[code lang="php"]$binary_image = drupal_http_request($url);[/code]

After checking the response code to make sure it was successful, use the Drupal function file_save_data() to physically store the file into whatever directory you want to store the image file in.

[code lang="php"]
if ($binary_image->code == 200) {
$filepath = file_save_data($binary_image->data, $save_to, FILE_EXISTS_RENAME);
if ($filepath !== 0) {
// attach other relevant information as well
$fileinfo['filepath'] = $filepath;
$fileinfo['filesize'] = filesize($save_to);
$fileinfo = array_merge($fileinfo, getimagesize($save_to));
return $fileinfo;
}
[/code]

The physical file should be saved but just because you’ve saved the file in the directory does not mean that Drupal is aware of the file. In order for that to happen, you also need the mime type, the file size, and the filepath and manually insert into a node. Once you’ve got those, you can create a node and insert those values along with the rest into it.

[code lang="php"]

// create a node
// add the file's information into the node
$node['field_thumbnail'] = array(
array(
'list' => 1,
'data' => array(
'alt' => '',
'title' => '',
),
'fid' => $fid,
'uid' => $user->uid,
'filename' => $resource['logo_file'],
'filepath' => 'files/_thumbnails/'.$resource['logo_file'],
'filemime' => $info['mime'],
'filesize' => $info['filesize'],
'status' => 1,
'timestamp' => time(),
'alt' => '',
'title' => '',
'upload' => '',
),
[/code]

This will make Drupal recognize your files. Everything should be gravy. Hope this works for you.

By the way, for all of you already on Drupal 7(lucky you), file_save_data() saves the data and automatically updates the database with the file information.

Check out this video from drewish.com for the screencast:

http://drewish.com/node/127

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