Question re large objects

(Hopefully I'm addressing this to the right list... This is my first time
with BLOBs anywhere.)

I'm working on a web page template system (PHP/PostgreSQL)
which will (in part, other stuff is done) allow users to upload a gif or
jpeg via a form on another site. The image will then slot into a
predetermined place on their template website.

I've considered the alternatives (store files in a directory or in the
db), and I think storing the image files in the database is the way to
go. Unless anybody can think of why I should just upload the files
to a directory on the server instead of storing them as BLOBs.

I can upload a binary file just fine, and retrieve it from the database
just fine. The problem is that the file (using pg_loreadall) just
plunks itself into my test page as text/plain. How do I get a mime
type header associated with this data so my browser will recognize
it as a gif or jpeg? Do I have to export the file to a web-accessible
directory (owned by web server user, I know) and then use an
<img> tag? Or is there a way to get my browser to recognize that
the BLOB is in fact an image when PHP pulls it out of the
PostgreSQL database?

Be gentle if I've asked a stupid question... :-)

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Christopher Wood, Community Access Technical Coordinator
Western Valley Development Authority
Nova Scotia's Smart Community
Box 251 Bridgetown, Nova Scotia  B0S 1C0
tel: (902) 665-4083/ fax: (902) 665-2878
www.wvda.com www.wvcn.ns.ca
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