There are some examples how to upload a file to alfresco using UploadContentServlet but they all show how to code it directly in Java. Documentation and forum lacks an example showing how to upload a large file using Alfresco web services. After a bit of struggle I figured it out.

Quick and dirty recipe:

1. Perform ticket authorization

POST /alfresco/service/api/login
{
"username" : "admin",
"password" : "admin"
}

You’ll get response with ticket in it.

1. Create a new document using CMIS services

POST /alfresco/service/cmis/i/176c5f4d-db63-49ec-9886-c19d6d9eefce/children
Content-Type:application/atom+xml;type=entry

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
xmlns:cmisra="http://docs.oasis-open.org/ns/cmis/restatom/200908/"
xmlns:cmis="http://docs.oasis-open.org/ns/cmis/core/200908/">
<title>important document</title>
<summary>VERY important document</summary>
<content type="text/plain">
MS4gR2l0YSAKIDIuIEthcm1heW9nYSBieSBWaXZla2FuYW5k
</content>
<cmisra:object>
<cmis:properties>
<cmis:propertyId propertyDefinitionId="cmis:objectTypeId"><cmis:value>cmis:document</cmis:value></cmis:propertyId>
</cmis:properties>
</cmisra:object>
</entry>

/i/176c5f4d-db63-49ec-9886-c19d6d9eefce denotes folder to create document within.

It is also possible to refer to directories in more natural way – using names.

More info provided here:  http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/CMIS_Web_Scripts_Reference#Create_.2F_Move_a_Folder_or_Document_.28createDocument.2C_createFolder.2C_createPolicy.2C_moveObject.29You will get quite big chunk of xml with a lot info about newly uploaded document, among these informations you’ll find ID of the document.

3.  Overwrite the new document with your big file

PUT /alfresco/upload/workspace/SpacesStore/85c43689-4a38-4a0a-8e58-e24333ffec14/test.pdf?ticket=TICKET_fc7af4c45f138ad366dd5905aaf7a4ab8b9da268

Send file as body of request.

More info about UploadContentServlet : http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/URL_Addressability#UploadContentServlet

And that’s all, your file is ready in Alfresco repository!