The filetype( ) Function

[iwato]

QUESTION: How might one explain the failure of the filetype( ) function in the following code block to produce a valid filetype -- namely, "dir" -- for folders containing other folders and files.

<?php	$folderpath = "../../../";	if (is_dir($folderpath)) {		if ($handle = opendir($folderpath)) {			while (($folder = readdir($handle)) == !false) {				echo "Name of folder: " . $folder . "<br />";				echo "Type of file: " . filetype($folder) . "<br /><br />";				clearstatcache();			}		}		closedir();	} else {		echo "$folderpath is not a path to a folder.";	}?>

RECURRING ERROR MESSAGE: Warning: filetype() [function.filetype]: Lstat failed for constants in /Applications/MAMP/htdocs/php-practice/functions/directory/closedir/closedir.php on line 42.Line 42 corresponds to the line of code that contains the filetype( ) function. Mind you, this recurring error message does not return a warning for a folder named _notes whose filetype is returned as dir -- the value that I expected to see for all of the other folders.Roddy

[boen_robot]

Well, the error message says it... this functions calls lstat() in order to find out more about the path, and that call fails. This can happen due permissions issues. In particular, I think the folder needs to be executable, which in folder context means traversable.

[iwato]

Well, the error message says it... this functions calls lstat() in order to find out more about the path, and that call fails. This can happen due permissions issues. In particular, I think the folder needs to be executable, which in folder context means traversable.

After some experimentation ending in the execution of the handy var_dump() function, I have realized that the problem is with the readdir() function. The readdir( ) function returns only the name of the file -- not a path to it. Problem solved.In any case, thanks for the effort. It makes all the difference.By the way, I now have a fairly good handle on permissions thanks to everyone's help and strangely enough TextWrangler.Roddy With each new command zero to several new techniques.