fopen() / fputcsv( ) : error

Question

Im looking for a way to export to a csv on the fly and came accross this.

    $list = array (
                   array('aaa', 'bbb', 'ccc', 'dddd'),
                   array('123', '456', '789'),
                   array('"aaa"', '"bbb"')
                   );
    $fp = fopen('path_to_file/file.csv', 'w');

    foreach ($list as $fields) {
        fputcsv($fp, $fields);
    }

    fclose($fp);

Its just the basic code taken from the php.net page. Anyway i stuck it in to try it our before using it for my own needs. But i keep getting the following errors.

PHP Warning:  fopen(path_to_file): failed to open stream
fputcsv() expects parameter 1 to be resource, boolean given
fclose() expects parameter 1 to be resource, boolean given

I'm unsure why the fopen() error is appearing as i want it to just create a new file on the fly anyway, which was what i thought it done anyway?

Is it safe to assume that this is a file permission error?

Also since im using the exact code from the php.net page im assuming the other errors are displaying because of the fopen() issue.

EDIT.

It seems like i might be better to post some more info.

The classes involved.

 class transData{
var $connection;
var $date;
var $data;

function __construct($date){
    $this->date = $date;
    return;
}

function getData(){ //this method just pulls the results of the query and returns them as an array
    global $connection;
    $date=$this->date;

    //get num row for each date/fromfile combo, one with the most should be the most uptodate.
    // count(fromfile) for specific date, one with most will be the most up to date, if more than one then take the one with highest appended int
    $count=array();
    $x=0;
    $mysqli_result=$connection->query("select fromfile,count(fromfile) from transdata where soldtime like '%".$date."%' group by fromfile");
    while($row=$mysqli_result->fetch_row()){
        $count[$row[0]]=$row[1];
    }
    $mysqli_result->free();
    //got the data in array, now rearrange to get one with highest count
    arsort($count);
    $fromFile=key($count);


    $temp=array();
    $x=0;
    $mysqli_result=$connection->query("select * from transdata where soldtime like '%".$date."%' and fromFile='".$fromFile."' order by soldtime desc");
    while($row=$mysqli_result->fetch_row()){
        $temp[$x]['id']=$row[0];
        $temp[$x]['departure']=$row[1];
        $temp[$x]['type']=$row[2];
        $temp[$x]['typeText']=$row[3];
        $temp[$x]['price']=$row[4];
        $temp[$x]['soldTime']=$row[5];
        $temp[$x]['dateAdded']=$row[6];
        $temp[$x]['fromFile']=$row[7];
        $x++;

    }
    $this->data = $temp;
    $mysqli_result->free();
    return;
}




function dayTotal($noDays){
    //$list=array();
    $html="<table class=\"paxdata\">";

    $html.="<tr><th>Day</th><th>Date</th><th>No. Sold</th><th>Total Price(£)</th><th></th></tr>";
    //$list=array('Day','Date','No. Sold','Total Price(£)');
    //build list of dates to work with
    $inc=0;
    $hours=array();$hours[0]=0;$hours[1]=24;$hours[2]=48;$hours[3]=72;$hours[4]=96;$hours[5]=120;$hours[6]=144;$hours[7]=168;

    while($inc!=$noDays){

        $date=date('Y/n/j',time() - 60 * 60 * $hours[$inc]);        //format for calling class transData()
        $formatDate=date('Y-m-d',time() - 60 * 60 * $hours[$inc]);  //format for displaying date in table
        $day=date('l',time() - 60 * 60 * $hours[$inc]);             //text day name

        $link=explode('/',$date);

        //call to this class to get all the data for us
        $getData = new transData($date);
        $all = $getData->getData();
        $stuff = $getData->data;        

        $x=0;$price=0;
        foreach($stuff as $v){
            $price=$price+$v['price'];
            $x++;

        }
        $totalSold=$totalSold+$x;
        $totalPrice=$totalPrice+$price;

        $checkOdd=new numeric();
        $odd=$checkOdd->is_odd($inc);
        if($odd==1){$html.="<tr class=\"odd\">";}else{$html.="<tr class=\"even\">";}
        $html.="<td width=\"100px\">".$day."</td><td width=\"100px\">".$formatDate."</td><td>".$x."</td><td>".fixedToFloat($price)."</td><td><a href=\"index.php?module=chooseDate&year=$link[0]&month=$link[1]&day=$link[2]\">More info?</a></td></tr>";
        //$list=array($day,$formatDate,$x,$price);
        $inc++;
    }
    $html.="<tr><td></td><th>Totals:</th><th>".$totalSold."</th><th>".fixedToFloat($totalPrice)."</th></tr>";
    $html.="</table>";
    echo $html;


    $list = array (
                   array('aaa', 'bbb', 'ccc', 'dddd'),
                   array('123', '456', '789'),
                   array('"aaa"', '"bbb"')
                   );
    $fp = fopen('~/file.csv', 'w');
    if ($fp != false){
        foreach ($list as $fields) {
            fputcsv($fp, $fields);
        }
    }
    fclose($fp);

}

  }

Called by this via the browser.

$date=date('Y/n/j');

$getData = new transData($date);
$all = $getData->getData();
$getData->dayTotal(7);

The response in /var/log/system.log

   PHP Notice:  Undefined variable: totalSold in /Users/me/Sites/KF/sales/specificClasses.php on line 218
   PHP Notice:  Undefined variable: totalPrice in /Users/me/Sites/KF/sales/specificClasses.php on line 219
   PHP Warning:  fopen(~/Sites/KF/file.csv): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /Users/me/Sites/KF/sales/specificClasses.php on line 238
   PHP Warning:  fclose() expects parameter 1 to be resource, boolean given in /Users/me/Sites/KF/sales/specificClasses.php on line 244

Answer 1

From PHP.net docs for fopen:

Return Values

Returns a file pointer resource on success, or FALSE on error.

Either your code can't find "path_to_file/file.csv", or your web server (or CLI) doesn't have permission to write there.

Answer 2

i don't know your exact settings, but most often it's permission issue. fopen returns FALSE, if it cannot open or create the file and that's your "boolean" problem. try to set rights 777 on "path_to_file" folder and then try to run your script again

also you should check fopen's return value, before trying to manipulate with your file, something like

$fp = fopen('path_to_file/file.csv', 'w');
if ($fp != false){
    foreach ($list as $fields) {
        fputcsv($fp, $fields);
    }

    fclose($fp);
}