Simple PHP Path Question

Question

I'm new to PHP, so this is a very simple question. Let's say I have two folders: FolderA and FolderB. Within FolderA, I have a PHP file. Within FolderB, I have a certificate. If I wanted to insert the relative path to the certificate in the PHP file, would this be this path: ../FolderB/Certificate.pem?

Thanks for your help!

Phil · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-07 00:44:58Z

3

Your solution entirely depends on whether or not the file in FolderA is at the top of the "include tree".

A better solution would be to use an absolute path, eg

// FolderA/file.php

// PHP 5.3 only
$path = realpath(__DIR__ . '/../FolderB/Certificate.pem');

// or if stuck with PHP 5.2 or earlier
$path = dirname(dirname(__FILE__)) . '/FolderB/Certificate.pem';

To illustrate why an absolute path is better, consider this

// FolderA/file.php
$path = '../FolderB/Certificate.pem';

// some-other-file-in-the-root-directory.php
include 'FolderA/file.php';
// $path is now incorrect as it points to
// ROOT . '../FolderB/Certificate.pem'

edited Sep 7, 2011 at 0:44

answered Sep 7, 2011 at 0:39

Phil

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4 Comments

Jack Humphries Over a year ago

Sorry, I meant relative path, but your solution worked without the first slash. Just wanted to check to make sure it wasn't different in PHP. Thanks for your help!!

sanmai Over a year ago

Why absolute paths is better in this specific case?

Phil Over a year ago

@sanmai If you include FolderA/file.php from somewhere else, the relativity of the path changes. Using an absolute path ensures correctness.

Jack Humphries Over a year ago

As I said, I'm not good with PHP, and the files I am using to send push notifications to my iOS apps require me to use a relative path, not an absolute path (I didn't write them). That would have saved me much trouble though. Thanks!

sanmai · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-07 00:40:09Z

0

True.

/* FolderA/test.php: */
var_dump(is_file('../FolderB/Certificate.pem'));

answered Sep 7, 2011 at 0:40

sanmai

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Comments

Marc Towler · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-07 00:40:38Z

0

Unless you involved yourself in set_include_path() then yes you would be correct!

answered Sep 7, 2011 at 0:40

Marc Towler

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