note 48777 added to features.file-upload

Anyone here know how to get an uploaded image into a variable so I can insert it into an SQL query string? If I use the file path, all I get is a file path in the database and not the actual image. Thanks! ---- Manual Page -- http://www.php.net/manual/en/features.file-upload.php Edit -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=edit+48777 Delete -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+48777&report=yes Reason: bad code -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+48777&report=yes&reason=bad+code Reason: spam -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+48777&report=yes&reason=spam Reason: useless example -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+48777&report=yes&reason=useless+example Reason: contains commercial links -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+48777&report=yes&reason=contains+commercial+links Reason: useless note -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=delete+48777&report=yes&reason=useless+note Reject -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php?action=reject+48777&report=yes Search -- http://master.php.net/manage/user-notes.php