strem_wrapper_register(unlink(???)) ...uh.. help?

ATS16805

i'm trying to learn how to delete files from my server via php. the idea would be to browse to a page w/ user agent as Firefox or IE, etc, and view a list of files in the specified directory-- these files are already displayed using a glob() function. i just want to be able to pick one of those files and delete it from the server.

i would imagine that this poses a security risk, but again-- this is going on a private site where i'd hope not to receive uninvited visitors. hmmm...
i don't mean to discount the importance of security-- i guess i'm just trying to "get too much done" w/out pausing for considering how to handle security-- sigh-- well, let me at least ask:

if i want to use stream_wrapper_register() and unlink() together for the purpose of deleting a file from a specified directory, how might i go about doing it? i understand that i need to "...define a class with a number of member functions..." (php.net) so that is my first obstacle as i haven't done anything w/ classes yet really.

i appreciate any advice/ help you can offer on this subject.
NOTE: all i want to do is offer an easy way to remove files from the server-- if i'm going about this task in all the wrong, more difficult manner, please give me the heads up so i can study the right stuff. thanks!!
🙂

Weedpacket

I'm don't see why you're wanting to use a stream wrapper around unlink(). unlink() alone does exactly what you're asking for (deleting files from the filesystem).

As far as security goes ... you're providing a list of files they're allowed to delete, right? Since you have that list, you can check it to make sure that the file they're asking to delete is in it.

ATS16805

Weedpacket wrote:
don't see why you're wanting to use a stream wrapper around unlink().

haha... me neither! 😉

i guess i made it to that page somewhere during my attempt to figure it out-- for some reason i had myself convinced that it was going to help me w/ the http:// "wrapper"... (w/ added security?) i dunno... actually-- i think i got the impression that unlink() had to be used w/ it-- for it to function. obviously, i find the whole topic of remote file management to be somewhat a tricky situation. intimidated by the concept perhaps?

anyway... i'll take a better look at unlink(). (suggestions for that?)

thanks!
🙂