Uploading a file without, as it were, actually uploading the file

[Webskater]

Just get the filename before the upload begins. I don't believe you get an upload until you call FileUpload.SaveAs method.
Anyhow if you want the user to have a list to files on your server that he "fakely" uploads then you have to have them on the server,right? What good is showing the path of a non existent file?
What exactly are you trying? You may be better of with another solution.

As I understand it the file is uploaded when the form is submitted - in the body of the http request.

When you call the SaveAs method the file is on the server already - SaveAs writes it wherever you tell it to write it.

This is not the path to a non-existent file. It is the path to an existing file.

What I need to achieve is ... Fred is running a Project. He wants everyone in the team to be able to see the list of documents associated with the project. He knows where all the files are ... he wants a page where he can point to the files and store the paths - so that a web page can then display that list of files/paths - so people can click on links to open Windows Explorer to open the files.

I've just realised I can put the input type=file inside an Update Panel, get at the file path after a user has selected a file using javascript, write the file name to a hidden field and retrieve it when I update. So, problem solved.