path for file_exists

Fritz

The other day I asked about HOW I could have php check to see if a file exists...I got so help on is_file - but I don't really care if it IS a file...

Suggestions were made that I hit PHP.net and that iswhere I found file_exists...

MY QUESTION: I have a image file name in a table row... I want to verify that It DOES exist in a given directory OR I will result with a generic image (that way NO broken images on my pages)

Can anyone offer me a sample of a conditional???

What php.net doesn't explain is the path to check FOR the file.

do I want a web path or a server path?

Any examples would be greatly appreciated.

thanks.

mrmufin

The file_exists() function can be used to check if a file exists using either an absolute path, such as "/home/fritz/images/pic.jpg" or a path which is relative to the path from which the function is called...

For example, your web server directory structure might look like this:

/usr/local/httpd/htdocs/ <-- .php files in here
/usr/local/httpd/htdocs/images/ <--.jpg files

Suppose you have a script called index.php in the htdocs/ directory which checks for a file called 'pic.jpg' in the htdocs/images/ directory.

if(!file_exists("images/pic.jpg")) {
	// file pic.jpg 'doesn't exist' code goes here...
} else {
	// file pic.jpg 'does exist' code goes here...
}

You could just as easily make the test using the 'full path' to the image, however, this not the path you want to use for things like generating HTML <img src="" /> tags:

if(file_exists("/usr/local/httpd/htdocs/images/pic.jpg")) {
	// file 'does exist' code goes here...
}

Any clearer now?

Fritz

Yes, that really DOES help,

i can't believe this info is missing on the fuction desc. at php.net.

I really appreciate the help.

gochengz

Hello i am the new member ... want to ask little again about this topic....

I have problem with full path...
like your code before :

if(file_exists("/usr/local/httpd/htdocs/images/pic.jpg")) {
    // file 'does exist' code goes here...
}

I had use it before ... but the result any times false although the file is exist

FYI : the files are link on another server...

Because of that i suspicious on network ... but i had use looping checking with file_exists about 10 times but it result is same ....

What happened about file_exists ?

FYI : i use PHP 4.4.8

Thx for your attention and reply before..