reading temp files - what about when they go? Die?

[DanielleWebb]

Novice here so I will try to get this all out right.

Problem:
I want my script to read a file then output that file to a specific location. Got that!

However - the file is a chatfile, it is temporary. When someone has been in the chat, a file is created: a vis file which lists the names of the people in the chat. After a certain amount of time, the file empties, sits for awhile - blank - then deletes and ceases to exist at all.

While the file is there, my script runs beautifully! Does just what is intended. But after the room is empty (which I hope once the site is open wont be often, but does occur from time to time) we have this unsightly error message (shortened because I am long winded enough)

Warning: file(/usr/home/web/users/a0021694/html/cgi-bin/chatfiles/visouter_limits): failed to open stream: No such file or directory

The code I am currently using is in its breif entirety:

<?php
$file = file("/usr/home/web/users/a0021694/html/cgi-bin/chatfiles/visouter_limits");
foreach($file as $line)
echo $line . ', '
?>

What I would like to see is lots of people in the chat, but failing that, I am thinking a nice message saying "No one is here right now" might be better than that big long mean error.

So - being new to this php thing - I am trying to find an answer and am coming up a short.

anyone here have any idea's?

[daphreeek]

Try this:

<?php 
$filename = "/usr/home/web/users/a0021694/html/cgi-bin/chatfiles/visouter_limits";

if (is_file(($filename)) {
   $file = file($filename);
   foreach($file as $line) 
      echo "$line, ";
}else
   echo "No one is here right now.";
?> 

• daphreeek

[Weedpacket]

Well, personally I think a database is a better choice than using files; but you can see if a file exists before trying to open it by using [man]file_exists[/man].

if(!file_exists('[i]whatever[/i]'))
{ No-one is here right now.
}
else
{ $fp = fopen('[i]whatever[/i]', 'r');
  etc.etc.
}

[DanielleWebb]

Thanks for the input daphreeek and weedpacket

Problems continue with both options.

Error message:
Parse error: parse error in /usr/home/web/users/a0021694/html/Development/entrance.php on line 134

Where line 134 starts with "if"

re Database comment:
I do have mySql access and run a Yabb formum with no issue, however - have not explored how to make my cgi chat write to a database, nor found a php chat that I liked as much - and certainly not ready to start writing (still on "Hullo World" here)

As an aside, I have tried various if else arguments to get the results with this... and always the same parse error occurs at if

[DanielleWebb]

Thanks for your help guys!

Between your posts and a little more looking around we came up with the following which works!

<?php
$file = '/usr/home/web/users/a0021694/html/cgi-bin/chatfiles/visouter_limits';

if (file_exists($file)) {
$file = file("/usr/home/web/users/a0021694/html/cgi-bin/chatfiles/visouter_limits");
foreach($file as $line)
echo $line . ', ';
} else {
echo "No one is here right now but there may be people in a hidden room. Come in to find out.";
}
?>

Feel free to see it in action at:

http://www.twilightterritories.com/entrance.php