How to handle paths in PHP for command line scripting (Windows)?

Question

I am using PHP for a command line tool that I am building. My tool has to work both on Windows and *NIX based systems. My primary development environment in Ubuntu Linux.

I was wondering whether I should take care of handling directory separator my self every time I do something with files or would PHP take care or that for me? For example:

In Linux:

$user_home = get_user_home_folder();
$filePath = "{$user_home}/path/to/file.txt";

Would the code above work on Windows without modification or should I always do something like:

$user_home = get_user_home_folder();
$filePath = "{$user_home}/path/to/file.txt";
if(is_windows_os()) {
   $filePath = str_replace('/','\\',$filePath);
}

Any advice is very much appreciated.

Not sure about the older versions of Windows, but / works in Windows 7 and above — Saurabh Sharma
– Saurabh Sharma, Commented Jan 25, 2014 at 14:28

Pedro Lobito · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-26 09:39:09Z

1

This will work for you:

<?
$filePath = "/path/to/file.txt";

if (strtoupper(substr(PHP_OS, 0, 3)) === 'WIN') {
    //windows
$filePath = getenv('HOME').str_replace("/", "\\", $filePath);
echo $filePath;
} else {
    //linux
$user_home = get_user_home_folder();
$filePath = $user_home.$filePath;
echo $filePath;
}
?>

In my case (windows) outuputs:

C:\Users\Administrator\path\to\file.txt

Notes:
I never heard about a php function called get_user_home_folder() I assume it's a custom function.

edited Jan 26, 2014 at 9:39

answered Jan 25, 2014 at 14:35

Pedro Lobito

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2 Comments

gevik Over a year ago

get_user_home_folder is a custom function :)

Pedro Lobito Over a year ago

@gevik you need to check the correct sign in order to mark the answer as correct ;)

Brad · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-25 15:38:41Z

1

PHP will try to convert '/' to the correct separator when it can. It also provides a builtin constant called DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR if you don't want to rely on that behaviour.

That constant and the join function work well together for building paths.

e.g. $fullPath = join(DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR, [$userHome, 'path', 'to', 'file.txt']);

answered Jan 25, 2014 at 15:38

Brad

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Jack · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-25 15:41:17Z

1

This maybe help you.

define('DS', is_windows_os() ? '\\' : '/');
$user_home = get_user_home_folder();
$filePath = $user_home.DS."path".DS."to".DS."file.txt"

Use constant DS for path and will be automatically change on need separator

edited Jan 25, 2014 at 15:41

answered Jan 25, 2014 at 15:00

Jack

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