versions using only javascript (this is because getting the full file path is seen, by them, as a potential security risk).  I could ask my users to add the site to the trusted sites, but you don't usually ask users to tamper with those kinds of settings (not to mention the quickest way to make your site seem suspicious to users is to ask them to directly add your site to the trusted sites list.  That's like sending an email and asking for a password.  "Just trust me! I'm soooo safe!" :)</p>