PHP File Exists Always False

Question

I have a case where file_exists() is always returning false. My latest attempt was to just test to see if it would return true for $_SERVER["SCRIPT_FILENAME"] and then return the value of the path if it couldn't find the file which it does.

The path while not necessarily relevant to solving the problem is: /Users/joe/Workspace/720/app/webroot/index.php

I have obviously verified that the file is there, and am not even sure how it couldn't be there since php is serving it up.

I should mention this is on an install of OS X Snow Leopard running PHP 5.3.0.

Any ideas would be fantastic.

CODE SAMPLE:

if (!file_exists($_SERVER["SCRIPT_FILENAME"]))
    $errors[] = 'Cant find:'. $_SERVER["SCRIPT_FILENAME"];

Clearly the function should work, so a code sample is in order. — wallyk, Nov 25 '09 at 20:03
What's the value of `getcwd()`? `$_SERVER["SCRIPT_FILENAME"]` may be in a different directory. — Frank Farmer, Nov 25 '09 at 20:59
I have the same issue, PHP version 5.2.14; getcwd() returns '/home/me/public_html'; file_exists('/images/products/me.jpg') returns false; file_exists('/home/me/public_html/images/products/me.jpg') returns true; I don't know why it fails, as on a different page file_exists('/images/products/me.jpg') returns true, but making the path absolute _always_ works; i.e. Paul's solution works for me too. — parvus, Aug 04 '12 at 10:55

score 8 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 02 '10 at 07:56

8

I just experienced this issue and have been stuck on it for the past couple hours. The answer is that you need to specify the ABSOULTE path in order for file_exists() to work. You can NOT use relative paths such as 'dir1/images/image.jpg' or '../../images/image1.jpg'. You need to specify '/rootdir/subdir/dir1/images/myimage.jpg'.

That's what worked for me anyway.

answered Apr 02 '10 at 07:56

Paul

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This solved it for me. It's a bit difficult to find the absolute path on shared servers since it may not be the root of your FTP account, but it can be found through phpinfo(). – DACrosby Dec 02 '14 at 22:02

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 25 '09 at 20:03

3

It's probably a file permission issue. Make sure the file you are testing for is accessible by _www user (which is the user used to run apache {httpd} on Mac OS X).

Maybe you can try testing for a file on /tmp with 777 as it permission bits.

Hope it helps.

answered Nov 25 '09 at 20:03

Pablo Santa Cruz

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I chmodded the file in question to 777 with the same results. I'm only using SCRIPT_FILENAME variable here to assure everyone that the file does indeed exist and this isn't a pathing typo. – Joe Nov 25 '09 at 20:10

Tim Lytle · Answer 3 · 2009-11-25T20:11:46.253

1

From the php manual on file_exists()

This function returns FALSE for files inaccessible due to safe mode restrictions. However these files still can be included if they are located in safe_mode_include_dir.

That's only a guess, a code sample may make things clearer.

Another reason file_exists() may not be able to access the file (not safe mode related):

Note: The check is done using the real UID/GID instead of the effective one.

This script works fine on my linux box (it's pretty much the example you added):

<?php
  if (file_exists($_SERVER["SCRIPT_FILENAME"])){
    echo "Found File: ";
  } else {
    echo "No File: ";
  }

  echo $_SERVER["SCRIPT_FILENAME"];
?>

edited Nov 25 '09 at 20:11

answered Nov 25 '09 at 20:04

Tim Lytle

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safe_mode is deprecated, but I also verified that the flag is off in the php.ini. – Joe Nov 25 '09 at 20:07
It is deprecated, but that certainly doesn't mean it's not enabled in different configuration - just that it shouldn't be. Maybe a UID/GID issue? – Tim Lytle Nov 25 '09 at 20:10
What different configuration would it be enabled it? Snow Leopard got some ninja configs around somewhere? I was under the impression this is a php specific setting not apache or otherwise? – Joe Nov 25 '09 at 20:13
I just mean that the various installations of php mean you'll run into safe mode regardless of its depreciation. With a standard install on your own machine it isn't likely, but still good to check. – Tim Lytle Nov 25 '09 at 20:18
1

In other words: "deprecated" doesn't mean it no longer works. It means it may no longer work in future versions, so you should avoid it. – JW. Nov 25 '09 at 20:53

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 25 '09 at 20:57

1

Also check the parent directory, and all of their parents, to make sure that everyone has execute access.

If you're running this under Apache (instead of on the command line), remember that it runs under the _www user and _www group on Snow Leopard. So that's the group that needs access.

answered Nov 25 '09 at 20:57

JW.

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Thank you. I ran `sudo chown -R _www:_www filesfolder/` and it worked. – Nostalg.io Apr 11 '18 at 00:15

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Jul 21 '12 at 18:54

0

Use file_exists($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']."/path/to/file") this way php will give it the absolute path for you.

answered Jul 21 '12 at 18:54

Ryan Smith

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score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Nov 25 '09 at 20:48

0

This may be of help:
http://bugs.php.net/bug.php?id=48535

Specifically:

I've set the setting fastcgi.impersonate in php.ini to 1 (like recommendet in the documentation). If I set it to 0 it works.

answered Nov 25 '09 at 20:48

ekhaled

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score -1 · Answer 7 · answered Nov 25 '09 at 20:05

-1

Safe mode?

From PHP file_exists documentation:

Warning

This function returns FALSE for files inaccessible due to safe mode restrictions. However these files still can be included if they are located in safe_mode_include_dir.

answered Nov 25 '09 at 20:05

PatrikAkerstrand

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safe_mode is deprecated, but I also verified that the flag is off in the php.ini. – Joe Nov 25 '09 at 20:08

PHP File Exists Always False

7 Answers7

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