PHP does unlink function works with a path?

Question

I would like to remove a file from a folder in PHP, but I just have the path to this file, would it be ok to give the path to unlink? For example

unlink('path/to/file.txt');

If this doesn't work, the only way to get rid of those files would be to create a .php file in the path/to/ directory and include it somehow in my file an call a method there to remove the file, right?

score 22 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 13 '13 at 06:05

22

Got an easy method for your question

Use this code to remove a file from a folder

$_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']

this can be used inside the unlink function

worked code

     unlink($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] . "/path/to/file.txt");

answered Jul 13 '13 at 06:05

Nikz

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score 7 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 15 '11 at 16:46

Have a look at the unlink documentation:

bool unlink ( string $filename [, resource $context ] )

and

filename
Path to the file.

So it only takes a string as filename.

Make sure the file is reachable with the path from the location you execute the script. This is not a problem with absolute paths, but you might have one with relative paths.

score 5 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 15 '11 at 16:49

unlink works fine with paths.

Description bool unlink ( string $filename [, resource $context ] )

Deletes filename. Similar to the Unix C unlink() function. A E_WARNING level error will be generated on failure.

filename
Path to the file.

In case had a problem with the permissions denied error, it's sometimes caused when you try to delete a file that's in a folder higher in the hierarchy to your working directory (i.e. when trying to delete a path that starts with "../").

So to work around this problem, you can use chdir() to change the working directory to the folder where the file you want to unlink is located.

<?php
    $old = getcwd(); // Save the current directory
    chdir($path_to_file);
    unlink($filename);
    chdir($old); // Restore the old working directory   
?>

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 18 '13 at 11:18

3

Don't forget to check if the file exists, or you will get an error if it doesn't:

$file_with_path = $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT'] . "/path/to/file.txt";
if (file_exists($file_with_path)) {
  unlink($file_with_path);
}

answered Aug 18 '13 at 11:18

Nag Hammadi

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score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Feb 15 '11 at 16:45

1

You CAN use unlink with a path.

You can also perform unlink on a directory, as long as you have emptied it first.

Here is the manual: http://php.net/manual/en/function.unlink.php

answered Feb 15 '11 at 16:45

Fenton

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Unlinking a directory doesn't work on all filesystems, which is why there's rmdir() – Marc B Feb 15 '11 at 17:03

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Oct 12 '16 at 06:22

0

We can use this code

$path="images/all11.css";

if(unlink($path)) echo "Deleted file ";

answered Oct 12 '16 at 06:22

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Feb 15 '11 at 16:46

0

According to the documentation, unlink accepts string parameter for the path.

http://php.net/manual/en/function.unlink.php

In other words... you have what you need to delete the file.

answered Feb 15 '11 at 16:46

Chris Baker

49,926
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score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Feb 15 '11 at 16:46

0

Not only is it OK, it is the only way to delete a file in PHP (besides system calls).

answered Feb 15 '11 at 16:46

John Cartwright

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score -4 · Answer 9 · answered Feb 02 '17 at 10:39

if (isset($_POST['remove_file'])) {
           $file_path=$_POST['fileremove'];
     // chown($file_path, 'asif');
     // echo $file_path;
    if (file_exists($file_path)) {
          unlink($file_path);
        echo "file deleted<br> the name of file is".$file_path."";

        # code...
    }
    else
        echo "file is not deleted ".$file_path."";
    # code...
}

PHP does unlink function works with a path?

9 Answers9

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