Filesystem Helper¶

The Filesystem Helper file contains functions that assist in working with files and directories.

Loading this Helper¶

This helper is loaded using the following code:

<?php

helper('filesystem');

Available Functions¶

The following functions are available:

directory_map($sourceDir[, $directoryDepth = 0[, $hidden = false]])¶

Parameters
- $sourceDir string Path to the source directory
- $directoryDepth int Depth of directories to traverse (0 = fully recursive, 1 = current dir, etc.)
- $hidden bool Whether to include hidden paths
Returns: An array of files
Return type: array

Examples:

<?php

$map = directory_map('./mydirectory/');

Note

Paths are almost always relative to your main index.php file.

Sub-folders contained within the directory will be mapped as well. If you wish to control the recursion depth, you can do so using the second parameter (integer). A depth of 1 will only map the top-level directory:

<?php

$map = directory_map('./mydirectory/', 1);

By default, hidden files will not be included in the returned array and hidden directories will be skipped. To override this behavior, you may set the third parameter to true (boolean):

<?php

$map = directory_map('./mydirectory/', 0, true);

Each folder name will be an array index, while its contained files will be numerically indexed. Here is an example of a typical array:

Array (
    [libraries] => Array
        (
            [0] => benchmark.html
            [1] => config.html
            ["database/"] => Array
                (
                    [0] => query_builder.html
                    [1] => binds.html
                    [2] => configuration.html
                    [3] => connecting.html
                    [4] => examples.html
                    [5] => fields.html
                    [6] => index.html
                    [7] => queries.html
                )
            [2] => email.html
            [3] => file_uploading.html
            [4] => image_lib.html
            [5] => input.html
            [6] => language.html
            [7] => loader.html
            [8] => pagination.html
            [9] => uri.html
        )
)

If no results are found, this will return an empty array.

directory_mirror($original, $target[, $overwrite = true])¶

Parameters
- $original string Original source directory
- $target string Target destination directory
- $overwrite bool Whether individual files overwrite on collision

Recursively copies the files and directories of the origin directory into the target directory, i.e., "mirrors" its contents.

Example:

<?php

try {
    directory_mirror($uploadedImages, FCPATH . 'images/');
} catch (\Throwable $e) {
    echo 'Failed to export uploads!';
}

You can optionally change the overwrite behavior via the third parameter.

write_file($path, $data[, $mode = 'wb'])¶

Parameters
- $path string File path
- $data string Data to write to the file
- $mode string fopen() mode
Returns: true if the write was successful, false in case of an error
Return type: bool

Writes data to the file specified in the path. If the file does not exist, then the function will create it.

Example:

<?php

$data = 'Some file data';

if (! write_file('./path/to/file.php', $data)) {
    echo 'Unable to write the file';
} else {
    echo 'File written!';
}

You can optionally set the write mode via the third parameter:

<?php

write_file('./path/to/file.php', $data, 'r+');

The default mode is 'wb'. Please see fopen() in the PHP manual for mode options.

Note

In order for this function to write data to a file, its permissions must be set such that it is writable. If the file does not already exist, then the directory containing it must be writable.

Note

The path is relative to your main site index.php file, NOT your controller or view files. CodeIgniter uses a front controller, so paths are always relative to the main site index.

Note

This function acquires an exclusive lock on the file while writing to it.

delete_files($path[, $delDir = false[, $htdocs = false[, $hidden = false]]])¶

Parameters
- $path string Directory path
- $delDir bool Whether to also delete directories
- $htdocs bool Whether to skip deleting .htaccess and index page files
- $hidden bool Whether to also delete hidden files (files beginning with a period)
Returns: true on success, false in case of an error
Return type: bool

Deletes ALL files contained in the supplied path.

Example:

<?php

delete_files('./path/to/directory/');

If the second parameter is set to true, any directories contained within the supplied root path will be deleted as well.

Example:

<?php

delete_files('./path/to/directory/', true);

Note

The files must be writable or owned by the system in order to be deleted.

get_filenames($sourceDir[, $includePath = false[, $hidden = false[, $includeDir = true]]])¶

Parameters
- $sourceDir string Directory path
- $includePath bool|null Whether to include the path as part of the filename; false for no path, null for the path relative to $sourceDir, true for the full path
- $hidden bool Whether to include hidden files (files beginning with a period)
- $includeDir bool Whether to include directories in the array output
Returns: An array of file names
Return type: array

Takes a server path as input and returns an array containing the names of all files contained within it. The file path can optionally be added to the file names by setting the second parameter to null for relative paths or true for a full file path.

Note

Prior to v4.4.4, due to a bug, this function did not follow symlink folders.

Example:

<?php

$controllers = get_filenames(APPPATH . 'Controllers/');

get_dir_file_info($sourceDir[, $topLevelOnly = true])¶

Parameters
- $sourceDir string Directory path
- $topLevelOnly bool Whether to look only at the specified directory (excluding sub-directories)
Returns: An array containing info on the supplied directory's contents
Return type: array

Reads the specified directory and builds an array containing the filenames, filesize, dates, and permissions. Sub-folders contained within the specified path are only read if forced by setting the second parameter to false, as this can be an intensive operation.

Example:

<?php

$models_info = get_dir_file_info(APPPATH . 'Models/');

get_file_info($file[, $returnedValues = ['name', 'server_path', 'size', 'date']])¶

Parameters
- $file string File path
- $returnedValues array|string What type of info to return, passed as an array or comma-separated string
Returns: An array containing info on the specified file, or null if it is not a file
Return type: array|null

Given a file and path, returns (optionally) the name, path, size and date modified information attributes for a file. The second parameter allows you to explicitly declare what information you want returned.

Valid $returnedValues options are: name, server_path, size, date, readable, writable, executable and fileperms.

symbolic_permissions($perms)¶

Parameters
- $perms int Permissions
Returns: Symbolic permissions string
Return type: string

Takes numeric permissions (such as is returned by fileperms()) and returns standard symbolic notation of file permissions.

<?php

echo symbolic_permissions(fileperms('./index.php'));  // -rw-r--r--

octal_permissions($perms)¶

Parameters
- $perms int Permissions
Returns: Octal permissions string
Return type: string

Takes numeric permissions (such as is returned by fileperms()) and returns a three-character octal notation of file permissions.

<?php

echo octal_permissions(fileperms('./index.php')); // 644

same_file($file1, $file2)¶

Parameters
- $file1 string Path to the first file
- $file2 string Path to the second file
Returns: Whether both files exist with identical hashes
Return type: boolean

Compares two files to see if they are the same (based on their MD5 hash).

<?php

echo same_file($newFile, $oldFile) ? 'Same!' : 'Different!';

set_realpath($path[, $checkExistence = false])¶

Parameters
- $path string Path
- $checkExistence bool Whether to check if the path actually exists
Returns: An absolute path
Return type: string

This function will return a server path without symbolic links or relative directory structures. An optional second argument will cause an error to be triggered if the path cannot be resolved.

Examples:

<?php

$file = '/etc/php5/apache2/php.ini';
echo set_realpath($file); // Prints '/etc/php5/apache2/php.ini'

$non_existent_file = '/path/to/non-exist-file.txt';
echo set_realpath($non_existent_file, true);    // Shows an error, as the path cannot be resolved
echo set_realpath($non_existent_file, false);   // Prints '/path/to/non-exist-file.txt'

$directory = '/etc/php5';
echo set_realpath($directory);  // Prints '/etc/php5/'

$non_existent_directory = '/path/to/nowhere';
echo set_realpath($non_existent_directory, true);   // Shows an error, as the path cannot be resolved
echo set_realpath($non_existent_directory, false);  // Prints '/path/to/nowhere'