file_exists doesn't seem to work right

viveleroi0

I have a script that loads an image url from a link, and it is supposed to check if the image exists or not. If it does, then show the image, if not then display an error and log it to a file.

I can never get file_exists to actually work. I have tried making $File be a relative URL, an absolute URL, but it ALWAYS shows the error message.

if (file_exists("$File")) 
	{
   echo "
   <br clear=\"all\"><p><img src=\"$File\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Enlarged Version\"><p>";
	} 
else 
	{
   echo "<p>The image does not appear to be where it should be. 
   <br />This error has been logged for the site administrator.";

	$file_name="$SC_URL/Logs/error.txt"; 
$file_pointer = fopen($file_name, "a"); 
fwrite($file_pointer, "Image missing from $File\n"); 
fclose($file_pointer); 
}

any ideas?

sfullman

I've NEVER had a problem with file_exists(). Try this first:

<?php

echo file_exists('thisfile.php');

where thisfile.php is the name of the script. You should see a 1 on the screen. If so, then your problem is the reference path somehow, no other way.

Sam

viveleroi0

Do you know if it requires a certain type of URL?

I've tried:

../Folder/image.jpg

http://website.com/Folder/image.jpg

and neither of those work. I will try that test mentioned above, but if that works... do you know it file_exists requires a certain type of URL?

swr

From the [man]file_exist[/man] manual page:

"Tip: As of PHP 5.0.0 this function can also be used with some URL wrappers. Refer to Appendix J for a listing of which wrappers support stat() family of functionality."

This implies that before PHP 5, file_exist does not work with URL wrappers. As in, it works with local files, but not URLs.

You'll have to do something else instead, like using fopen directly (which does support URL wrappers).

viveleroi0

I tried the echo file_exists('thisfile.php'); idea and it does show a 1... so somehow I am messing up the URL.

I echoed the $File and it shows one of the URLS above... so I know the variable isn't getting messed up.